Hey all. So I want to take my front wheels off to look at the air suspension but my socket keep getting stuck in the lugs. I would have to bang them around a lot to get them off. I am worried that would damage the bolt. I tried a new socket set and same issue. Any thoughts?

 

Hello @DR3ADKN0T ,
It is hard to tell from the angle of your picture, but being that you have aftermarket wheels, did you use aftermarket lug bolts also, and are they a standard size head, or special size or design as to the shape of the head, like what I have, they come with their own socket to fit.

Johnny

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These are custom wheels. I you reused the bolts, the VW/Bentley supplied on would work.

 

It looks like you are using a soft sleeve socket to protect the rims. Did you try sliding the sleeve off? Also there are thin wall sockets with the sleeves.

 

I have tried several sockets. It’s like it’s rounded off or something. It seems to slip when I really torque on it and the it’s almost jammed in place.

 

@DR3ADKN0T ,
Please post a picture head on showing the lug bolts.

Did you look at my prior post, do your lug bolts look similar ?

Do you have plastic dress caps on the lug bolts that need to be removed first, before removing the lug bolt ?









Johnny

 

@DR3ADKN0T ,
Any update ?

Johnny

 

Hey Johnny,

I havent had a chance, dealing with the idling issue now. Bringing it in for service this week,

 

@DR3ADKN0T ,
While you are bringing it in for service, snap a picture of the wheel head on, showing the lug bolts, so we can see if they are security lugs as I posted pictures of, or have caps as pictured also.
I am trying to help, but need your feedback to come to a solution.

Johnny

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. I was gonna order new ones but not sure if these are a certain size or if they are pretty universal.

 

So finally figured out what was going on. The Lugs have a very different shape than the stock ones. They look like this and need a special socket.

 

​​​​​Hello @DR3ADKN0T ,
I am a little confused, as these are the same exact style lug bolts I posted about almost a month ago, telling you that they have a special shape to the head of the bolt, and come with their own socket to fit.
It's like my post with pictures was completely ignored...

Johnny

 

I have only ever seen the full bolt when the shop I am at now pulled the tires off. When I used my socket set the entire bolt head was stuck in the 17MM socket so I couldn't see the slotted sides just the threads. I didn't want to bang the bolt to loosen and damage the threads. I have only ever used the more traditional socket-style lug nuts. They used new lugs when I had the new rims installed so this is the first time I ever really had to take the tires off. The original lugs it had on it before the swap were 17MM standard bolts, not these specialty aftermarket ones.

 

Hello @DR3ADKN0T ,
I understand everything that you are saying, and had said beforehand, that is why I asked you to take a picture of the wheel head on, showing the lug bolt heads, not the bolt stuck in your socket, the wheel itself showing the other lug bolts in place, as I just did minutes ago to show the same lug bolts as you now know you have..
I only state this for future reference, so for anyone else with this issue, they understand we need a picture of the lug bolt head on the vehicle, so they don't take almost a month trying to figure it out, feedback is key to solving a problem.

Johnny

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