How Do You Loosen Lug Nuts & Take Off a Tire?

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Tackle stubborn lug nuts like a pro with these hacks
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Whether you need to take off your car tire to change a flat, rotate it, or do some repairs, you'll need to remove the lug nuts first. It's important that you remove the lug nuts and your tire safely so you don't get hurt. By taking a few precautions and working slowly, you can safely and successfully get your tire off your vehicle. In this article, we explain how to remove those lug nuts safely , remove stuck lug nuts , and more!

Loosening & Removing Lug Nuts

Put a wrench or tire iron over the lug nut you wish to remove and turn it a quarter counterclockwise. Avoid removing the lug nuts completely. Once you jack up your car, turn the lug nuts counterclockwise using your hands until they come off the lug studs. Use a wrench for tougher lug nuts.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Remove Lug Nuts

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  1. An impact wrench is a motor-powered wrench that is designed to tighten and remove lug nuts, bolts, and other bits and pieces. They’re more powerful than standard drills, as they provide far more torque. [1] A tire iron is a crossbar tool that is used to remove lug nuts. Each end has an opening that fits onto different-sized lug nuts. [2]
    • If you’re using an impact wrench, place an impact socket that fits your lug nuts onto the end of your wrench. If you’re using a tire iron, locate the end that fits your lug nut. In both cases, consult your vehicle’s manual to determine the correct size. [3]
  2. Flip your impact wrench into the reverse position. The switch is typically located near the trigger. Once you’ve flipped it, press the trigger to make sure your impact wrench is turning counterclockwise. Once you’ve determined that your impact wrench is in the correct direction, firmly place the end with the socket onto the lug nut and press the trigger to remove it. [4]
    • The lug nuts are typically located on your wheel. They may be underneath your hub caps, depending on your vehicle.
    • It’s easy to put your impact wrench into the wrong position, so check the double switch on the side of the wrench to make sure it’s in the right position before removing the lug nuts.
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  3. Place a tire iron onto the lug nut you wish to remove. Once the tire iron is secure, turn it a quarter counterclockwise to loosen it. Don’t remove the lug nuts completely. Once they’re loosened, jack your car up until the wheels are a couple of inches off of the ground. Then, turn the lug nuts counterclockwise using your hands to remove them. [5]
    • For tougher lug nuts, use a wrench to remove them after loosening.
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Remove Stuck Lug Nuts

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  1. If a lug nut is stuck, automotive tire and repair specialist Howard Fleischmann says to stand on the tire iron to help loosen it. [6] If the lug nut doesn’t come off with your body weight, slightly bounce. Make sure your tire iron is secured onto the stuck lug nut before standing on it so you don’t fall and get hurt.
  2. After you apply the rust penetrant, let it sit for five minutes so it can soak into the rust. After five minutes, loosen the lug nut using an impact wrench or tire iron. [8]
  3. If you’ve done all of that and the lug nut is still stuck, repeat the process until it comes off. You may want to apply a stronger type of rust penetrant like Kroil if you aren’t able to make any progress on the lug nut.
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Remove a Jacked Up Wheel

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  1. Before jacking the car up, use your wrench or tire iron to break the lug nuts loose . Do not remove them completely, but turn them a quarter turn or so in the counterclockwise direction each to make them loose enough to unscrew while the vehicle is in the air. [9]
    • You can purchase tire irons from your local auto parts stores that usually have an end that fits all vehicles.
    • You may also choose to simply use a deep socket of the appropriate size with a ratchet or breaker bar.
  2. Because the lug nuts are already loose from before you lifted the car, they should be fairly easy to unscrew the rest of the way. Use a wrench if need be to turn the lug nuts counterclockwise until they come off of the lug studs. [10]
    • The wheel may shift as you remove the lug nuts, so watch your fingers for pinches.
    • Remove the lug nuts across from one another in a star pattern, rather than each one in a row.
  3. If the lug nuts have rusted over, apply a generous amount of liquid thread loosener or rust remover to the nuts. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then attempt to loosen the lug nut again. [11]
    • If the lug nut and stud break, you will need to have a new lug stud installed in order to repair the vehicle.
    • Be sure to use the socket of the correct size. A socket that is slightly too large could round off the lug nut.
    • A stripped or rounded lug nut will have to be cut off by a professional.
  4. Place the lug nuts in a safe place to be sure you don’t lose them. If you lose a lug nut, you may be able to secure the wheel temporarily with the remaining nuts, but if you lose more than one, it will not be safe to drive the vehicle until they have been replaced. [12]
    • You can purchase replacement lug nuts at your local auto parts store.
    • Store the lug nuts in a small bowl or container so they can’t roll away as you work.
  5. Once the lug nuts have been removed, place your hands on either side of the tire. Grip the back of the tire and pull it toward you to remove the wheel from the lug studs. If the wheel has not been removed in a long time, it may require quite a bit of force to pull the wheel off. [13]
    • Be careful, if the tire is damaged there may be metal wire sticking out of it that can cut you.
    • Wear gloves to pull on a damaged tire.
  6. If the wheel is seized in place and won’t come off from you pulling on it, use a rubber mallet to bang it loose. Strike the tire where the rim and tire meet all along the circumference of the wheel until it breaks loose. [14]
    • Do not use a metal hammer to hit the rims or you may damage them.
    • It may take a good deal of force to remove the stuck wheel if it is rusted in place.
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Section 4 of 5:

