Lug Nuts are STUCK!

[RonR]

I tried to make sure my BX2200 lug nuts were tight. WOW, someone at the factory or the dealer must have zipped them down with a BIG impact wrench.

I had a 1/2 drive socket on it and couldn't budge them either way. That's good as they won't come loose.

What I'm worried about is getting one OFF if / when I have a flat. I'm thinking of firing up my impact and loosening them, then torquing them per specs.

I'm not even sure my impact wrench will knock them loose. Failing that, I might take it back to the dealer and have them redo them..........

Any thoughts?

 

[gsxr1100]

I did not take my bx22 tires off yet but when I had my old 455 deere I needed an extention and a 3-foot breaker bar. They were on there. Got them off and put never seize on them and re-torqued to proper spec (which is not all that much).

Ps. It was a 3/4" drive socket

 

[RoyJackson]

Ensure your lug nuts are RH thread...you aren't trying to loosen and are actually tightening, are you? Don't laugh...this happens.

First, make sure you've got the correct socket...preferably a 6 point rather then a 12 point.
Use a breaker bar, not a ratchet wrench.
Use a piece of pipe on the handle of the breaker bar to gain leverage.

If that doesn't work, try the air impact wrench. I wouldn't use a 12 point socket on an impact wrench...6 point sockets give a more positive fit.

Assuming you get them loosened, I strongly suggest you remove them (one at a time, if you don't want to jack the tractor) and put anti-sieze on the male threads. Then torque per your manual.

I hate when some fool uses an air impact to tighten fasteners. It's a real thrill when you've a flat and can't get the wheel loosened up.

 

[RonR]

I should have clarified. I was using a 6 point socket and an 18 inch long breaker bar. No cheater pipe (yet)......

I plan to buy some metric impact sockets if I need the air tool......

I didn't check for LH/RH threads, but I couldn't budge them either direction.....


THKS.
Ron

 

[gsxr1100]

Back then I tried a 12" with a snap-on dead blow rubber hammer and got ZERO out of it..but the 3-footer worked! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JimR]

What you need is one of them 3/4 inch impact wrenches. That will do the trick for you. I bought one after I almost killed myself taking off the rear wheel nuts on my old Ford 8N that I had 6 years ago. I had a 2 foot long Snap-On breaker bar and a 6 foot pipe to break the lug nuts loose. My breaker bar snapped while I was standing on it trying to bounce the nuts loose. It **** near drove me into the ground. I then took the torch out and heated them up one at a time to break them loose. I had to repaint the wheels after that. I ran to Sears and bought a 3/4 drive impact that day. It has saved my butt many times since and well worth the $200.00.

 

[ZappaCrappa]

My neighbor had a JD 4500 and he could not keep his lug nuts tight on his tractors rear wheels.

 

[cisco]

I've an impact wrench, but when one is not around a compressor, an alternative is needed. My boat trailer has wheel lugs that tend to stick (salt water exposure, despite lots of grease), and if one has a flat tire a million miles from nowhere (I did) and in the second week of a vacation in which the boat/trailer have been in and out of salt water daily, the tire needs to come off. So ... enter the 4 way wrench, essentially an "X" configuration with limbs 3 feet long (1.5 feet each off the center of the "X"), each with a different sized socket at the end (metric, inch, car, ? monster sized). When one puts the correct socket onto the wheel lug, one has the leverage of pushing down on 1 limb (90 degrees from the socket on the lug) and pulling up on the other (180 degrees away). A lot of torque can be generated. I always have one in my boat when I trailer it.
Cost - about $20 at Walmart.
Just an idea, inexpensive and simple to use.

 

[_RaT_]

A 1/2" quality one will do and be immensely more useful. Mine will either remove the nuts/bolts or shear them. For maximum torque, do not use an extension and use impact sockets.

 

[Bird]

Cisco, I still carry a 4-way in the car all the time. Never know when it might be needed.