The top one is the only one that came off.




Here is the shredder that smoked the lugnuts into circles. Can wait to use it on normal lug nuts and high torque applications. It really is a beast for the price.

As requested here are some pics of the lug nuts of evil. And my last resort impact gun that just smoked them further into the depths of hell! AHHHH!

 

Just da*n ! ! ! ! They had to be tightened so much they actually pulled the stud threads.

I had a spare given to me that looks to be like your rims. If so and you end up needing one your welcome to it.

 

Thanks for the offer! I actually have a full spare that was painted black for some reason....but I can blast off that paint in a minute. The tire is still awesome, I just have to do what I have to just to get them off.


Here are the 98% new caliper and rotors hiding behind those dam tires!!!!

 

You've been given about all advice I can think of short of removing the knuckle assembly with the rim attached (unless it was posted and I missed it). Don't even know if you could do anything with it even then. Could take it to a machine shop I figure.

 

Brother I agree with you 100% and I thank everyone for posting all their suggestions and tips in this thread! I knew a lot of what to do before I even started the thread and I tried it. My last 2 attempts will be the extractor sets, and I dunno about the drilling that is a lot. I may have to dump it on my mechanic...he or one of his guys tightened those things....They are usually good at what they do but this is like I said the devils torque. I never rounded a lug nut into a circle before..and my impact sockets have zero damage...so yeah. Just gotta keep going. Never give up Never Surrender. My sad precious mostly dead XJ. Broke my heart. So much time. So much energy. She is still my love. Maybe she doesn't want me to let her go///like an XJ Christine! Hahah. Oh well. I guess I will post when I get my extractor delivery! Que Sera Sera

 

That's a nice job on the calipers. And with new tires, i can see why you want to save them. I have the same rims on my XJ.

Before you start the passenger side, try getting them off with the breaker bar and a socket before you start with the impact gun. How long of a bar are you using when you try by hand?

My grandfather (mechanic for 60 years) used to keep a piece of black pipe (you can get at home depot) that approximately 10 foot long. He would make sure to slide it as far as possible on the breaker bar and then put his weight on it.

 

I agree on using just the socket and breaker/cheater on the other side.
It definitely IS due to careless over-torquing (by the devil himself - ) that causes this problem. Coupled with the weak and obnoxious OEM acorn style lugs.

I also went to gorilla solid lug nuts (actually the extended ones so there was plenty of surface area on the nut) on that old TJ and never had an issue.

When you do the other side, make sure the socket is snug on the nut.. I recall someone once suggesting to put some newspaper between the socket and nut if you need to snug it up.. then a super long torque arm.. better to snap off the stud than round the nut...

Another suggestion is to consider some precision cutting tools, like a dremel or maybe a multi-purpose with a "hard metal" blade.. if you can get the nut to split, you can get the rim off... you don't have to cut all the way through either, just cut a decent trench and use a chisel to split it.

 

presumably those studs are toast...if it is just a few, hammer over a smaller socket ?

or weld a nut on, 3/4 nut thru the hole, with a fair bit of heat

think I would try above before drilling those nuts, would be gruesome

dont know for sure, but suspect some savage welding & 3/4 drive gear, snap those studs, or break them right out

 

I thought about mentioning chiseling, but being that the nuts are so recessed into the rim, I know he wanted to save those rims.

Just make sure that on the passenger side, you start with the breaker bar, and using the newspaper trick on the socket for the lug nut is a great idea.

 

Not that it matters much now but our one is a MAC Tools USA extractor socket.

In my use I've never had an issue with using an impact gun with it however, I've never used it to remove a nut so tight that it can't be removed. Usually it's used to remove locking wheel nuts with no key, like the ones on the front axle I bought from a breakers.

 

Yeah at this point I am just waiting on the extractor sets to come in. It will certainly be interesting to see what they can do. If by some miracle I get both tires off I am throwing her front end up on jack stands and going to pull everything out. If everything on the calipers and rotors match the ZJ I will make those old ones the xj's new brakes. I dont really need em cause this is just parts recovery but whatever. Easier to move if need be. It is a long work week for me...but if I get the extractors in like tomorrow heck yeah I am gonna try em after work. I'll be tired but not able to sleep unless I try them out. Thanks again for so many tips. Best forum on the net!!!!

 

That's cause we like to help, not break your *****! LOL!

 

Well the craftsman extractor set was absolute failure. It just shredded the nuts even more. I hammed one on then used the 1/2 inch breaker bar and it got a hell of grip...but I was able to turn it using man-strength and like I said...the nuts are shredded more. I do have a large set of rocket extractors coming in Monday...But I doubt there will be a different outcome. I wonder if I could use my monster `impact gun to slowly decimate the nuts to death by constantly reducing extractor sizes.///hmm well I am mostly leaning towards getting it to my mechanic. This is a great deal of suck. oh well.

 

he may wish to decline your job after seeing the state it is in...I probably would

every really bad fastener situation I have come across requires heat..lots of it

like I said before..some grade 8 nuts, stick weld a big puddle thru the hole, crank those nuts off while it is still glowing

 

Well a couple things won't work there...first I dont have a big boy stick welder. Second, my mechanic and or one his guys tightened those nuts on there because I had them change the calipers(no time) So I am not gonna sit here and hold myself responsible for what they screwed up. The Cherokee will drive there. It should not blow up I think. And then I will give him the dam title but he has to do what I ask. I can deal with a couple bucks but no way am I paying for what they screwed me on. And he is a good friend so I hope we just work it out.
He has all the welding equipment and whatever you can think of. And they can get it done. Perhaps the only ones who can. So I am gonna text him tonight and talk to him tomorrow. I am done.