The keyed lug nut on one of my wheels broke, any ideas for removal? It's on there pretty tight. The wheels are in pretty good shape, don't want to do anything to mess them up.

Also, any tips on higher quality lug nuts? I autocross a couple times a month and these lug nuts just seem way too soft to be switching tires that often...

Thanks!
Zach


http://zta-tech.com/temp/lug1.jpg

http://zta-tech.com/temp/lug2.jpg

I recommend using a torque wrench to tighten the lugs nuts. I'd try a Bolt Out (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952165000P?keyword=lug+nut) or take it to a tire shop and see if they can help. Spray some penetrant and let it work for several hours if you going to try taking it out yourself.

Sucks that you can't get a Dremel's cutting bit in there or else I would suggest you cut both sides.

Two things I can think of at the moment:

Use a torch to heat the nut and then use a vise grip to loosen it
Use a 6-point socket just big enough to fit onto the nut.
Meaning, the inner diameter of the socket is so tight, the 6-points within the socket will cause the metal on the nut to peel back while inserting/forcing the socket onto the nut.
You really want the socket to bite down on it.
Then just use a breaker bar on the socket to loosen it.


Good luck and let us know what finally works for you!

+1 on the bolt-out. May or may not get enough grip but probably your best bet and not much risk to the wheel. If that fails, you might be able to "freeze" the lug with an inverted can of compressed air and then split it with a chisel. Riskier, of course!

What is the green stuff? Do you grease the bolts before installing the lugs? If so, don't! Lubricating the lug bolts will result in over-torqued lugs even if you use a torque-wrench and can cause failure of the lug or bolts. Lug-nut torque values are for DRY fasteners.

I keep telling myself to just replace the keyed lugs with regular ones. If I don't I know one day this will bite me too. :(

Not sure what the green stuff is, but no I'm not greasing the lug nuts.

Didn't have any luck with the bolt out...I think I'm just going to order a new stud and drill this one out :(

Same thing happened to mine....not so much as broke but the key stripped the lock nut. I ended up taking it to a tire shop and they have a special "socket" that they pound onto the lug nut with some sort of teeth inside that grip it. They had to work on it but it came off. The lug stripped when I was changing from steel winter rims to the summer tires so I was not concerned about damaging the wheels...not sure about the clearance with the stock rims but it is worth a conversation.

Your not suppose to torque the key to specs. It should be less otherwise you will have problems.

Your not suppose to torque the key to specs. It should be less otherwise you will have problems.

Incorrect. McGard (http://www.mcgard.com/Home/About/CustomerService/InstallationRemoval)says to torque the locks to the specs called out for the car. Link also has info about removing stuck locks.

I've changed my wheels/tires at least twice a year for the last 6 years without any issue (expect when the stealership gorillas worked on the car - but they don't get to do that since warranty is over).

I like to torque the lock last and remove it first to minimize stressing it.

You can use the "wheel thief method" though that's a bit extreme.

Basically, for this method, you remove all the lugs besides the key. Get a rag or something soft to cover the face of the wheel. Now, this is the important part, make sure it's covered right above the key so that it won't damage the wheel. Grab a sledge hammer and hit the wheel as hard as you can. Voila, the wheel is off... though you will end up with 1 broken stud. :)

^true dat

Might be better off drilling the stud first before going with Renesis SE3P's destructive route ;)
At least you can get the wheel off and then have more room to pound the stud out.

heres a crazy method that usually works..a friend did it at an autocross meet

drill a hole into the stud as deep as you can go with a bit.

take a heavy duty steel rod from home depot or lowes, and pound it into the hole you just made in the stud.

hit/pull the rod and break the stud off.

Replace the stud for $2

Thanks for everyone's help. Took a couple days for mazda to get the stud. I ended up drilling it out. I ate right through my normal titanium coated bits, but bought a set of cobalt bits and they worked great.

Thanks again. Now I just need to find some harder lug nuts :)

This just happened to me, and it took the 17mm socket from the Sears 3-Piece Bolt-Out (17, 19, 21mm) kit (around $46, but it was a rural Sears, I had a flat, and I was desperate)... And because the Security Lug is very smooth, it also required a hammer to "fit" the bolt-out socket to the security lug.

Hammer the 17mm bolt-out lug on to your security lug, get a breaker bar (or you stand a good chance of ruining a perfectly good socket driver like I did) and tug away until you feel something give (hopefully not your testicles).

Note to self: Remove the other 3 security lugs and THROW THEM AWAY. You might not ever see this post until the same thing happens to you ie., you have a flat, try to get the tire off, and break a stupid secure lug in the process, or you lost the security socket... whichever, but these things are just a perfect storm of frustration waiting to pile up on what is already the start of a bad day (a flat).

Where are you? The Key for my 6 fit my 8. I found out when I did something really stupid with my key. What are the odds? Check with a few local buddies with those types of keys.

Note to self: Remove the other 3 security lugs and THROW THEM AWAY.Exactly.
These keyed lug nuts are useless. Got rid of them a long time ago.
Apart from losing the key, there is a good chance (like 99.99%) that grease monkeys at a shop won't use a torque wrench but put them back on with an air gun, so that they will probably be over-torqued and may break easily next time they need to be removed.