What's the best remover for stripped lug nuts/lost wheel lock keys?

On Tuesday, January 28, 2014 4:47:57 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
> On 1/28/2014 2:16 PM, Steve W. wrote:
>
> > N8N wrote:
>
> >> you must have a better impact than any of his guys... I
>
> >> know there's
>
> >> two of whatever the classic IR gun is (the aluminum one
>
> >> with the 5
>
> >> position dial on the revering slider thing) in that shop,
>
> >> plus
>
> >> whatever the new top of the line Air Cat is, I have
>
> >> removed lugs with
>
> >> my breaker bar that none of the air guns will touch. What
>
> >> gun are
>
> >> you using and what pressure is your shop air?
>
> >>
>
> >> Original question still stands as well, as unfortunately
>
> >> some lugs
>
> >> come in pre stripped for your convenience. If only people
>
> >> would only
>
> >> let competent mechanics touch their cars...
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > You can get a set of universal removal tools.
>
> >
>
> > For the locks without a key and some rounded nuts (size
>
> > dependent)
>
> > M980 Emergency Lug Nut Remover Sockets
>
> >
>
> > For others
>
> > SK TurboSocket® Kit - 920
>
> >
>
> > There are also the sets with more sockets available from
>
> > other sources.
>
> >
>
> > Or you can grab one of these.
>
> > http://www.lugripper.com
>
> >
>
>
>
> I'm not experienced in this (never ran into it on my own
>
> cars or friends' cars) so I'm assuming you just don't have
>
> access to the nut in full depth? Around bicycles, we slit
>
> the nut and open it. I could do that if needed on a 1965
>
> Chevy lugnut, not sure about modern wheels.
>

yeah, on steel wheels it is not a problem at all, just cut it with an air cutoff tool and done. Most modern alloys have the lugs recessed in a hole. Some aftermarket wheels are a horror where you can't even get an impact socket in the hole, you have to use a deep hand socket to remove/install wheels. Don't even get me started on splined lug nuts.

nate

On Tuesday, January 28, 2014 3:16:57 PM UTC-5, Steve W. wrote:
> N8N wrote:
>
> > you must have a better impact than any of his guys... I know there's
>
> > two of whatever the classic IR gun is (the aluminum one with the 5
>
> > position dial on the revering slider thing) in that shop, plus
>
> > whatever the new top of the line Air Cat is, I have removed lugs with
>
> > my breaker bar that none of the air guns will touch. What gun are
>
> > you using and what pressure is your shop air?
>
> >
>
> > Original question still stands as well, as unfortunately some lugs
>
> > come in pre stripped for your convenience. If only people would only
>
> > let competent mechanics touch their cars...
>
>
>
>
>
> You can get a set of universal removal tools.
>
>
>
> For the locks without a key and some rounded nuts (size dependent)
>
> M980 Emergency Lug Nut Remover Sockets
>
>
>
> For others
>
> SK TurboSocket® Kit - 920
>
>
>
> There are also the sets with more sockets available from other sources.
>
>
>
> Or you can grab one of these.
>
> http://www.lugripper.com
>
>
>
> --
>
> Steve W.

yes, that is the kind of stuff I was looking for. Any personal opinions on which one is "best?"

thanks

nate

On Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:13:33 PM UTC-5, MLD wrote:
> "N8N" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> Friend of mine owns a shop... this comes up far too often unfortunately.
>
> Usually it's not a lost wheel lock key but a lug nut that's been overtorqued
>
> and then left on for a year or two, head strips, uncomfortable call to
>
> owner, then carefully blowing the head of the lug off with a cutting torch
>
> (destroying the finish of the wheel in the process.)
>
>
>
> I've been around for a couple of these exercises; problem is that he's in a
>
> less than affluent neighborhood and the local parts/tool stores are worse
>
> than worthless; purchasing something that will work locally is not possible.
>
> I've tried using some of my Craftsman and Snap-On regular stripped bolt head
>
> extractors and while I think they might work, the problem is they are all
>
> 3/8" drive and I cannot find a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter that won't shear the
>
> 3/8" drive before loosening the fastener, so I need something minimum 1/2"
>
> drive and strong; will have to be mail-ordered. MAC LT-4200 looks good and
>
> is inexpensive on the 'bay. Is there a Snap-On equivalent and is it better?
>
> anything else to look at?
>
>
>
> thanks,
>
>
>
> nate
>
> Recently had all 4 wheel locks overtorqued and the key stripped trying to
>
> get them off. When the guys in the Dealer's service dept gave up (after
>
> about and hour) trying to get them off they turned to the Used Car shop.
>
> Apparently there, they run into this off and on and had some special tool.
>
> Using this tool they finally got all 4 locks off in about 15 min. My point
>
> here is that this may point you to a source for some help or advice.
>
> MLD

yeah I need to hang around those kinds of guys I guess. My problem is that my friend has a shop that has those kinds of problems, and looks to me for advice because he's the business dude and I'm the car guy, what he doesn't realize is that my expertise is really in ancient barn cars with steel wheels where this isn't a problem, and all my modern stuff I don't let morons touch so I don't have these kinds of issues.

nate

On 1/26/2014 10:38 AM, N8N wrote:
> Friend of mine owns a shop... this comes up far too often unfortunately. Usually it's not a lost wheel lock key but a lug nut that's been overtorqued and then left on for a year or two, head strips, uncomfortable call to owner, then carefully blowing the head of the lug off with a cutting torch (destroying the finish of the wheel in the process.)
>
> I've been around for a couple of these exercises; problem is that he's in a less than affluent neighborhood and the local parts/tool stores are worse than worthless; purchasing something that will work locally is not possible. I've tried using some of my Craftsman and Snap-On regular stripped bolt head extractors and while I think they might work, the problem is they are all 3/8" drive and I cannot find a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter that won't shear the 3/8" drive before loosening the fastener, so I need something minimum 1/2" drive and strong; will have to be mail-ordered. MAC LT-4200 looks good and is inexpensive on the 'bay. Is there a Snap-On equivalent and is it better? anything else to look at?
>
> thanks,
>
> nate
>
Like Colt 45, works every time:
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Tsar_Bomba_Revised.jpg>

--
T0m $herm@n

N8N wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 28, 2014 3:16:57 PM UTC-5, Steve W. wrote:
>> N8N wrote:
>>
>>> you must have a better impact than any of his guys... I know there's
>>> two of whatever the classic IR gun is (the aluminum one with the 5
>>> position dial on the revering slider thing) in that shop, plus
>>> whatever the new top of the line Air Cat is, I have removed lugs with
>>> my breaker bar that none of the air guns will touch. What gun are
>>> you using and what pressure is your shop air?
>>> Original question still stands as well, as unfortunately some lugs
>>> come in pre stripped for your convenience. If only people would only
>>> let competent mechanics touch their cars...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> You can get a set of universal removal tools.
>>
>>
>>
>> For the locks without a key and some rounded nuts (size dependent)
>>
>> M980 Emergency Lug Nut Remover Sockets
>>
>>
>>
>> For others
>>
>> SK TurboSocket® Kit - 920
>>
>>
>>
>> There are also the sets with more sockets available from other sources.
>>
>>
>>
>> Or you can grab one of these.
>>
>> http://www.lugripper.com
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Steve W.
>
> yes, that is the kind of stuff I was looking for. Any personal opinions on which one is "best?"
>
> thanks
>
> nate

I've used the SK master set a lot. They work great on rounded and rusted
stuff, but they are somewhat thick walled. The drill unit looks like it
would do a good job on the rims with clearance problems. May see if I
can find one of the core bit's they use.


--
Steve W.