ok, i have now tried everthing. i have tried spanners (broke an open-end spanner), socket wrenches with extended handles (broken 2 of those), tried to cold chisel the bolts off (bolt would NOT crack, ended up breaking 2 nuts off bit-by-bit), and have now spent $30 at Bunnings on a torch to try to heat them off. ran a whole bottle on one bolt, all i got was an even more rounded nut. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THESE BUGGERS OFF!?!
type3kid ·
may seem bluntly obvious and stupid but did u try more tourque on the spanners??
seagull ·
spread the nut * hit with two hammers to splay the nut
modulus ·
Are these standard nuts on steel wheels or deep-v nuts on mags? Any sign of rust? Have you tried Penetrene or a similar penetrating fluid?
Is the bus mobile? (a rattle gun might shake it...)
hth
Purple Martin ·
When I had this problem (after a mechanic over-tightened them with a rattle gun) I drove the bus to a tyre place, got them to loosen the nuts with their rattle gun, then I hand-tightened them myself with a normal wheel brace.
I've since bought myself a wheel spanner thing with a telescopic handle. I tighten the nuts with the handle short (about 30cm) then I can be sure I can loosen them with the handle long (about 50cm). It was fairly cheap (about $20) from one of the common auto shops. I've also put that anti-sieze stuff on the threads. No problems since.
[Edited on 5-5-2004 by Purple Martin]
tonyg ·
Go to a tool shop. Buy a GOOD nut splitter. Place over nut, tighten with socket. Nut will split and fall off
mnsKmobi ·
I have got some (but not all) tight wheel nuts off by heating a bit then spraying WD40 into the thread. The heating seems to help the WD40 penetrate along the thread. If you heat too much you will expand both the stud and the nut and won't be any better off.
You can also try pushing the tool with your leg rather than arm as most people have musclier legs than arms!
If the nut you have rounded is too far gone, the nut splitter is probably your only choice.
I have tried the anti-sieze stuff in the past on a non-vw and found that it made no difference. YMMV as the yanks say!
baybuscamperkid ·
nuts are standard on standard rims. cant get any more torque into spanner considering i have broken 2 of them! also tried a hired impact wrench on out air compressor and it wouldnt budge. tried heaps of penetrator things. doesnt seem to be any rust. will try to get my hands on a nut splitter, sounds like tho only option, and i have a few spare nuts laying around anyway.
thanks
kombi_kid ·
beat each face of the nut to jar the tread with say a 3 pound hammer.
also soak with wd40 or the likes!
cheers
rhys
modulus ·
Using a soft-drink can and e.g. some plasticine, make a trough around the nut and fill it with kerosene (or better still Penetrene or a similar penetrant) and leave for a day. Use a six-faced socket with a breaker bar (open-enders will spread and break, as you've experienced. Clear away the kerosene and trough, give the nut a few sharp taps with a hammer, heat it with oxy or a propane flame and then try to loosen; if it won't budge, try to *tighten* it a bit (ant movement is good movement) then loosen.
It might be quicker with a nut splitter...
hth
jnr356 ·
might be able to give you a hand on saturday,u2u me if you need help(had a bit of experience with this sort of problem)
*did* ·
Mmm, I had this problem with my white bug when i first got it.
What i did was soak all the bolts with RP7/WD40 then used one of those + shaped wheel braces, put a 1m long solid metal pole on so i could get more leverage.
Bent the brace a bit more than i would have liked to but it worked.
When the bolts loosened there would be a loud 'crack' as if i had broken something, but i hadnt!
Spanners, sockets, ratchets, etc arent strong enough.
oval TOFU ·
dont use open enders or wratchets with extentions, esp the 3/4" drive ones, you'll end up needing to buy new ones... nuf sed.
.. what the others said about the 6 faced socket should do the trick... and maybe some colurful language too.... and a :beer
[Edited on 6-5-2004 by oval TOFU]
baybuscamperkid ·
ok, tried a 1/2 inch drive socket with direct drive (ie no ratchet mechanism), and felt the drive bit begin to twist within the socket, if i had continued i would most cetainly have had another broken wrench. methinks splitter is only option left. thanks for the offer jnr, but im sure i can manage (plus, have family up this weekend, so probably wont get to it)
*did* ·
you can borrow my iron bar if you like and
pick up one of those + shaped lug wrenches from supercheap auto
(dont want my one bent any more)
methinks that would be stronger than most 1/2 inch sockets
vw54 ·
go back to the Tyre place that put them on and get them to Rattle Gun the things off