Lug Nut won't come loose

[05beckga]

Hi I'm trying to change the wheel of my Volkswagen but the lug nuts wont unscrew even with a big kick on the wrench. The car hasn't been touched for 7 years so they are rusty.

Any ideas to try and loosen the lug nuts so I can take the wheel of?

And also should I have the car up on a jack while trying to take the wheel of or still on the ground?

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[JohnD]

is is just one side of the car that won't come unscrew?

what model is it?

what sort of wrench are you using?

Assuming they're not left-handed, a telescopic wheel wrench is small enough to keep in the boot, and helps a lot. Costs less than £8



A spider is also good but too awkward to carry.

Or a good quality socket set with a length of scaffold pole. Preferably a short T-handle, not the ratchet, which might break.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Get an extension bar, scaffold pole normally works well!

Andy

 

[05beckga]

It's just one of the wheels where the screws won't come loose. Tried kicking the wrench.

The model is volkswagen T4 caravelle tdi

 

[05beckga]

Do I need to some WD40 on the screws or is just brute force with a pole

 

[HERTS P&D]

Any Polish chap would do, they are hard working and very strong.

Andy

 

[Tigercubrider]

You need the wheel on the ground to crack the nuts off.
If it is just one, do the others up first, relieving the pressure off the single one.

Wd40 is better than nothing but plusGas or some proper penetrating oil works better.

 

[Nozzle]

You should be loosening the nuts while it's on the ground, but jack it when you intend to slacken. If you heave on the nuts with a long scaffold pole while it's on axle stands... it might come off!

Also, make sure it's in gear (when slackening the front, assuming front wheel drive) and handbrake on if the rear. (Preferably both) .The gear you choose (Reverse or first...) depends which wheel you're loosening, choose whichever is opposite to the direction you would drive in.

Once a single nut is slackened, you can then retighten (not full torque) in order to share the tension of the other nuts before loosening them. Otherwise what happens is you take four out and the remaining one has loads of tension in it making it even harder to remove. Once each nut has been satisfactorily loosened then re-tightened (perhaps with WD-40), then you can jack-up, place on axle stands, chock other wheels then remove alloy in question.

Getting a scaff pole on a short wrench is all very well, but it'll likely bend it or shag the mechanism. Get a breaker bar, which is what they are designed for and are not expensive. Also, if your sockets are cheap, they'll just bend anyway.

Nozzle

 

[Keithmac]

By a decent 1/2" Breaker Bar from Halfords and a good fitting single hex (6 sided).socket..

 

[Mottie]

Run it up to your local tyre shop and give the boy a couple of quid to loosen them for you.

 

[rsgaz]

Also, buy 20 new nuts to put back on after! Don't re-use those "soon to be rounded off" nuts!!

 

[DIYspanner]

The local tyre centre's impact gun should loosen it.

If you want a breaker bar for strong arm jobs, I recommend this one. And personally, I only use single hex sockets unless of course, its a 12 point fastener.