If you’ve ever been driving your car and noticed that one of the lug nuts has started to swell, then you know just how frustrating it can be. Lugnuts can become swollen for a number of reasons, but the most common is because they’ve become over-tightened. If you find that your lug nuts have swollen dramatically, there are a few things you can do to try and resolve the issue. In this article, we’ll outline the best methods for removing swollen lug nuts from your car.
What Are Lug Nuts?
Lug nuts are the small, round, removable fasteners on the front or rear wheels of a vehicle. They’re usually made of aluminum or steel and have a hexagonal head. If they become swollen, they can sometimes be difficult to remove. Here’s how to remove them: 1) Remove the wheel covers. If the lug nuts are on the front wheels, unscrew the two front screws that hold them in place and lift off the covers. On rears, there is only one screw, so it doesn’t need to be unscrewed.
2) Inspect the lugnuts for signs of damage. If they look severely swollen or if they’ve been hit by something heavy, try using a tire iron to pry them off. Be careful not to puncture the tire!
3) If using a tire iron isn’t possible or if there’s too much swelling for it to work, use a lug nut remover tool. These come in various shapes and sizes and have either sharp blades or suction cups that grip onto the nut from below. Insert the tool into one side of the nut and twist until it pops off.
4) Repeat on the other side. Be sure to torque each lugnut back down to its original specification after removing it – over-torquing can cause them to crack later on.
How Do Lug Nuts Get Swollen?
Lug nuts can get swollen from a number of causes, including over-tightening, corrosion, and using the wrong size bolt. Over-tightening the lug nut can cause it to seize up and become difficult to remove. Corrosion can cause the metal to expand, leading to swelling. Lug nuts typically use a 22mm bolt, but if your vehicle uses a 24mm bolt you will need to use a 24mm wrench. If using a wrench is not an option, you can use an impact gun to break the nut free.
How to Remove Swollen Lug Nuts
If your bike is having trouble starting because of swollen lug nuts, there are a few quick and easy ways to remove them.
1) Using a lug wrench, loosen the nut on one side of the wheel.
2) With the wrench still in place, use a pry bar on the opposite side of the wheel to push against the wrench and lever the nut off.
3) If necessary, repeat on the other side.
Conclusion
If you’re having trouble removing swollen lug nuts, don’t worry — there are a few tricks that will help. First, make sure that the lug nuts are completely and properly tightened by using a torque wrench. Next, use a prying tool to lever the nut off of the wheel hub. Finally, use an axle grease remover to dissolve any built-up lug nut grease. These steps should help you remove swollen lug nuts without any damage or difficulty.