Re: lug nuts

TLDR: I got the wheel off and taken to a local tire repair shop!


On Sun, 8 Jun 2025 17:41:21 -0500,
  sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

 On 6/8/2025 4:11 PM, Ted Heise wrote:

On Sat, 7 Jun 2025 20:48:42 -0500,
   sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

  On 6/7/2025 8:07 PM, Ted Heise wrote:

...tried loosening the lug nuts--but failed. After many
tries, I think the socket I have (13/16") is just slightly
too big.  It wobbles a bit when placed all the way in.
>
A 3/4" won't go on the nuts, so maybe I need metric?

  Before doing anything else, you you should confirm the
  proper size of the nuts.  If still stripped see
  recommendations below.

As advised, I called Lance this morning.  They indicated the lug
nuts have a 3/4" hex head.  I reasoned that I'd not been able to
get a 3/4" socket onto the nuts because I'd dinged them up too
much.  I also reasoned that a larger size bolt and nut extractor
would be a suboptimal approach, so I got a 1/2" drive 3/4" hex
socket, figuring I might have to hammer it onto the nuts.

As an aside, I actually had a 1/2" drive 3/4" socket already, but
it was 12 point so I thought it wouldn't be a good choice.

 When I work on my vehicles wheels, I only use 1/2" drive. 
 Just about everything requires 150 lbs or greater torque. 
 That's too much for 3/8".  In my View, I have a dedicated 1/2"
 wrench, socket, extensions, and a small pipe to get more
 leverage.
 
 Your wheels are deep and you have the trailer body to contend
 with.  You might need a 6" or 8" extension to be able to clear
 that and put a pipe on the end of your socket wrench.

I already had the 1/2" drive extension.  Along with the 1/2" drive
3/4" hex socket I got a 2 ft pipe that was large enough to fit
over the handle of my breaker bar.  Ended up being a 1" diameter
pipe.  I then pounded the socket onto a random nut.  Took me a few
strikes of my fingers to realize they would do better if I put the
extension into the socket and *then* applied the hammer.  Duh.

Once the socket was reasonably well seated on the nut I was able
to break it loose.  When it was off the stud, I had to knock it
out of the socket by striking a small rod that fit through the
drive side of the socket.  One of the larger sockets in my old set
made a nice holder for doing this.

After getting one off, I was considerably encouraged and went at
the others, one by one.  With a couple it didn't seem clear I'd
gotten the socket driven far enough onto the nut to succeed in
turning it, but somehow they all gave in.

Turns out the nuts were steel with chrome caps.  Yuck.  The tire
place recommended I get solid chrome lug nuts, which I've done;
enough for both wheels.  In the next few days I'll get back out to
the storage facility and replace the nuts on the other wheel.  I
think it should work to do this without jacking up that side
of the trailer if I do them one at time.

The tire has probably about 10,000 miles, so it seems it should
still have some life left--assuming it can be repaired.  Will let
you know what the shop says.

  You can try a slightly smaller socket that you have to beat
  on with a hammer.  Problem with this is it also might get
  stuck and not take the nut off if you're not careful.

As you know by now, this is essentially what I did.  It worked
well.

 You can do this!  And...you're learning another very good
 lesson about your rig.  You need to get a handle on doing this
 in case it happens in the middle of nowhere.

I *really* appreciate the advice and the encouragement!  I would
not have succeeded without the help of you guys here.  And bill, I
plan to get one of those patch kits to keep in the pass through.

Thank you all!

--
Ted Heise      <theise@panix.com>       West Lafayette, IN, USA