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Spinning Lug Nut


Krcatl1991

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So I was trying to replace brake pads on my 2013 Lincoln MKZ 3.7L awd. Went to go remove the L front wheel and one of the lug nuts just spins. So I'm guessing the stud is broken. Any ideas on how to remove the lug and replace the stud?

Are you handy?   Broken lug nut video's offered on UTube, or Google on How to remove. Once the the other lugs and wheel are removed, you may then need to use a hammer and punch to drive out the remaining stud portion. You can usually obtain replacements from your local Auto Parts Store, unless you prefer a Lincoln Dealer.

Edited by easyrider
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If the stud was broken, a piece with the lug nut would separate entirely.  If the nut is just spinning, you have determine what is causing that, i.e., is the decorative cover spinning while the nut stays in place or is the whole stud spinning in the hub because it's stripped?  If it's the former, the cover can be chiseled off with a small chisel.  If it's the latter, there are specialized tools for removing the stud from the hub. You might be able to drill through the center of the nut and the stud yourself with quality drill bits.  If you don't want to tackle this yourself,  you'd probably be best off going to an auto repair or tire shop.

 

Be aware that that if the stud is spinning in the hub, you might need to replace the hub. 

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  • 5 months later...

I was told at the dealer that my MKZ has swollen lug nuts and the cost to replace them would be 200.00.

Would it be better to get aftermarket lugs and if so what would be the size of the lugs.

 

yes don't buy from dealer, I got a set of 20 (minus the lockers) for like $30...  M12 x 1.5MM is the size you want.  Mine was for a 2013 just last year...  they really don't make them very well any longer.

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yes don't buy from dealer, I got a set of 20 (minus the lockers) for like $30...  M12 x 1.5MM is the size you want.  Mine was for a 2013 just last year...  they really don't make them very well any longer.

Thank you very much jrross

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It's amazing to me that this kind of thing is going on with Ford for years.  Early Lincoln LSes (MY2000+)  had the same issue but at least then, Ford was replacing the lug nuts for free for a while.  Someone discovered that Chrysler Sebring lug nuts were a worthy substitute and were relatively inexpensive. 

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Ok. I get that. The cover is hollow and deforms over time so the lug wrench doesn't fit anymore. Seen that hundreds of times. Ford has been using the same lug nuts since I was a tire jocky in the nineties. Ha! I thought that was the dealer's explaination of the spinning lug nut. My bad, different people...

 

The stud is probably spinning. It's rare, but over-tightening or cross-threading can possibly spin the stud in it's hub seat stripping the splines. This would probably manifest itself the next time you remove your wheels after the offending service. This can be tough to fix in your driveway. I've extracted the nut from the stud in this situation by applying pressure to the back of the stud with a large prybar. Sometimes a little more hold is all you need. If that doesn't work, I've used an angle grinder to lop off the head of the stud from the back and it should pop out, maybe with a little coercion from a hammer and punch.

 

Once again gentlemen, drilling out a lug nut and stud from the front is a painful way to approach this type of problem. And certainly damaging to your rims.

 

BTW, I use aftermarket lug nuts myself. Currently sporting a nice quality set of Rays.

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