Trying to rotate my tires today and the lug nut key was stripped as well as one of the lug nuts that use the key. This was the first time that I myself have even attempted to use it or take my wheels off, so that tells me that one of the techs that have worked on my car did it before hand. Damn techs and there impact guns!!!!!! I plan on buying some steeda locking lug nuts after I get the current lugs off, but until then what can be done to get them off?
Lug nut key is stripped-What to do?
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Turbo92PGT
Member
It probably wont work for your mustang, but on my Probe I lost the lock key and ended up pounding a socket over the locking lug nuts. Then I would just attach a socket wrench on the end it 'it would come right off. If that wont work, take it back to the techs or whatever. You could also weld on a bolt to the nut, and then use a different size socket (that will fit the bolt) to take it off. I wish you were located by me, cuz I'd weld it for you. I just got a mig welder on sunday, already gone through a spool of wire and am out of metal to weld lol. It sucks =/ I wanna get some subframes soon
wms004
Founding Member
you can take a socket and hammer the socket on there so that you can then use your socket wrench to get it off. thats what America's tire company did to get mine off when i lost the key.
-wade
-wade
Stanged78
New Member
This happened to me recently as well. I took it to a local garage, where they attempted to use the impact gun again and the original (though stripped) key. When that failed, they put a chisel attachment on the impact gun, chiseled a notch in the wheel lock, and it came right off. You could try this method by hand if you want, but it's no big deal for a shop to do it. If they actually charge you for the service, it shouldn't be more than 10 or 15 bucks. It only takes them 5 minutes, including the time it takes to walk to your car and back to the shop. 
Turbo92PGT
Member
Its a different nut all together, but when we did the struts on my last car for the first time, the nut on the strut shaft wouldn't come off at all, it woudlnt' come off for anything. We tried impact guns... everything. We ended up chiseling it off. That finally worked, took a long time though. We just used a 'cold chisel' and a hammer lol
hognutz
New Member
two solutions. socket and a hammer. or chisle and a hammer. you can usually grove the lug with a chisle. then hitting at an angle you can get enough force to get it turning. this is my prefered method as it does not abuse tools. IT is really pretty easy most of the time unless some retard has overtorqued you lug. most of the time lugs are torqued to around 90lbs and that is not to bad.
Madi98GT
Founding Member
Or do it the easy way. I left my locking lug nut key at the track a few weeks back. Look for the McGard identification card, it will have the info to order a replacement key. I actually had mine, it was in the trunk by the spare tire. Cost me $10 and they mailed out a new one, took about 1 week to get.
The dealership should have a universal set of lug nut keys. I usually will zip off a set of locking lugs for free, other places might charge a few bucks. The nice thing about having that master set is that I don't have to search through the customer's car to find the hidden key, and I don't get accused of damaging or losing the customer's key.
When I don't have a key that fits, I use a twist socket that will take off either locking lug nuts or rounded nuts. It basically has a reverse-threaded spiral that grabs the nut and zips it off. Then the offending locking lug can be safely deposited in the nearest trash can, where it can cause no more frustration, and replaced with a real lug nut.
When I don't have a key that fits, I use a twist socket that will take off either locking lug nuts or rounded nuts. It basically has a reverse-threaded spiral that grabs the nut and zips it off. Then the offending locking lug can be safely deposited in the nearest trash can, where it can cause no more frustration, and replaced with a real lug nut.
