hawaiifx4

Hey just like the title says...

So I have never taken these wheels off yet got the truck a couple months ago...

Major play in the hub so I go to take off wheels to inspect and damn these rims have fat lips and also 7 spline rim key needed to get off the lugs

So I set up a ratchet with a long extension, the socket and the rim key and try to loosen the nuts but I ended up breaking the rim key

So I ordered new rim keys but does anyone have any tips for getting to these special lug nuts that need a rim key? It says do not use the key with an impact wrench.
With the ratchet, extension to reach the lugs in these deep rims,socket AND key it seems like I am not getting the best torque to loosen these, need a better solution.

Any ideas/tips/suggestions greatly appreciated I need these wheels off!!!

Tradesman

Contact your local Snap-On dealer for one of their universal sockets that are meant specifically for that purpose. Don't bother buying the whole kit, just the one that fits your lug nuts the closest.

Here is a link:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools...e=snapon-store

Hope that helps brother, get that wheel off and replace the hub. Don't bring it to the dealer, save yourself some money!

hawaiifx4

Thanks a lot bud!
Didn't know snap on made these type lug but socket/keys. Hopefully one fits my 7 spline lug nuts

08screwCA

Any tire shop has buckets of spline keys laying around. Get them to take it off and then buy different lugs

madeSICC

I got my 12 spline keys for my truck at sears, looked at every auto and tool store in my town and finally stopped at sears and they had both kinds i wanted, one for a impact wrench and 1 for a ratchet. picked them both up for like $25.

everytime i take my truck in for tire/wheel work that alway call me and ask if i have anything to take the wheels off.

Tradesman

If it's from Snap On, it'll work. I have their bolt extractor set and it removed fasteners that other extractor sets made worse. Helps if you have a strong impact wrench as well.

knezat225

Any pics of wheels and what size tires?

corey_lax

I had my rims on for about 3 months and went to take them off to change out my struts. I knew my driver front caliper was sticking so it really heated up the brakes. You could feel it was much hotter than the other rims. Well, needless to say, one lug nut must have welded itself on there. I broke one socket (not impact) and a 4' breaker bar trying to get the thing off. Impact wouldn't do anything. I took it to a tire shop and they blowtorched the lug nut until red hot and then went back and forth with a impact. I'm not gonna recommend it because you run the risk of spalling your rim but that is really the only option I had. This was a regular lug nut for me too... Not the locking one. So you will have even worse problems because the locking lug nuts usually don't grab as good. If you're gonna heat it up, have someone with a spray bottle keeping the rim as cool as possible so that you only heat up the stud and lug nut.

Good luck with it. A lot of penetrating lube over time will help. And maybe don't go crazy with the heat at first. Start with some boiling hot water. Then work your way up into do or die mode when you need to either snap the stud off or drill it out.

PS... If you can snap the stud, they are easy to replace

corey_lax

Also, make sure you get some anti seize on the threads and contact points when you put the rims back on. I have always used copper anti seize on my studs and I have never once had a lug nut back out. A lot of people say that adding anti seize will cause the lug nuts to back out but when they are torqued down properly, they won't. I have never had anything loosen up. And by the way, the reason my lug nut got stuck was because my tire shop changed my tires over and used an impact to put them back on (add that to my stuck caliper so super heated all the time)

hawaiifx4

here is a pic... 20x14 fuel hostage rims
I ordered 2 different sets of 7 spline keys and both were too small to fit my lugs..
Finally got a hold of previous owner and he thinks they are Pro Comp lugs so I ordered a new set with key(no keys by themselves on island) but might be good to get new lugs anyway and put on the anti seize before installing.

really hope the pb blaster on base of lugs over the last week almost every day helps some. Would hate to resort to drastic measures getting these off.

I appreciate the help everyone

MAHALO