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Unscrew a stripped nut

I

illusion88

Lifer
So I'm back working on the car... fuck I hate doing my own work sometimes. At least the weather is nice and it's pleasant outside. I stripped the crap out of a nut, it's almost round now. I tried hammering a smaller size wrench on it, I tried tightening a monkey wrench really tight on it. No luck. I also used penetrating oil, still stuck. What do you suggest? I have almost full access to it, so no real space restrictions... I'm thinking about getting some vice grips and really going to town with them.
 
vice grips might work - penetrating oil always helps, too. Personally, when things get that nasty for me, I start to think about just cutting it off, or putting some notches in to get a better grip. Either that or finding something with a better grip to bind to it - I'm sure there's something creative you can do to fix it with JB Weld .
 
heat is your friend, use a propane torch and heat that sucker till it smokes. this is after making sure you've got something that will get a grip on it that is.

if all else fails youll have to cut if off.
 
Is this just a nut that can be replaced ? ? Or are you talking about a bolt head ? ? If just the nut, get what is known as a Nut Cracker ... most large auto parts stores have them. Place it on the nut, tighten it and it splits the nut. You may need to rotate the nut or tool and do a second cut, but then it will be off, usually with no damage to the bolt threads. Now all you need is a new nut of the proper thread size.

Like this one:

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt710.html
 
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If you've got a pipe wrench, you could try it. They're made to bit-in and grip rounded shape objects.

Fern
 
If you have full access to it, you could use a grinder or Dremel to grind two flat spots on opposing sides for grip with an adjustable wrench.
 
If the nut is truly rounded, and you have good access to it, I'd suggest a pipe wrench. Just don't go apeshit on it with a 36" wrench, and twist the bolt/stud while you're at it, right? 😱

Other than that, I've used nut splitters, vice grips (don't really grab as well as pipe wrenches) and hammer/chisel. If you're really careful, and take your time, you might even take off some of the "meat" on the side of the nut with a hacksaw, then finish it off with a chisel cut to split it.
 
Too many serious and correct replies, I'm gonna come from the left field with "Have you tried licking it? That will get it off"... 😛
 
You need to pick up a set of these:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...rd=nut+remover

A must have for any car mechanic. Just find the one that's slightly smaller than the nut you're trying to remove and pound it on with a hammer. It will cut into the lug nut and grip. You can then put your socket and breaker bar on it and bust it loose. You might eff the stud but it will get it off.

FYI: If the lug isn't flush with the rim, you may have trouble getting one of these on. If that's the case, you may be stuck drilling out the stud.
 
Pretty much what everyone else said -

You obviously don't have one of those damaged nut remover kits. Try vice grips, barring that cut it off with a dremel.


If you don't have a dremel then it's time to buy one along with some reinforced cutoff wheels. I don't care for the wireless dremels.
 
I had to do this one time and it did work.

1) heat up the nut. We used a leaf burner but a blow-torch would be ideal.
2) get a 1 size smaller socket and a mini sledge hammer (mallet).
3) Hammer the socket onto the nut.
4) File out the drive in the back of the socket, the hammering will deform the drive. Maybe instead, you could cover the socket with a block of wood as you hammer.
5) get a ratchet, breaker bar or your combination with a favorite cheater bar and pull.

A big pain, but it works.
 
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