My friend has a 99 4runner with the Enkei (sp?) wheels. He came over the other day to rotate tires and do an oil change and whoever previously tightened his lug nuts did a very good job. It was absolutely all I could do to break them free with a hand lug wrench. Well, one of his lug nuts just spins freely. It is still tight, but I can turn it over and over again and it shows no sign of loosening. I think the fix would be to find a way to get the nut off and replace the wheel stud...but how? How would you remove the lug nut? There is no room to cut it off from the front so It would have to be done coming in from the rear. Any ideas guys? Also, if the original wheel stud just spins then I can't put in another wheel stud can I? Wouldn't it just spin too? Is there a way to put a wheel stud with a larger head into the original location?

 

Thats a tough one...i'm not sure man...hopefully someone can help you out on that one.

 

hmm.. try an air gun, i think the impact will take it off!

 

Your best chance is probably with an impact gun. I've had that happen to me as well and that's how I got it off. Not, sure how you would get to it from the rear...You might be able to reuse that stud once you get the darn thing off, but a replacement stud of the same size should work too.

 

I would say impact also. You should exert some pressure to pull on the wheel. Outward pressure should help.

*** WARNING**** Make sure the vehicle is well suported like on a lift. Even on a lift or jack stands, if you push hard enough you can push the vehicle off the lift.

 

GONNE NEED THIS


and a nice impact and maybe a torch...

 

Another result of a dummy with an impact gun! Some idiot got torque happy with air.

I remove them (like stated above) by getting some pressure pushing out on the nut or wheel. See, there are no threads where the nut is, so as you try to loosen it (with air gun or ratchet), you need to get it to bite on the outward threads that are left. It sould start to turn off. It is not easy, but that's the ONLY way it's going to come off. That stud is trash, so be prepared to replace it once you get it off. By the way, remove ALL of the other lugs off that wheel before attempting (Duh!). Maybe even jam a flat screwdriver or thin prybar behind the wheel to apply pressure.

 

It soiunds like the splines on the other end of the stud that hold them in to the hub have stripped the hub so the only way to get it off is from the back side or by cutting the nut off, either way the stud will have to be replaced afterwards, and maybe a larger diamter one installed. remember studs are a small interference fit.

 

Yep, some idiot with the impact wrench. I'd just take it to a shop, but, I'm lazy like that.

 

You could centerpunch the stud/lugnut and drill it out. Start with a small bit and step up. This will help keep things centered. Ince you get to a big enough bit the nut will fall off.

 

Very descriptive and most helpful Yodaforce.

The Enkei wheels may not be properly designed for the truck. There is such a thing as hub centric and lug centric wheels and lug nuts. I am not aware of Enkei making truck wheels but I could sure be wrong there.

I am thinking this could happen again if the wrong combo is in play. Consult a tire shop. Take it back to the idiot that air gunned it down and make them take it off-just imagine if that tire went flat what a pickle you would be in then....