Lug Socket

[RKS]

I have some winter wheels/tires that I need to swap and I thought I could do this at home. Apparently aftermarket wheels have very small opening for sockets.

I tried a regular thin-walled socket and was able to remove a lug but then the fuckin' lug remains lodged in the socket itself. I have Gorilla lugs and I guess I can contact them for solutions. I though that maybe a spline socket might be the answer but they aren't easy to find locally.

My last option is to load up the other set of tires and take everything to a tire place.

 

[jlee]

Put the lug nut back on. Once it's tight-ish, give the ratchet a good snap to further tighten the lug. That should break it free from the walls of the socket.

If the lug is corroded or deformed so that doesn't work, spin it on a lug (no need for the wheel), put a big pair of vice grips on the back of the socket, and give it a yank.

 

[RKS]

Put the lug nut back on. Once it's tight-ish, give the ratchet a good snap to further tighten the lug. That should break it free from the walls of the socket.

Then the lug is back on. 🙁

If the lug is corroded or deformed so that doesn't work, spin it on a lug (no need for the wheel), put a big pair of vice grips on the back of the socket, and give it a yank.

I tried with a bench vise and the lug wouldn't budge. 🙁

I think I've destroyed a few lug nuts so for next year I am going to buy a proper socket. Looks like I am going to the nearest tire shop.

 

[exdeath]

Thin wall flip sockets, they make them in a 4-5 piece set that covers every size lug out there, metric and standard.