For most car owners, working on their own vehicle is an essential part of their life and a way for them to save money. There are some smaller jobs that it will be fine for you to do on your own, but when it comes to complex jobs you need to leave that to the professionals. One of the vital parts of any car is the wheels and in order for these wheels to stay on, the lug nuts and studs will have to be fully functional. The following are a few tips to use when you find yourself dealing with a stuck lug nut.
Use Penetrating Oil
The first thing that you need to try when you come across some stuck lug nuts is penetrating oil. You need to spray the oil directly on the stud and the lug nut and then let it sit for about ten minutes. If you are still unable to remove the lug nut after letting it sit for ten minutes, then you may want to consider letting it sit for a few hours. The more you let the oil soak in to the stuck lug nut, the better the success you will have with it.
A Four Way Lug Wrench
Another thing that you need to try when dealing with a stuck lug nut is a four way lug wrench. By using this type of wrench rather than a socket and ratchet will allow you to get more leverage on the nut and hopefully breaking it loose. You need to avoid putting the car on jacks until you get the lug nut loose because trying to pry on the frozen nut because of the rocking that it can produce.
Using Heat Can Help
Yet another common method used to free a stuck lug nut is heat from a propane torch. If you have access to this type of torch, then using it should not be hard to use it. You need to put a fair amount of heat on the lug nut and then try to work it lose with a lug wrench. If you are unsuccessful in your attempts, then you need to let a professional take a look at it for you. They may be able to break it loose for a nominal fee and get you back on the road in no time at all.
If in need of help with a stuck lug nut, call Canterbury Tyre & Mag Supamart.
