Yes, it's unfortunate but the car I bought has a security lug nut on each wheel and unfortunately, the car did not come with the "key" which lets you plug a socket in on one side and the other side into the star-lobe shaped lug nut. I was told by a tire shop that he can probably get them off with a torch but it would cost $10 per lug which equals $40. Isn't there some way that a do it yourselfer could handle this? The socket is round and I think about 22 mm in diameter. Here are what my ideas are:#1) Weld or braze a large socket onto the surface of the nut and then let cool and then put in the 1/2 inch breaker bar. Only thing is, I'd have to buy a brazer but I wonder if that would work? I am not sure what type of metal the lug nut is - if it would be compatible with whatever I chose as the filler rod and ditto with the socket.#2) I think there is probably at least 1/2 inch of drill space on the top of the security lug nut to drill and tap and put a bolt in with a nice size head on it (before I reach the stud). But I need to loosen counterclockwise and this would also probably loosen the bolt before it loosened the lug nut unless I could somehow glue or use some type of strong cold weld or loctite on the bolt or solder or weld it in there (or braze). I've seen "screw extractors" at Ace Hardware but they don't seem to be made to do the high torque stuff needed on a lug nut. All you can do is put a wrench on their end and rotate. That's not gonna do the job, I don't think! Any good ideas would be appreciated.

counterclockwiseYou have a couple options:Buy the key. Could be McGard or the stock security lug.Break the stud. Hit it with a big hammer and just break the stud off.You'll have to get a replacement stud and install it. Depends on what kindof stud they are. I'd say they'd run as cheap as $6/ea.Buy a security lug remover. It's an oversized socket with teeth that youhammer over the lug and the teeth bite in to the lug. That gives you asocket to turn the lug.Hammer a regular socket over the lug and hope the socket doesn't slip. I'dsuggest a 12 pt socket.-Bruce

How to remove security lug nuts without the key?

Nov 04, 2003 22 Replies

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Rod WIlliams 22 years ago

I have removed about 10 sets over the years, the first half dozen I used the hammer and chisel routine and it worked okay, still a lot of work with the chisel slipping and a lot of banging. I did learn when doing this method, scribe a small mark on the nut and on the rim so that you can see progress because it sure doesn't look like any is being made but it is. Your heart will leap when you see the marks move away from one another.

I removed the remainder except for one set using a heavy duty 1/2 drive socket, driven over the nut and turned them off with the ratchet. One several sets the socket was slightly too large so I used some sand paper to take up the slack.

On one set, no matter what I tried the nut would not budge then I noticed that there was a muffler shop next door, got the guy to weld a nut on each one for me, shared the removal fee with him.

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Phil Breau 22 years ago

The Sears option seems most feasible.

This option may be expensive. Make your own key. This works great if you work in a machineshop or have access to one.

How? Make a mold of the lug nut with clay, putty, plasticine, wax, etc or make a template by rubbing a greasy waxy color substance (lipstick) on the face of the lugnut and transfer the image to paper. Take the template to a local machineshop and have them make a key. On the opposite end of the key, mill a 3/4" or 19mm hex to fit a standard tire iron. This way you can keep the lug nuts and have a key.

This worked great for me. I once worked in a machine shop that made sockets.

The expensive part: Wife was pissed about the lipstick. $100.00 dinner to fix.

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Morgan Bullard 22 years ago

If you can fit it in there, a pair of vise-grips..

Something like this, especially if you can get a single socket instead of a set.

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(item # 52165)

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