Does anyone have a suggestion for loosening an over-torqued LOCKED lug bolt? One of the OEM keys has already been broken off by the tire shop which leaves me with one remaining key. I brought the car home and tried using my breaker bar but I'm afraid to push too hard - don't want another broken key which are a to remove.

The OEM locks that came with my '09 Clubman seem pretty thin and fragile. I'm looking into replacing them with something sturdier. But I need to get the one lug off first!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Maybe wait until wheels are cool.

Never heard of them getting frozen on before since tire installers are SUPPOSED to hand tighten the locking lug and not use air gun.....

 

It sounds ghetto as hell but this might work. Place your lug wrench on with it attached to the bolt, then put a pipe on the handle end and use the leverage to help you. It should pop it loose. I have done this before.

 

if not doing so already, ensure the other lugs are in and torq'd to the full recommendation, this could/should take some of the stress off the lock. If you try to take off the lock with the other lugs loose or out, it is carrying all the load and will be that much more difficult to get out.

And some PB Blaster can't hurt.

Then a long cheater bar and slow and steady pressure. You may want someone to hold the lock socket in place and then you at the end of the cheater . . . like the torx on the rotor I find many times these lock sockets can slip out b4 you get close to the needed umph. But if you can keep it seated THEN it will allow the needed UMPH to be applied.

 

once you get the lock bolt off, get rid of them... they are just a hassle and not durable enough.

 

Thanks for the suggestions... waited until early Sunday morning (temp had dropped to upper 80's overnight) and had a neighbor push the socket while I turned. It loosened up for me.

thanks again =)

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3333016

See last two posts (#3 & 4)...I've used this method successfully also. I would use an impact wrench socket as it is less likely to split when you pound it over the bolt.