Lug Nuts Overtightened and NOW STUCK

[Blue83Cab]

It the only one wheel that I have attempted to remove. this is a nightmare. I am thinking of just having it towed back to the shop that did the work.

[Quasimoto]

Originally Posted by dannobee

Good point, but there's one that's close, with the diamond teeth on it used for granite and stone. But I don't know if they come in 3/4".

Good thinking...*might* also be easier to prevent wheel damage if used during the last little bit of cutting.

Being new to vintage P-cars, this aluminum lug thing has freaked me out from the beginning. Luckily I had read the tech manual like a nerd and found out about the anti seize thing. But even that seemed a bit weird as that’s usually a no no...

And yes, sincere commiserations to the OP, this is indeed a nightmare scenario...

[safe]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Anyone ever use the candle wax and lighter trick? I've only seennit on YouTube. Melt some wax and let it drip onto the threads. Supposedly the wax works its way in between the threads and voila, what was stuck is no longer unstuck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIunR4VL5vc

[Snitzler]

Originally Posted by Blue83Cab

It the only one wheel that I have attempted to remove. this is a nightmare. I am thinking of just having it towed back to the shop that did the work.

If they were so stupid to over tighten the lug nuts, would you trust them to remove the nuts? Use a hole saw, slow and careful.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Use the hole saw gently to get rid of the rest. Back off when they are through, then use a sharp point punch to get the remains off the studs. No other choice really. done lots of them, GRRRR.

Trust John.

The one time I did it I used a 3/4 inch hold saw and put a plastic sleeve inside it to ride on the stud. I also took the hole saw to the grinder and ground the teeth to taper to the inside of the hole. Go slow, you have all day.

You have to be careful, but it will take most of the bottom of the bolt out, and not leave that shelf. If you have some punches and or nail sets and a grinder, you can fashion about any kind of little chisel you want.

[911pcars]

Even on Porsche forums, there are even those who don't agree that anti-seize is needed at this location. Unless you're out in space, there will be some level of galvanic reaction when different metals are in direct contact, with or without moisture.

Must wade through the wive tales.

Sherwood

[porsche930dude]

id take a little drill bit 1/8" or less and go around it to weaken it more and use a punch to finish it off. Or recut the teeth on the holesaw so it cuts in reverse. I once had to use a 12' long pipe on a breaker bar with all my weight on it to gt the lugs off. they can get pretty stuck

[rattlsnak]

How long ago did the shop do the work?? If it was more than 90ish days, forget trying to blame them... And I agree with above, probably corroded, not over tightened.. Very common.

[Mike Andrew]

Dremel or air tool with a small carbide deburring bit (McMaster Carr) will also do the final fiddly work on these. But, I would continue with the saw and a punch. Too bad they cannot be heated on the other wheels to possibly prevent more misery. BIG breaker bar in the arsenal?
Sounds like it's time for a new set of nuts and some anti seize for reassembly. Ideally, some cad plate on the studs would minimize the galvanic corrosion issue but just not practical.

[icarp]

Just an idea , if you take your hole saw and put it on a grinding wheel and taper the saw teeth from the outside in , finishing with a very thin tooth . that may cut the nut enough to free it from the wheel .
Just an Idea

[cmcfaul]

I had to do two because a shop over tightened and they broke when I went to remove front wheels. Shop was 2k miles away so not an option. Bought a bunch of the hole saws as they would dull easily and just got through it . I also replaced the studs when done. I first tried with a dremel...no go. Hole saw got it done but a PITA. pain in the ass.

Chris

[911SauCy]

welp...thats one way to do it...

[safe]

john walker have given the answer, no need to reinventing the wheel.... Its not a new problem.

But a deep socket that goes all the way on to the nut is important to not brake it.

[JSV798]

This thread neatly dovetails with "lifting the car" about shops jacking up your car badly to change wheels/tyres. Best to take the wheel off yourself and take it to the shop; I do it one at a time! They always over tighten them in my experience.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by icarp

Just an idea , if you take your hole saw and put it on a grinding wheel and taper the saw teeth from the outside in , finishing with a very thin tooth . that may cut the nut enough to free it from the wheel .
Just an Idea

That's what I did, and it worked very well.

[patkeefe]

From what I see of the photo, you will need to drill the stud out completely.

Can you get the center caps off and remove the wheel bearing to pull the brake rotor out also? That would be tricky, at best.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Use the hole saw gently to get rid of the rest. Back off when they are through, then use a sharp point punch to get the remains off the studs. No other choice really. done lots of them, GRRRR.

Emphasis added.

[Blue83Cab]

Hi all- back to the shop and just had them fix it. $657 to remove 3 wheels, retap the treads, test drive and a quart of brad penn. Didn't love the price but got my car back up and running so it was worth it. Next time i will be putting my lugs nuts on myself...

thanks for all the advice.

[Marc Bixen]

It's amazing how incompetent some shops, and most tire shops are. And imagine this, some are working on P-cars with center locks. Highly technical piece of engineering, that Porsche sent out a 10 page maintenance bulletin on. My opinion on center locks, if you don't technically understand them yourself, you shouldn't have them. To an engineer, it all makes sense, to a tire buster, "hey, it's not my butt." "Good and tight". Most shops don't even have a proper torque wrench.

[pmax]

Kinda understandable why shops overtighten everything. Better to have the nuts stay put than the wheels fall off, car gets damaged and someone gets injured.

Happens with tires, drain plugs etc etc