How to Remove a Stuck Lug Nut?

All of us have encountered seized lug nuts at some point in our lives, and it never fails to make the tire-changing experience frustrating. A stuck lug nut can ruin your schedule when you’re in a rush to your destination.

No matter how difficult the task may seem, there are several interesting tricks on how to remove a stuck lug nut from a tire.

Following these methods, you can definitely be able to get the bugger out in the least amount of time.

Why Do Lug Nuts Get Stuck?

Sometimes lug nuts feel like they’re stuck just out of sheer spite. But there are actually a variety of reasons behind them becoming stuck hard. Knowing them may help you avoid them in the future.

• Over Tightening

Since most people don’t know that lug nuts need to be tightened up to a certain amount, they tend to keep going on tightening it as much as physically possible.

• Dirt

When we drive the vehicle, all the road debris, dirt, and clay get jammed into the lug nuts, making them stuck. So next time you can’t seem to loosen the nut, check if something is stuck and clean it.

• Rust

Unfortunately, it is difficult to prevent rust from forming on lug nuts. However, you can delay or reduce its formation by keeping the nuts clean and dry as much as possible.

• Stripped Nut

Lug nuts get worn out when the tires are changed frequently. When the nuts get stripped, they don’t get enough friction with the socket to rotate.

How to Remove a Stuck Lug Nut from the Wheel

Below we’ll suggest you some of the best tricks for loosening the nut first. If one doesn’t work, move on to the next. After all, this is a matter of trial and error.

1. Clean It

As we mentioned earlier, one of the most common causes of a stuck nut is dirt and debris getting jammed with it. Try to clean the nut with a stiff brush and remove the dirt if there is any. This will hopefully help to loosen the nut.

2. Use Penetrating Oil

How to remove rusted lug nuts? Well, this is the way.

When the lug nuts are old and won’t lighten their grip, it is due to excessive corrosion.

One of the least labor-intensive ways to loosen it will be to apply penetrating oil at the base of those nuts and wait. These oils are composed of fast dissolving solvents that help to break the layer of rust formed.

3. Hammer It

Another method is to rap the nut with a hammer with consecutive minor hits. This helps loosen the rust formed between the rings and the lug nut.

4. Heat It

If you want to move the process up to the next level, try heating the nuts with a high-quality acetylene torch.

The theory for this trick is the expansion of material due to heat. When you apply heat to the nuts, it expands more than the wheel studs and eventually becomes loose.

5. Using Cheater Wrench

Another great way is to go for Cheater Wrench. It is a type of torque multiplier lug wrench that’s powerful enough to loosen even the tightest of nuts.

Removing Lug Nut from the Wheel

Once you’ve loosened the nut, it is time to remove it from the wheel. The process of removing stuck lug nuts is actually easier than loosening them. Just follow these easy steps:

Step 1 – Choose the Right Lug Wrench

When you buy the vehicle, a factory-made lug wrench is usually provided with the tool kit. If in any case you’ve lost it, you can buy it anywhere. Make sure to use the wrench that fits with the lug nut perfectly and grabs it tight.

Step 2 – Fix and Push

Select any lug nut and fix the tire wrench with it. Keep the handle in the ten o’clock position and push it.

If the nut has been loosened previously, you won’t need to push it hard. Otherwise, the strength of your hands might not be enough, and you’ll need to use your leg.

Step 3 – Get Additional Leverage

Factory lug wrenches that come with the vehicles have small handles and so don’t provide much leverage to spin the nut in the beginning.

So, you might need to get additional leverage by using a breaker bar with it. You could also use a metal pipe instead.

Keeping the wrench at the same 10 o’clock position, insert the handle into the iron pipe or the break bar. Then using your foot, push the extended handle, and it will increase the amount of torque, loosening the nut further.

Step 4 – Keep Loosening the Nut

Once the lug nut is loose enough, you can turn it by using the wrench only or even your bare hands. Keep loosening the nut, and it will come off.
Repeat this step for all the lug nuts, and you’re done!

Final Words

Anyone who owns a vehicle has gone through the experience of stuck lug nuts. Trying to remove them with just a wrench requires painstaking effort.
After going through these tips and tricks, we hope you now know how to remove a stuck lug nut from a wheel without even breaking a sweat.