How to Jack Up a Wheel

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  1. Each vehicle has specific points on the frame that are designed to withstand the weight of jacking up the vehicle. These jack points are not always easily identified, so refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual to help you find them if you are having difficulty. [15]
    • There are usually jack points on the frame of your car to the inside of each wheel, and at a center point on the front and back of the car.
    • Jacking the car up at a point that is not designed for it can cause damage to the frame of the vehicle.
  2. Trolley jacks utilize hydraulics to lift your vehicle off of the ground. When the hydraulic valve is open, the jack can’t create pressure on the piston to lift the car. Use the handle of the jack to turn the valve clockwise until it is completely closed. Once you're finished, re-insert the handle into the jack (if you used the handle to close the valve).
    • Different jacks may place the valve in different places, but it is often a different color than the rest of the jack or is left unpainted completely.
    • If you are using a scissor jack, there is no valve you need to close.
  3. Slide your jack beneath the jack point closest to the wheel you intend to remove so the cup of the jack is sitting just beneath the frame. You may need to raise the cup of the jack slightly by lifting the jack handle and pressing it back down or spinning it once to make sure the jack is positioned properly. [16]
    • The cup on the jack should be centered on the designated jack point for the vehicle.
    • There are teeth or ridges on the cup of the jack to help prevent the car’s frame from sliding as it’s jacked up.
  4. If you’re using a trolley jack, raise or lower the handle to lift the vehicle. Start slow and pay close attention to the frame around the jack point to look for signs of bending or crimping of the metal. Jack the car up until the wheels are a couple of inches off the ground. [17]
    • If you see signs that the metal is bending, lower the car and reposition the jack unto the jack point properly.
  5. If you’re using a scissor jack to lift your vehicle, insert the handle into the jack and rotate it to raise the vehicle. Raise the vehicle high enough so you’re able to remove the wheel and place jack stands without difficulty. [18]
  6. Raising a vehicle too high can increase the danger of it falling off of the jack or jack stands. Once it is high enough to change the tire, place jack stands beneath it for safety. [19]
    • Do not place any part of your body under the vehicle unless you have jack stands in place to support it.
    • You only need to lift the vehicle up until the tire is no longer touching the ground.
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Section 5 of 5:

Preparing to Use a Jack

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  1. As you jack up a portion of the car to remove the wheel, the weight of that portion will be centered on the relatively small space beneath the jack. So, it is essential that you jack your car up in an area that can support the pressure. Concrete and blacktop are the best options for jacking up the car. It is extremely unsafe to jack a vehicle up on an angle, make sure you choose a level surface. [20]
    • Never jack up a vehicle on slanted or uneven surfaces.
    • Jacking a car up on a surface that isn’t strong enough can cause the jack to topple over or sink.
  2. Whether you’re using an emergency jack or a trolley jack, it’s important to ensure you have enough room to work without putting yourself or others at risk. Make sure you have at least enough room to stand with an outstretched arm toward the jack without coming into contact with a wall or being in the street if you are replacing a flat tire. [21]
    • Make sure there’s enough room to sit behind your jack without being in the lane of the road.
  3. If your car is equipped with an automatic transmission, it should be in park before you jack it up. Putting your car in park prevents the wheels from turning and will keep the vehicle from rolling off of the jack. Remember, however, your car may still shift when in park, so it’s important to utilize wheel chocks in conjunction with placing the vehicle in park. [22]
    • Remember that putting the car in park will lock its drive wheels in place, so a front wheel drive car’s front wheels won’t turn in park, and vice versa for a rear wheel drive vehicle.
    • If your car is equipped with a manual transmission, try putting the car in first gear to prevent it from rolling.
    • You can place rocks or plastic wheel chocks purchased from an auto parts store behind the wheels to ensure they can’t turn while you lift the vehicle.
  4. Depending on the make and model of the vehicle, the parking brake may be a handle in the center console or a pedal on your left side when sitting in the driver’s seat. Pull up on the handle or press down on the pedal to engage the parking brake and prevent your vehicle from rolling while it’s being jacked up. [23]
    • Your owner’s manual can help you locate your parking brake if you are unsure.
    • The parking brake locks the rear wheels in place, so it will not help if the entire back end of the car is in the air.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Which way is counterclockwise?
    Community Answer
    Counterclockwise is the opposite to the way hands on a clock turn. Think of a clock face, and count down through the numbers. (12-11-10-9...) At the top, you're going from right to left. At the bottom, you're going from left to right.
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  • Question
    How many lugs are in a car/truck/suv?
    Community Answer
    Many vehicles have a different number of lug nuts. They can range from four in small cars to twelve or more in large trucks.
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  • Question
    How to get tire off when the studs spin when you turn the lug nuts?
    Community Answer
    If the lug studs are spinning freely, you may be able to seat them again by tightening the lug nuts as tight as you can, then attempted to unscrew them once more. If that doesn't work, the lug nuts will have to be cut off by a mechanic.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/reviews/g2028/the-best-impact-wrenches/
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/314HE4aMG-g?si=p2rQB9qWcFHT5jdc&t=98
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/GtuRJLCLJKw?si=PQp26J5kDUzW_2r2&t=42
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/GtuRJLCLJKw?si=PQp26J5kDUzW_2r2&t=42
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/314HE4aMG-g?si=sK8zoWUkbTHksibk&t=110
      6. ↑ Howard Fleischmann. Automotive Tire & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 June 2021.
      7. ↑ Howard Fleischmann. Automotive Tire & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 June 2021.
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/xKaOBP6zI-E?si=3kYdh7FDw0etbsvk&t=4
      9. ↑ http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/changing-tire.php
      1. ↑ http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/how-to-change-a-flat-tire
      2. ↑ http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a5754/how-to-free-a-rusted-bolt/
      3. ↑ http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/how-to-change-a-flat-tire
      4. ