Stuck lug nut on spare

TJTimmah

Member
Original poster
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
46
Location
Ohio
Hey all!

I'm hoping someone has a nifty idea to get me out of this pickle. A while back I bought 5 JK wheels for Smalls. I just now got around to seeing what I need to do to mount the spare and wouldn't ya know it... one of the lug nuts is frozen and the stud just spins! I'm not sure what to do with it but figured I CAN'T be the first guy to have this problem!? Any tips?

Thanks!
Tim
 
If you can reach the back of the stud. Vice grips.

If not remove the tire carrier from the gate.

Assuming that you have the factory carrier
 
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If you can reach the back of the stud. Vice grips.

If not remove the tire carrier from the gate.

Assuming that you have the factory carrier
x2... I will add if its on good and tight I'd use some penetrating spray to loosen it up a lil. (it couldn't hurt)
 
Can you access the mount bolts with the spare on? I'll have to look at it again, but I thought they were 'covered'. I'll dig into it this weekend regardless. Thanks!

Tim
 
Hey all!

I'm hoping someone has a nifty idea to get me out of this pickle. A while back I bought 5 JK wheels for Smalls. I just now got around to seeing what I need to do to mount the spare and wouldn't ya know it... one of the lug nuts is frozen and the stud just spins! I'm not sure what to do with it but figured I CAN'T be the first guy to have this problem!? Any tips?

Thanks!
Tim
The studs are like wheel studs and are pressed into the back of the mount and then spot welded. The welds have broken and the stud is spinning. You will likely have to get a welder in there to tack it or maybe you have room to get the carrier off the gate. Once you get it off, just run a nut down to suck it back in tight and then weld around the flange.
 
I got the mount removed from the gate and jammed a mig nozzle in there. One gloop of weld later and it's off! Stupid, stupid problem, but it's gone, lol.

Thanks all,
Tim
 
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Or bring it by a tire shop and ask them to put their nut buster on it, discount tire did it for free when had one stuck on my Bronco.
 
This just happened to mine. The welds on the bolt broke loose, and now the whole thing just spins when I turn it. Unreal. Can you get the tire carrier off with the tire still stuck on it?
 
This just happened to mine. The welds on the bolt broke loose, and now the whole thing just spins when I turn it. Unreal. Can you get the tire carrier off with the tire still stuck on it?
It all depends upon how far your tire sticks out.

I could on mine.

15705772925305605011780853246411.webp
 
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It all depends upon how far your tire sticks out.

I could on mine.

View attachment 119035

Thanks for the pic. I don't have time to mess with it tonight, but I'm gonna try to cut a slit in opposing sides of the lug nut with my dremel and a cut-off wheel, then use a chisel to try to break it off of the stud. Hopefully that will stop me from destroying the tire carrier and I will be able to get a new stud and tack weld it back on. What a stupid design :(
 
Thanks for the pic. I don't have time to mess with it tonight, but I'm gonna try to cut a slit in opposing sides of the lug nut with my dremel and a cut-off wheel, then use a chisel to try to break it off of the stud. Hopefully that will stop me from destroying the tire carrier and I will be able to get a new stud and tack weld it back on. What a stupid design :(

If you go to a tire shop .... preferably a real one ...not discount. They have specific tools to drill off the lugnut. Not sure what they charge but it might be quicker and easier.
 
If you go to a tire shop .... preferably a real one ...not discount. They have specific tools to drill off the lugnut. Not sure what they charge but it might be quicker and easier.

Not sure that would work. The bolt that the lug nut is stuck on spins with the lug nut when you try to turn it. Nothing is holding it still. If they tried to drill it, the whole thing would just spin. The wheel stud either needs to be re-welded from the back, or cut off, or the lug nut cut off. I have no access to the stud, so I'll probably try to cut the damn lug nut off. Dumbest design ever.
 
Not sure that would work. The bolt that the lug nut is stuck on spins with the lug nut when you try to turn it. Nothing is holding it still. If they tried to drill it, the whole thing would just spin. The wheel stud either needs to be re-welded from the back, or cut off, or the lug nut cut off. I have no access to the stud, so I'll probably try to cut the damn lug nut off. Dumbest design ever.

Cars and trucks and jeeps can have this problem on every wheel. They have tools that hold the lugnut and drill down the center and it pops off.

Its a pretty cool looking tool.

Do a quick Google search for spinning lugnut stud. Lots of information.