How to cut rims off?

[Walkin' Bear]

So got another issue y'all. I am needing to replace my tires. No big deal with that my problem lies in the piece of junk lugs that came with the car. They have this lock that just nothing matches so I have tried drilling them. With gettin them to bout a 3/8" hole I beat an Alan key into it and pop it's off. Well got two of them that would not just go pop I tried everything. I'm planning on taking a grinder with a metal cut wheel and cutting the rim out away from it. Point of this is so I will actually have some room to work these rims suck to no clearance to get cheater sockets on it. Any suggestions before I hack away at the rim.

 

[Jiggalude]

Take a punch with a spade edge and a hammer and beat them off. I had a stealth back in the day that had 1 lock lug on it but I didn't have the key. So I had to take a punch and beat it off. Took a little while but I think it would be easier than cutting your wheel off.

 

[kchaazz]

Get a cheap socket that you dont mind DESTROYING. The socket you choose has to be just small enough that you have to literally beat it onto the lock lug- I recommend 1/2" drive, since its much tougher than 3/8". Pound it on, and if youre lucky, itll grab enough to take the lock lug loose and you will have a much better chance of success if you use an impact on it. When you get one off, you will need something to insert into the backside of the socket to pound the lug out, if that makes sense, and you may need to purchase 2 or 3 of the same socket as it may only survive one use in this manner. Good luck to you

 

[95TalonOwner]

Just pound a 12 pt socket onto it and impact it off.

 

[Walkin' Bear]

I have drilled each one already I just had two that screwed me. I can see the stud bolt and what not. The Alan wrench key I used (3/8") just slipped when I tried freeing it and I literally have an 1/8" clearance around the lug than your back on the rim.

 

[Walkin' Bear]

12 point socket? Hm have not tried that one. I tried beating a socket on but these have no edges on outer side. It's perfectly round. I tried reverse sockets but none are thin enough to get down on it

 

[95TalonOwner]

Posting pictures would help I think. Usually you can just pound a 12 pt onto the round lock clearance depending.

 

[Walkin' Bear]

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this is one of them before I drilled it out as you see the rim was not tended to very well. I'm still trying to get everything back square.

 

[donniekak]

That is a common lock nut pattern. I have a key for it. You should have just waited and got the right tool. But if you are going to cut it off. Just blast the lug off with a torch.

 

[kchaazz]

Id definitely try the socket approach I outlined above, and if that doesnt work, there are kits out there designed specifically for removing lugs in the same way you would with a regular socket, exept these removal kits are of a much more effective design. IMO, those are definitely the worst design locking lugs ever and I feel your pain as Ive gone through this before...

 

[95TalonOwner]

Unless you can find a thin wall socket that will work I would say +1 on the torch. That may be your only option with a rim design like that. If anything just take it to a wheel/tire shop and ask how much for them to torch the nut/stud out of there.

 

[akira235]

Use a bolt extractor bit. What rims are those?

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Pound a socket on there, and when it's on all the way, pound it some more. The pounding will loosen the nut, and it will come right off. I've dealt with that kind of thing all the time for the last 20+ years, and never had to destroy a wheel.

 

[Walkin' Bear]

Yes it is a common pattern or very close to a common patter at least I tried finding a key drove all over Nashville. I finally just said hell I can do this in one weekend no biggie... Ha ha WTF was I thinking. I plan on putting these on after I get the old ones off.

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[Walkin' Bear]

I like the torch idea to does make more sense. And again on the socket I have tried the reverse sockets aka the extractors and thin walls. It did nothing it's like the guy before me welded both of the passenger side wheels on.

 

[akira235]

Not a reverse socket. A BOLT extractor, they are essentially drill bits with reverse threading. Get the largest one you can get to fit into the hole you already drilled and twist it out.

 

[dsm03]

TORCH it!

 

[Walkin' Bear]

O I did that to snapped the bit smooth in half an can't drill it out. The bit is stuck flush in the lug. I tried it after letting the lug soak in some creep oil to try and break its tight grip. So guess it's all up to getting it torched out

 

[DirtyDave21]

Go to autozone and buy a damn wheel lock kit with the same key???!!!!??? why would you just start cutting stuff up??? you could spend like 40 bucks on the wheel lock kit rather than 2000 for new rims??

 

[LiquidX]

What about drilling out the wheel stud from the back side? I haven't dealt with this before but at least you could salvage the rims (if in working condition) and sell them to cover partial cost of the new ones.

I'm sure as Hell you can find the key on eBay or even locally in more "specialty" parts stores.

 

[dloiphone]

You could of gone to a wheel/tire shop and they could of done it for you.


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[95TalonOwner]

Worst case scenario I ever saw at my Tires Plus besides using a torch was that we had to disassemble the whole hub area with the wheel still on the car and drop the spindle/hub/brake assembly with the rim still attached and then attack it that way.

 

[DirtyDave21]

Worst case scenario I ever saw at my Tires Plus besides using a torch was that we had to disassemble the whole hub area with the wheel still on the car and drop the spindle/hub/brake assembly with the rim still attached and then attack it that way.

i'd rather do that than start hacking crap.

 

[Walkin' Bear]

Well the key can't be found I have been to every oreilleys around along with auto zone and advanced auto parts none of them had it they had close and I bought that trying to make it work it didn't work. I have not tried drilling out stud from behind I have tried drilling from the outside took forever and a set of drill bits an had barely made a dent. I want new rims the ones on it are junk been beat on already by previous owner got chips in it and just look horrible. I want to save them for the simple fact that spare stuff is nice in case something happens.

 

[caseyk]

I have that same key on my rims. I have the key to it but when i was trying to break it loose and the splines that hold that little key inside to that socket stripped. So im SOL with it too. I have yet to find a key here locally for one.