Hello,

One of the crappy Chrysler lug nuts on my 95 Dakota has snapped off at the base. I tried getting a lug nut extractor (reverse thread socket) but there's not enough meat for it to catch. In addition, the nut seems to be made of very soft material and the extractor just cuts a notch through the top of the nut.

Are there any other options here other than drilling?

See attached to see what I'm dealing with.

POS seized broken lug nut

 

I have some broken lug nut extractors but I don't think you have enough room to get one on there. I'll bet there's enough shoulder to get the wheel off, can you? You might be able to split it with a narrow chisel. I suspect you're going to have to use a drill or grinder to get it off enough to remove the wheel. Once you get it off, replace all your lug nuts with good solid steel ones so you don't get another one doing the same thing.

 

Are you using an impact to try to remove to or just a ratchet? Might want to try this style...

 

I have two specific lug nut removal tools just like that. I'm not sure there is enough room to get one in there. If he can tap one onto the remains of the lug nut and push pressure on it, it may dig in enough to back the nut off. One thing I saw when I was first learning to work on cars was a similar issue on a Packard. The mechanic was one of my teachers who had learned in the Army in WW1. Put a thin piece of metal inside the opening to try and protect the wheel. Using a drill bit, drill into the remnants of the lug nut. Drill along side the stud and between it and the protective metal. Once you have drilled a hole along the nut, drill another one half way around the nut. Once you have two grooves cut into the nut, it's hammer and chisel time. The metal shield is to protect the wheel. Hopefully you won't damage it. This may damage the stud but once you get the wheel off, you can replace it. This is something I was shown about 1965 or so, so you may have to wing it a bit. Parts were more robust on the old cars.

 

Hello. Thanks for your suggestion. Yes I tried pounding one of those on and using a breaker bar to turn it, but unfortunately there's not enough tip left on the nut for it to grab. It falls off or just deforms the metal on the nut.

 

I saw this video. Seems to be a Chrysler problem:


Not fun but I think this is all I have right now. Not only is the nut broken but it's seized.

 

I think you're going to discover new curse words you didn't know you knew. His technique is similar to what I was talking about. I was shown cutting with a bit on the side. Once you get it off, replace ALL your lug nuts with solid steel ones. Put a thin film of oil on them and also remove each wheel and put a film of wheel bearing grease where the rotor meets the wheel so they don't seize onto the rotor.

 

Or just use anti-seize in the same places. And remember...a little goes a long way...no need to 'drown' the parts with it.

 

I am not a fan of putting ANY kind of lubricant on lug nuts...... That just strikes me as a bad idea.

 

Possibly a good low strength thread locker; they also serve to lubricate the threads on removal.

But no. Dry torque for me.

RwP