lost lock nut socket - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Hoffman65burb · 03-19-2009, 06:16 PM

Hey,

my sierra's front tire had a bolt in it, which was holding the air hahaha, till it worn down enough for it to start leaking. Well the tires flat and i cant find my lock nut socket. Anyway to break this off at home? with out torch's / welder?

Longhorn Man · 03-19-2009, 07:00 PM

get a 12 point socket that is just a tick too tight, and hammer it on, use a breaker bar to turn it.

JimKshortstep4x4 · 03-19-2009, 07:00 PM

Two things that I have done is to borrow a wrench from my local yard and lacking the right wrench, I have welded a nut onto the special nut.

Cutting the nut of with a torch is very iffy as it is easy to mesh up the stud,

Jim

monte0185 · 03-19-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

get a 12 point socket that is just a tick too tight, and hammer it on, use a breaker bar to turn it.

x2 on this. Most tool companies make a tool for this as well but socket usually works just as good. I usually use a 1/2 inch drive one so i can use my impact.

**El Jay** · 03-19-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

get a 12 point socket that is just a tick too tight, and hammer it on, use a breaker bar to turn it.

You know that one is going into the ol' databank, Andy.

Hoffman65burb · 03-19-2009, 07:15 PM

Would it work for this kind of lock nut?

mr48chev · 03-19-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

get a 12 point socket that is just a tick too tight, and hammer it on, use a breaker bar to turn it.

Been there done that and it works. It isn't too good for the socket though.

The other choice is that tire stores often have the special socket used to drive on and take the nut off.

I'm not sure on that one H but you might get it with a stud puller. There is probably a socket that you can drive over it though either 12 or 8 like that 99th piece in your 99 piece tool set.

Longhorn Man · 03-19-2009, 07:28 PM

mine was like this;

I had to do this on my old GMC, truck came with the locks, but no key/adaptor. It worked so good, I just installed them back on the truck.
I would imagine it would work on yours.
Don't use high dollar snap on sockets, but you don't want to use craptastic ones made in china either. I honestly found that the craftsman ones seemed to be good at this task.

bigsnookmaster · 03-19-2009, 07:33 PM

I've smacked them on the end with a hammer,then put a nice pair of vice grips on them and twisted them off!If you smack it good it will usually loosen them. My .02

**68 Stepside** · 03-19-2009, 08:01 PM

you can also take a junk socket about the right size, tack it on with a welder and take it off, done that before in a pinch.

stockish shawn · 03-19-2009, 08:08 PM

did you try a hammer and chissel.

**truckdude239** · 03-19-2009, 08:13 PM

i just hammer on of my impact sockets on it and zip it off with the air gun

airdale94 · 03-20-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoffman65burb

Would it work for this kind of lock nut?

Those kind are a good candidate for the chisel method. Cut about a 1/4" strait cut into it. In one of those grooves would be a good spot. Then hammer it counter clockwise. A air hammer with a chisel bit is usually about a 5 min. job.

BADSAM · 03-20-2009, 09:18 PM

I would never try this, but I heard an urban legend that back in the day, you could take a can of freon and freeze the nut with it and it would become brittle, then you just hit it with a big hammer and it would break off. Look what happened to the Titanic!

Once again, I would never try this. Just something I heard.

I'm not even sure why I volunteered this info. Must be bored.

(Beating a socket on almost always works for me.)

70 Suburban · 03-20-2009, 10:04 PM

lol well they make a socket for this. its taperd on the inside. they sell them at northern tool and harbor fraight. u just put it on and it will bite down and cut into the nut till there is enough for it to take it off. also there is a tool called a nut splitter that will work here too

70 Suburban · 03-20-2009, 10:05 PM

looking at it you may be able to use a flat head and a hammer to tap it around till its loose enough for vise grips

68C15 · 03-20-2009, 10:26 PM

I bought a kit for these a few years ago. it cost like $15 and has like 5 different sized and types of sockets including a tool for locking hub caps. Harbor freight IIRC.

03-19-2009, 06:16 PM	#1
Hoffman65burb Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 448	lost lock nut socket Hey, my sierra's front tire had a bolt in it, which was holding the air hahaha, till it worn down enough for it to start leaking. Well the tires flat and i cant find my lock nut socket. Anyway to break this off at home? with out torch's / welder? __________________ 1978 GMC Jimmy 454bbc Turbo400 NP205 3.73 gears 4inch lift 33's

03-19-2009, 07:00 PM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: lost lock nut socket get a 12 point socket that is just a tick too tight, and hammer it on, use a breaker bar to turn it.

