Lug nuts, and the associated car lug nut removers, are not objects to which most people give a whole lot of thought. What are they? Lug nuts adhere a wheel to a car. Lug nut removers allow the car owner to remove lug nuts should they want to take off the wheels.
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In general, lug nuts keep the wheel on the studs and attach it to an axle. You want those lug nuts to be on nice and tight to get the job done. Not too, though.
Lug nuts come in a few different “flavors” as a matter of fact. You could wander into any auto parts store and start up a conversation about conical lug nuts, ball lug nuts, or even tapered lug nuts.
People who are all about putting aftermarket wheels on their car know a lot about this. Many times, they are the ones who end up in the auto parts store asking about the required hardware.
Everybody should have an extra set of lug nuts on hand when out on the open road. You never know when one will fly off or you’ll need to put on the spare tire.
Sometimes, however, these lug nuts aren’t easy to get off. As earlier stated, they should be on their tight. Some mechanics put them on too tight. This could necessitate a lug nut remover.
Have you ever changed a tire and had the lug nut not come off? It’s a disaster, sometimes a dangerous one. If you’re stuck on the side of the road in the middle of a Chicago winter with no way to get the wheel off the car, you could be in over your heard.
A car lug nut remover might be the answer.
What is a Lug Nut on a Car; What is the Lug Nut Remover?
Lug nut removers are used to take lug nuts off a car. A lug nut holds the wheel onto the car. Usually, people who remove lug nuts want to take the wheel off the vehicle.
Lug nuts make their appearances on many types of transportation that have wheels and tires like bikes, busses, cars, and trucks.
These lug nuts are often found on wheels of steel and aluminum, attaching the wheel to the axels. Some brands use bolts instead of nuts. One example of such a brand is Volkswagen.
Lug nuts vary slightly based on their purpose. For example, normally 60 degrees is the taper of the conical lug. However, when it comes to racecars, a 45-degree taper is common.
There are some standards shapes and sizes for lug nuts, but many brands and aftermarket products have a customized piece that requires specialized attention.
Why Do People Web the Internet for Car Lug Nut Removers?
Finding a car lug nut remover isn’t probably at the top of everybody’s to-do list in this day and age.
A long time ago, more people had tools in their garages at home. When their car broke, their partner’s car broke, or even a neighbor’s, the tools were put to good use right away.
Today, most people just drop their car off a mechanic and pay the tab when the work is done. It’s faster and easier, but it can be pricey!
This is especially true when you have an older car that is really on its last leg. The car may be so old that it seems like every month you’re writing yet another check to a mechanic for an oil filter, a water pump, a radiator, or a head gasket.
Maybe this time, it’s stuck lug nuts. You’re wondering, should I just get a lug nut remover? Can I do this myself to save a few bucks?
If you’re a regular mechanic – go for it. How grand that you have the opportunity to enjoy your trade with a new toy!
If you’re more of the let-me-call-my-mechanic type, then perhaps these stuck lug nuts are a sign your car’s time has come. Call the junkyard. Send it home. Cash out on the investment once and for all.
There are plenty of local towing companies and junkyards that would be happy to pick up your old car, stuck lug nuts and all, and haul it away. On the way out, many pay cash for the car. The parts are recycled afterward. It helps get old cars off the street.
There you have it – you can pay a mechanic, you can buy a car lug nut remover, or you can walk away with cash by selling your old car to a junkyard.
The Car Lug Nut Remover Works Wonders
To get a lug nut off, one may need a lug nut remover.
Lug nuts are taken off with various tools. It is common to use a socket or wrench. Don’t forget to grab the car jack while you’re at it. It will raise the car for the tough job of removing those wheels.
If the car has hubcaps, you’ll have to get those off first. Follow manufacturer specification. Typically, a screwdriver is the only tool needed to get them off.
If the lugs are tricky to get off, then a few hits with a breaker bar or a wrench can be enough to knock them free. You can also try to tighten them, then lose them, over and over, as the work their way off.
For safety and maintenance, the lug nuts most be put back on a special way. Sometimes people refer it to as a star formation. The alternating lug nuts are put on crisscross so that the wheel is put on with even pressure.
Professionals use a torque wrench to finish the job of putting the lug nuts back on. Even pressure is applied using this tool.
Car Lug Nut Remover Costs
If you’re debating if you should buy a car lug nut remover or visit a mechanic, perhaps the prices will help you decide.
You’re looking at a about $100-$150 for a wheel lug stud repair. Labor is the majority of the cost. The parts are about $15 usually!
Removing a stripped lug nut runs about $40-45. The bill adds up fast as each lug nut can take an hour to remove.
Lug nut removers, on the other hand, go for about fifty bucks at local department stores. If you have the knowhow, experience, and space to do the work yourself – this could be the route to go. After the work, you’ll have a kit you can use again and again.
How to Remove Lug Nuts on a Car
The people who take to the Internet searching for the phrase lug nut remover for a car are far and few between, but they want to know how to remove these lug nuts from a car and fast.
Your car may have some instructions on the process of lug nut removal or wheel removal right there in the car’s owner manual. The information you seek could be right under your nose! If not, look to see if you can find a copy of the owner’s manual on the Internet.
Earlier, this blog blamed mechanics for putting the lug nuts on too tight. Other factors can make the lug nuts tonight. Remember, metal expands and contracts. The temperature could make them tricky to take off.
Additionally, the weather has an impact on those lug nuts in the form of rain, sleet, and snow. Participation causes rust, also contributing to difficult-to-remove lug nuts. The city’s salted roads don’t help in the winter months.
A quick tip is to grab an old wire brush to work off the rust.
Sometimes the wheel doesn’t come off so easily, even once the lug nuts are removed. It’s because the fittings meld together.
If you can’t get the wheel off, loosen the lug nuts about a quarter turn. Don’t take them all the way off or disaster will be afoot.
Next, drive the car about three meters (nine feet) and hit the brakes hard. Throw the car in reverse and repeat. That should loosen up the wheel a little using force.
From there, continue down the basic instructions for changing a wheel.
Some Advice on a Car Lug Nut Remover
What is a car lug nut remover, exactly? It removes the lug nuts that are stuck on the wheel of a car.
There are different types of lug nut removers out there in today’s market. They can be found at auto parts stores, on the Internet, on social media community and neighborhood pages, and even big box retailers.
The set makes a great gift, actually – at least for a car mechanic or auto enthusiast! It could even be a gift given with safety in mind. Nothing says “I care” like a car lug nut remover.
Find a lug nut remover that specifically takes off stripped nuts. Check to ensure the size of the nuts removed fits your car or needs. Some do not take off many types of lug nuts.
Be sure you’re getting a lug nut remover made of a material you can trust like steel. You absolutely don’t want to see the lug nut removal system crack on your watch.
Using the lug nut remover will most likely distort lug nuts and possibly the wheel. This isn’t something used to take off lug nuts you plan on using again.
Driving Without the Proper Lug Nuts
If you’re curious about driving without out the proper lug nuts, you are going to be disappointed to find out what most car lug nut removers already know: You should not make a habit out of driving a motor vehicle without the proper lug nuts!
If there are supposed to be five lug nuts on your wheel, according to most mechanics, you can get away with a short trip (perhaps to fix the problem) with three or four lug nuts (following the star design installation patten – three should be a triangle.
Here’s the catch – if the wheel flies off on the highway and slams into another driver’s vehicle, you’re responsible. We say this to send a clear message that driving without properly installed wheels, including ones missing lug nuts, is a dangerous idea.
That being said, some mechanics said it is possible but they wouldn’t recommend it. Some said they wouldn’t even say it’s possible because it is dangerous.
If you do choose to drive a short distance short of a lug nut or two, be sure you don’t driver faster than necessary for any reason – especially on the expressway.
Get the lug nuts repaired right away. They are an important part of the car.
If you don’t have the lug nuts on the car properly, you could damage the wheel, the studs, the axel and other parts of the car. A small little piece can cause a lot of damage if not taken adequately cared for.
Driving without proper lug nuts? Hard pass. Calling a tow is the safest best. The risk just isn’t worth it.
Lug Nots: Should they Stay or Should they Go?
If you are up late at night thinking about lug nut removers, this advice should help you finally relax and get some rest.
To prevent the problem of sticky lug nuts, just make a regular check for corrosion on the wheel.
You can do it when you get your oil changed. You could even ask the person doing your oil change to take care of it for you. An additional fee may be applied.
If you see rust, get it off with some sandpaper. Take the wheel off and grease it up. Mechanics and car enthusiasts recommend the maintenance at least two or three times a year.
At the end of the day, we just have to remember to take care of our lug nuts so well we never even need a car lug nut remover.