Wheel lock stuck

[constantine]

Morning everyone - I need some ideas from some smart people - so I came here!

When I swapped out my summer tires a wheel lock broke. I bought a socket that I used with my impact gun and it worked like a charm! But my problem now is that I can't separate the socket and the broken lug. I put the lug nut in my vise and tried to turn the socket using my breaker bar - the lug nut just spins in the vise. I also tried to put a tire iron down the socket (it's 1/2" drive) and beat the crap out of it with my sledge - no dice!

Ideas? Thanks for all the help

[DCBABY]

Use some heat, and beat!

[hammy1983]

go to a tire place and they probably have one that fits. Replace them with regular sockets. Unless you have really nice and expensive rims, I hardly doubt you'll ever have to worry about someone leaving your car on bricks.

[Tintin]

Anyway you could screw a bolt in the lug nut and then pull on it?

Couple YouTube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yalhMGMWU0

[Jeffc]

go to a tire place and they probably have one that fits. Replace them with regular sockets. Unless you have really nice and expensive rims, I hardly doubt you'll ever have to worry about someone leaving your car on bricks.

it happened to me years ago with my honda civic. Except they forgot the blocks and left it right on the road, tires and rims gonzo.

[4underthru9]

it happened to me years ago with my honda civic. Except they forgot the blocks and left it right on the road, tires and rims gonzo.

Good LOrd, I only thought that happened in movies, so what part of the good city were you living at the time?

[Shankapotamus86]

Use some heat, and beat!

Yeah - get a torch on that thing and beat it like it owes you money.

[Jeffc]

Good LOrd, I only thought that happened in movies, so what part of the good city were you living at the time?

It Ottawa, not a bad part of town but a sketchy apartment across the street at the time. My car was parked in the driveway to my apartment building, not more than 20 feet from the main road, which is a rather busy one.

[DCBABY]

Honestly, buy a new socket, not worth the time or effort, and chances are the socket is damaged. But if all else fails and you want to get it off, use a socket a size up as a spacer and than thread a nut or bolt on and retract it that way.

[hammy1983]

It Ottawa, not a bad part of town but a sketchy apartment across the street at the time. My car was parked in the driveway to my apartment building, not more than 20 feet from the main road, which is a rather busy one.

what rims did you have on it? I have my bet it was a low profile life right in the middle of the car. 2 wheels off the car in a couple minutes. All wheels in probably less than 5 and gone.

[skt07]

what rims did you have on it? I have my bet it was a low profile life right in the middle of the car. 2 wheels off the car in a couple minutes. All wheels in probably less than 5 and gone.

Whoa there gone in sixty seconds. A little too much expertise on the subject lol.

[golfingoalie]

Mechanic here at work said buy a new socket

[jefflin]

Ya. Locking nuts are pretty useless. The fact that you were able to get a socket and impact gun to work "like a charm" kinda proves that. I would also agree you probable compromised the socket and you are better off getting a new one. The usual suggestion when removing a broke or stuck locking nut is to buy a cheap/trashy socket so you can jam it stuck to the nut (usually with a hammer). The fused nut and socket would be a throw-a-way afterwards.

[Jeffc]

what rims did you have on it? I have my bet it was a low profile life right in the middle of the car. 2 wheels off the car in a couple minutes. All wheels in probably less than 5 and gone.

stock steel rims with wheel covers. nothing fancy at all.

[Bern]

Put the lug nut in the vice so the socket edges rest on the jaws of the vice the lug nut should be free to move , insert an old screwdriver through the square opening of the 1/2" socket and gently tap it out. If there is not enough of a lip because of a flange on the lug nut head to sit on the vice you may need to use another screwdriver or cold chisel. Rest the screwdriver going through the socket on the ground, tap on the exposed socket rim with the other screwdriver, chisel.