broken bolts, and stripped nuts.

I'm in quite a mess. I bought a XJ without looking at every small detail. I got this, http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/43156e46zd3548972/7c68/__sr_/849c.jpg?phJx.FDB7g8IGWU2 . How would I go about taking off this lugnut? It looks like someone tried drilling it, but just made a mess. I've tried using sockets, but there's no where for them to catch on the nut. This problem is bogging me down, I can't put my new coils in until I get this wheel off. Another problem i'm facing right now deals with the four bolts that hold on the front nose panel. I'm putting a Cherokee nose on this Waggy, which btw would be a seriously easy install if it wasn't for these broken bolts. http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/43156e46zd3548972/7c68/__sr_/9033.jpg?phIx.FDBkt9XK2Cd I tried hammering them out, but I have a feeling that they're pressed in. Anyone ever replaced these? I broke all four of them when I removed the Wagoneer grille.

the links dont work...

yep links don't work. As far as the lug nuts, there is a socket (not sure what it's called.) It looks like a reverse easy out. The threads are inside of the socket. I bought a set at autozone as I had the same problem with a lug nut. It worked pretty good.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jeepinuvalde/album?.dir=/7c68&urlhint=actn,ren:s,4:f,0 sorry about the links

It doesn't look as if there's much of that nut left. My choice here would be to take a cutting torch to it, or perhaps just an oxy-acetylene welding torch turned up to an oxidizing flame, and burn it off. If you're careful you can do that without damaging the wheel, because the aluminum disspates heat quickly (why welders like aluminum benchtops). Don't worry about damage to the stud; just knock it out and replace it.

For the front panel, those bolts are pretty firmly in there. As I recall, they have a wide, shallow flat head on the back, and are spot or upset welded in place. You probably will not be able to pound them out without damaging the surrounding sheet metal. If only one were sheared off I'd suggest you just skip it and put in a big sheet metal screw next to it, but for all four it's more of a problem. One possibility might be to grind them flush, then drill them out. Because the back end of those studs is a fairly wide flat head, you could drill and tap them for 1/4 x 20 threads, and the old heads should provide enough meat to hold threads. Just make sure you centerpunch first, and get the drill well centered in the original spot, so you don't wander into the sheet metal. Then just use bolts with washers, instead of the original nuts. They'll be plenty strong enough.

Forget my post then. That's a heck of (or whats left of) a lug nut.

About the lugnut. I had the same problem and got pages of ideas on the JU forum. Trust me you will NOT get that lugnut off with any suggestions you will get here or JU. The easiest and cheapest (believe it or not) way to get the wheel off will be to go to Lowes and get a bi-metal hole saw slightly bigger than the lugnut. It will eat right through the Aluminum rim in less than a minute. Once the rim is off you should be able to remove what is left of the lugnut and part of the rim easily. You shouldn't even have to replace the stud. Go to the junkyard and pick up a new rim for $6.00 I tried to get the wheel off for 2 days and there was no way to do it w/o ruining the rim. I picked up 2 rims cheaper than the price of the Cobalt drill bit I tried to use to drill the studs out.

http://jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=660187&page=1&pp=20&highlight=lug+nuts

air chisel can cut it apart and not hurt the rim, youll need to replace the stud though. I have done this numerous times on customers cars and its never taken more than 15 minutes

dzraces said:

air chisel can cut it apart and not hurt the rim, youll need to replace the stud though. I have done this numerous times on customers cars and its never taken more than 15 minutes

Click to expand...

Maybe you can, but I couldn't. When I did mine the shop said bring it back Monday and leave it. We can cut it off with an air chisel. OK if they can cut it off with an air chisel, so can I. Wrong, all I accomplished was making a bigger mess, than I started with. If you've never done it, take heed. But then again what have you got to lose? (except a rim)

I have burnt them off with a cutting torch, not to hard really.

langer1 said:

I have burnt them off with a cutting torch, not to hard really.

Click to expand...

As I mentioned above, if the cutting torch is too coarse to reach in there, you can use a welding tip and turn up the oxygen. The metal will melt and burn off in a fizzy mess. Unprofessional but effective.