I had a Ford F-150 (2010-ish) that had nearly all of its 24 lug nuts swollen and partly rounded off. It was not leaving without new ones - and I informed the service writer of this before starting - no matter what I found wrong with its brakes. It took me nearly an hour of beating on a "turbo" (internally fluted so as to grab the rounded corners) socket, or chiseling off the outer "jacket," to get the damnable things off.

This cannot be all blamed on use - proper or otherwise - of an impact gun. A socket will often get stuck even by hand. I believe corrosion builds up between the inside of the "jacket" and the nut proper. It expands just like ice.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
In response to your updated question, perhaps the lug nuts are only beginning to corrode/swell and is only evident by removing each nut and inspecting from the back side.

The Costco guys wouldn't have put completely swollen lug nuts back on for safety reasons. He probably just spotted it with the lug nuts removed.

You have too much confidence in some types of tire men. There is a reason some shops don't want their mechanics doing tire work. On my swollen lug nut wraps, I certainly didn't reuse them. But the TIRE GUY did. I used a saw to cut off the cases and undersized sockets (not my snap ons) and other acoutriments to get that shit off when I did a rotation. There are bad people in every field, including Tire men.

OH FUDGE

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
A great reason to keep a breaker bar with socket in the vehicle. Also for snugging up lugs after driving home from service work.

I keep a breaker bar with a socket in each vehicle because it is easier to loosen the nut than using the little factory tire iron.

After reading this thread will keep an additional socket with the wrench one size larger (or maybe one of those universal sockets with the pins).

They make a thing called a flip socket set just for this issue.
LEXIVON 1/2-Inch Impact Socket Set, 6 Total Lug Nut Size | Innovative Flip Socket Design Cover Most Commonly Inch & Metric Used Sizes | Cr-Mo Steel = Fully Impact Grade (LX-111) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0..._encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Arrived today ... am very pleased with the quality and the storage box it came in.

Thank you again.