Can i drive with only 3 lug nuts

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Isaiahsanchezo

Junior Member
May 24, 2019
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2 of the studs on my tire broke, so i only have 3 lug nuts on the tire, can i drive for the next 5 days until i could get it fixed

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Sgt. York

Senior member
Mar 27, 2016
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Why not? The car is still capable of being driven. He didn't ask if he should or what the possible consequences were.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,627
14,020
146
3 of 5? As long as the two broken ones aren't next to each other, should be doable...not recommended, but for light, careful driving...maybe.
 
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Sgt. York

Senior member
Mar 27, 2016
798
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He asked if he can drive the car, to which the answer is yes. He did not ask if he should drive the car, to which the answer is possibly no.
 
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Sgt. York

Senior member
Mar 27, 2016
798
209
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RLGL said:
If the wheel falls off and causes an accident, someone is injured or killed ,guess who is at fault!!!
Click to expand...

The OP did not ask what might happen if the wheel falls off, he asked if he can drive it and the answer is an unequivocal yes, he can drive it. It may not be wise, it may not be prudent and it may be inadvisable, but he can still drive it.
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
8,625
1,687
126
^ Not so fast, he asked if he can drive for the next 5 days and the answer to that could be no if the wheel comes off before 5 days have passed.

It's a ridiculous question and the topic should have been deleted. Nobody should ever drive with 40% of their lugs missing except in an emergency.

Lug studs are not hard to replace. Get a BFH, beat the broken stud out with a chisel/whatever, beat the new one in or use a lug nut to start it, then a lug nut plus a spacer (stack of washers if nothing else) to get it the rest of the way in if not threaded far enough to use a nut alone. Put a little grease on the side of the nut contacting the hub or spacer if you want to make turning it slightly easier.

Lug studs are available at most auto parts stores (depending on how rare the vehicle is) and inexpensive, usually around $4.
 
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RLGL

Platinum Member
Jan 8, 2013
2,113
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Sgt. York said:
The OP did not ask what might happen if the wheel falls off, he asked if he can drive it and the answer is an unequivocal yes, he can drive it. It may not be wise, it may not be prudent and it may be inadvisable, but he can still drive it.
Click to expand...

So YOU DONOT give a D...about public safety.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Why did these two break? If they've been over tightened to the point where they eventually fatigued and failed, there's a damn good chance the other three were treated in the same way. Stop driving it and replace all five studs.
 
LTC8K6

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,575
126
I would only drive it as far as necessary to get it fixed, and I'd take the lower speed back roads, not the 70mph highway.

Agree with replacing all 5.
 
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BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,627
14,020
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Sgt. York said:
He asked if he can drive the car, to which the answer is yes. He did not ask if he should drive the car, to which the answer is possibly no.
Click to expand...

Hell...you can drive with only one lug nut holding the wheel to the hub...until, all of a sudden, you can't...
 
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Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,155
59
91
From personal experience: Yes, you can drive with 3. If they are in a triangle pattern...I wouldn't drive with 3 right in a row.

In my younger, dumber teen years, I had a fast 76 Trans Am. Lug nuts got dicked up. I had enough left for 3 each wheel....so I put them on in that pattern, and drove it....for MONTHS. I went to the drag strip multiple times, ran it over 100 mph.

If you have them in a triangle pattern and they're tight, they're not going anywhere.

That said, the official answer from anyone "official" should be "no", but that's my real-world experience.
 
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SaltyNuts

Platinum Member
May 1, 2001
2,398
277
126
Of course you can. I drove on literally one lugnut on my 85 Ford Mustang one time when they all became loose, and all but one had follen off, and the one that hadn't had ALMOST follen off. Shit was almost a TOTAL disaster, can't imagine my wheel coming off on the freeway. Thankfully I caught it in time.

But, one or two lugnuts missing, no big deal (obviously don't do it indefinately, get that shit fixed).
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Pacfanweb said:
From personal experience: Yes, you can drive with 3. If they are in a triangle pattern...I wouldn't drive with 3 right in a row.

In my younger, dumber teen years, I had a fast 76 Trans Am. Lug nuts got dicked up. I had enough left for 3 each wheel....so I put them on in that pattern, and drove it....for MONTHS. I went to the drag strip multiple times, ran it over 100 mph.

If you have them in a triangle pattern and they're tight, they're not going anywhere.

That said, the official answer from anyone "official" should be "no", but that's my real-world experience.
Click to expand...

That's different than having 40% of your studs break. It's likely that the same (over)stress has been applied to the remaining studs and they are probably closer to failure than they would be had they simply lost two of the lug nuts.
 
P

Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,155
59
91
jlee said:
That's different than having 40% of your studs break. It's likely that the same (over)stress has been applied to the remaining studs and they are probably closer to failure than they would be had they simply lost two of the lug nuts.
Click to expand...
Probably true.
And in my case, my other 2 studs were there, and I'm sure that is better than having nothing sticking through the hold. If his were sheared off, the remaining ones might also be suspect.
 
LTC8K6

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,575
126
A couple of lugnuts missing is one thing. They might have just been loose, and you can make sure the remaining nuts are tight and then get replacements for the missing nuts.

A couple of studs sheared off is another.

The sheared off studs are of considerably greater concern, imo.
 
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Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,438
344
126
This has been an interesting discussion. What strikes me is that OP has never posted anything since the first query nearly a week ago. So has he lost interest, is confused? Got the problem fixed? Experienced disaster making further posts impossible?
 
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