Sadly not uncommon...


I just had to 'rescue' my boss on the side of the road after work a few weeks ago; he had a flat, a spare tire , jack and lug wrench, but one of the lugs on his truck was distorted exactly like that, and he could NOT get it off no matter how hard he tried.

I ended up being able to get a 'wrong size' metric socket pounded onto the damaged lug and got it to spin off, and he ordered a new one to replace it as well.

Hoss

 

Fortunately all mine seem to have enough "bite" on them to be able to get them off, unless someone went crazy with the torque. I had no idea about this swelling problem and just assumed it was from using impacts on them. But after reading a bunch of reviews on Amazon, I see it is very common. So I will be picking up a set of the ones below off Amazon. The reviews are fine except for rust, but being in Arizona that is a non-issue for me. Although I will still put some anti-sieze on the threads.

You would think after several years with these lugs, Mopar would wise up and get rid of them. I just ordered these on a Black Friday deal on Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/KSP-12mmx1-2...nt-6511051AA-Aftermarket/dp/B09YCY39KM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

Just when I thought I carried it all. I am going to throw one of these, the closest to my lug size, in my emergency roadside service kit(s). I've used them before on various stripped nuts, and even a locking lug when the "key" was lost. Surprised I never thought of it....

 

My kit is for stripped bolts/nuts in general, but I now see there is a kit specific to wheel locks. On order!!

Wheel lock removal kit; $35.97

 

>>>BUYER BEWARE!<<<
If you're buying studs or bolts on Amazon, there is a good possibility you're buying an inferior product, rebranded and repackaged to appear as a quality product.

There are many US and international companies that make quality products. Today, there are few US companies that make sub-par products, though ten-fold more that import inexpensive, foreign manufactured products. Those particular foreign manufacturers have a singular business model--sell as many cheap products today, because when they fail, the buyers will go to one of their many other companies that make the exact same thing under a different name and even plant. They work off the belief of 'sell cheap, and replace often.' In other words, they make more money selling cheap products that you must replace 5x than an expensive product you buy once.

Trouble is, you must go through all the risk and effort when it breaks. How little is your time or even life worth?

This is why now-a-days bolts shear easily or the heads round from sub-par heat treating, they seize from poor tolerances or worse still, weld themselves to the connecting parts due to dissimilar impurities in the metal. Then you have to fix all they damage.

Do yourself a favor. Do a little leg work and REFUSE to accept the answer of "All you can buy in the US now is Chinese/Mexican parts."

B.E.F.

 

Wow, what scary post.

Look, fat chance if they are torqued correctly they are going to fail, especially all 5 on one wheel. Most failures are from being over-torqued, rust or both. In fact I have seen factory studs bust from that. I worked on cars my entire life, mostly at large dealerships and am not stupid when it comes to purchasing parts for my own vehicle. I'll take a chance on these over the garbage ones that came from the factory that would be a major PITA if you had to change a flat on the side of the road. Besides, we will only put around maybe 2k miles per year on this vehicle. Most longer trips we take my Ram.

 

Okie Dokie

B.E.F.

 

Swollen lug nuts are a real issue. It is not from over torquing them. It is from corrosion between the cap and the nut itself.

Amazon.com: Steelman Pro 5-Piece 1/2-Inch Drive Metric 6-Point Thin Wall Impact Flip Socket and Knockout Bar Set with Half Sizes (18.5 x 19.5mm, 21 x 21.5mm, 22 x 22.5mm, and 21.5 x 22.5mm Sockets) : Tools & Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Steelman Pro 5-Piece 1/2-Inch Drive Metric 6-Point Thin Wall Impact Flip Socket and Knockout Bar Set with Half Sizes (18.5 x 19.5mm, 21 x 21.5mm, 22 x 22.5mm, and 21.5 x 22.5mm Sockets) : Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

Here is a representation of one of the kits that I own. It has sockets that are .5mm larger than the originals. It fits a lot of the swollen caps easily. Sometimes the larger socket may need a little persuasion with a hammer but you have a much better chance of getting it off as compared to a twist socket.

I do own a professional tool truck quality set of lock and lugnut removers also. My kit is far more comprehensive than any mentioned so far. Anyways. Sometimes twist sockets just spin the caps.

The KL style of studs are some of the easiest caps to spin. The top of the wheel bolt underneath them is hollow and caves in easily. When this happens you are in for a very long day. It is very difficult to split these caps off and get them off without doing a great amount of damage to the wheel. I have dealt with many of this style of lug nut/bolt. I recently replace all of them on my wifes 18 compass. Oddly enough, I replaced them with the factory style again. Hers lasted 6 years in the rust belt and all of the replacements were either inferior in strength and fit, or just as expensive and still inferior. Yes. The factory lug bolts are really expensive, but the alternatives are trash.

JMHO.

 

Swollen lug nuts are a real issue. It is not from over torquing them. It is from corrosion between the cap and the nut itself.

If that was directed at my post, my over torquing statement was for all studs in general. The swollen caps are a completely different issue.

I am quite aware of the garbage caps on the factory lug studs and why I changed mine out. It is hard to believe Jeep used them for so many years.

 

Cherokee lug bolts (stock) are capped and deform easily. Best best, order a set on Amazon of solid headed bolt and replace the stock ones. Lots of us Cherokee owners do.