Ideas for a spinning lug nut in a wire wheel

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Trying to help a friend who has a problem with a rear wheel on a '31.
He wanted to remove the wheels for painting and one of the lug nuts is just spinning and won't come off.

I thnk the stud is probably spinning in the drum but I haven't been to his house to see it yet.

Looking for ideas on ways to remove this lug nut, keeping in mind its limited access through the wires of the wheel.

I'm thinking air chisel, oscillating saw...?

[zzlegend]

Can you leave the wheel attached and pull the drum and wheel as one, and then maybe tack or mig weld the stud in the back of the drum? And then try to remove the nut. Just a thought

[40 Deluxe]

First, squirt a little oil between the lug nut and wheel, then pull out forcefully on the wheel while turning the nut. If the threads are stripped, this may push the nut back onto good threads. If the stud is spinning this may cause enough friction to allow the nut to turn. It's worked for me. Otherwise move on to zzlegend's idea.

[bobH]

If it's just one... I've sometimes had luck removing the others, cock the wheel to put tension on the offending one, and use an air impact gun on the troublemaker.
Plan B is in post 2.

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Thanks for the tips...I should know in about an hour..

[Mike B]

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Nut splitter?

Like this

If you have room.

[2935ford]

If it is a Model A drum.....a fairly common occurrence. Back in the day once the hub was off they just welded the stud head to the hub not a good fix but it served the purpose for awhile.
Best bet is to get the hub and wheel off together.

[V12Bill]

Split the nut with an impact chisel?

[Kurt in NJ]

Put some pressure on it, either pulling or ricking---then impact gun

[Scott H in Wheaton]

image.jpg

Can't get a hub puller through the center of the wire wheel, so the nut MUST come off.

It is a chrome acorn nut.

Air chisel isn't getting enough air from his mini compressor to keep up much, and the chrome is making it hard for the chisel to get a bite.

Sawzall is akward and on the first pull of the trigger the blade shattered into 3 pieces.

Small air body saw didn't have enough cfm to keep running.

Electric impact just kept spinning it even with wedge pressure from pulling out on the tire.

Next effort will be to bring a larger portable compressor and I think I can get my 3" cutoff wheel in there if I remove the guard.

[Karl Wolf]

I have split nuts a few times by drilling a hole parallel to the bolt, that is, through the nut along the side of the bolt. Center punch to be at the center of the nut wall. Use maybe a 1/8" inch bit... New bit, good brand. Take your time and drill almost to the wheel. Use a tapered punch that will just start in the hole, and a hammer. You will have drilled away most of the side of the nut, and it should break fairly easy...

Karl

[Mart]

Drill straight in on the centre of the stud. Small hole first. Keep drilling bigger and bigger until there is no stud for the nut to cling to.

It can then be fixed with a new or good used stud and nut.

Mart.

[zzlegend]

Another thought Scott. Some guys have had luck loosening the axle nut a few turns with a small gap behind the nut and drum and then taking a little left and right drive to loosen up the drum from the axle. First put the remaining lug nuts back on just snug. Might work? Just another thought. Some good ideas already posted but just don't let the tool get away from you. Mark.

[deuce lover]

Try a cut off wheel on a pneumatic die grinder

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Originally Posted by Karl Wolf

I have split nuts a few times by drilling a hole parallel to the bolt, that is, through the nut along the side of the bolt. Center punch to be at the center of the nut wall. Use maybe a 1/8" inch bit... New bit, good brand. Take your time and drill almost to the wheel. Use a tapered punch that will just start in the hole, and a hammer. You will have drilled away most of the side of the nut, and it should break fairly easy...

Karl

This was my thought, but that rounded acorn chrome head won't give me a good bite. If I cut the end of the lugnut off with the 3" cutoff wheel I should be able to drill straight through the edge of the stud/lug.

[Charlie Stephens]

What happened to pulling the drum and hub off as an assembly and tacking the lug bolt to the hub as mentioned in Post #2? A better alternative might be to drill the stud and use an easy out to hold the stud while using a lug wrench to turn the nut (I hate tack welding things together).

Charlie Stephens

[FlatheadTed]

I am with the Cut of wheel then Finnish with a chisel .Ted

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

What happened to pulling the drum and hub off as an assembly and tacking the lug bolt to the hub as mentioned in Post #2? A better alternative might be to drill the stud and use an easy out to hold the stud while using a lug wrench to turn the nut (I hate tack welding things together).

Charlie Stephens

Look at the picture in post #10....how am I supposed to get a hub puller in there without pulling the wheel?
And the car owner isn't keen on the idea of drivng it around the block with the castle nut loose in the hopes that the hub will loosen up on its own....but I will mention it to him again. But then we still have the issue of cutting out the stud to free the drum from the wheel, we would just switch from working on the car to working on the bench.

I think best course of action is to cut the lug nut off and then do a proper repair on the drum or if needed replace the drum.

[paul2748]

Got a Dremel? They are small. You can use a carbide cutter with it or try the fiberglass reinforced wheels. It takes time, but you can save everything but the lug nut.

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Originally Posted by paul2748

Got a Dremel? They are small. You can use a carbide cutter with it or try the fiberglass reinforced wheels. It takes time, but you can save everything but the lug nut.

Yep, I have a Dremel with the little cutoff wheels.
Ha Ha I would be there for days chipping away at it.
I think the lug is trashed anyway. If it survives the ordeal of cutting off the nut we would probably replace it anyway. I'm more concerned the drum is ruined where the lug presses in.