03-19-2009, 07:00 PM	#3
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	Re: lost lock nut socket Two things that I have done is to borrow a wrench from my local yard and lacking the right wrench, I have welded a nut onto the special nut. Cutting the nut of with a torch is very iffy as it is easy to mesh up the stud, Jim __________________ 1971 Shortbox step side 4x4, 350 sbc, 3:07 rear end 1965 Impala SS 400 sbc, Muncie rock crusher 1966 Impala SS 396 bbc, TH 400 1969 El Camino, 350 sbc, TH 350 1971 Snowplow built on a Blazer frame 1972 GMC Short bed, stepside, TH 400, 427 BBC

03-19-2009, 07:15 PM	#6
Hoffman65burb Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 448	Re: lost lock nut socket Would it work for this kind of lock nut? __________________ 1978 GMC Jimmy 454bbc Turbo400 NP205 3.73 gears 4inch lift 33's

03-19-2009, 07:28 PM	#8
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: lost lock nut socket mine was like this; I had to do this on my old GMC, truck came with the locks, but no key/adaptor. It worked so good, I just installed them back on the truck. I would imagine it would work on yours. Don't use high dollar snap on sockets, but you don't want to use craptastic ones made in china either. I honestly found that the craftsman ones seemed to be good at this task.

03-19-2009, 07:33 PM	#9
bigsnookmaster Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: St.Petersburg,Fl Posts: 1,267	Re: lost lock nut socket I've smacked them on the end with a hammer,then put a nice pair of vice grips on them and twisted them off!If you smack it good it will usually loosen them. My .02 __________________ greg http://community.webshots.com/user/68406Stepside

03-19-2009, 08:01 PM	#10
68 Stepside huh? Join Date: May 2000 Location: Washington, Illinois Posts: 5,692	Re: lost lock nut socket you can also take a junk socket about the right size, tack it on with a welder and take it off, done that before in a pinch. __________________ Someday when I'm lonely, Wishing you weren't so far away, Then I will remember Things we said today. RIP El Jay

03-19-2009, 08:08 PM	#11
stockish shawn Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: paso robles ca. Posts: 20	Re: lost lock nut socket did you try a hammer and chissel.

03-19-2009, 08:13 PM	#12
truckdude239 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lewisville, Nc Posts: 10,233	Re: lost lock nut socket i just hammer on of my impact sockets on it and zip it off with the air gun __________________ David fuller Ase Certified Mechanic Click here to help support our board!! 1971 Chevy c-10 under going a 4.8l LSx swap Build Thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=421305 2007 Honda Accord my daily 145kmiles 2002 Honda Accord 4 door With 330k(sisters car) 2005 toyota Avalon 228k( brothers car) 2002 Sububran 5.3 245k 2000 Tahoe 5.3l 378 General manager for Marco's Carwash & lube

03-20-2009, 09:18 PM	#14
BADSAM J'ville Junkman Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pomeroy, Ohio Posts: 572	Re: lost lock nut socket I would never try this, but I heard an urban legend that back in the day, you could take a can of freon and freeze the nut with it and it would become brittle, then you just hit it with a big hammer and it would break off. Look what happened to the Titanic! Once again, I would never try this. Just something I heard. I'm not even sure why I volunteered this info. Must be bored. (Beating a socket on almost always works for me.) __________________ 72 3/4t Suburban 402BB (Daily driver for 8 years) 68 GTO (never ending proj) 91 Kawasaki ZX-7R 57 Chevy 210 Wagon - 9 Passenger (Wife's project-working on floorpans) 73 Corvette (17 yr old daughter's: Another project - what's wrong with me?) 53 Willys M38 Last edited by BADSAM; 03-20-2009 at 09:19 PM.

03-20-2009, 10:04 PM	#15
70 Suburban Rods Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bryan, TX Posts: 1,398	Re: lost lock nut socket lol well they make a socket for this. its taperd on the inside. they sell them at northern tool and harbor fraight. u just put it on and it will bite down and cut into the nut till there is enough for it to take it off. also there is a tool called a nut splitter that will work here too

03-20-2009, 10:05 PM	#16
70 Suburban Rods Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bryan, TX Posts: 1,398	Re: lost lock nut socket looking at it you may be able to use a flat head and a hammer to tap it around till its loose enough for vise grips

03-20-2009, 10:26 PM	#17
68C15 blood type; Retumbo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: next to my reloading bench Posts: 10,269	Re: lost lock nut socket I bought a kit for these a few years ago. it cost like $15 and has like 5 different sized and types of sockets including a tool for locking hub caps. Harbor freight IIRC.



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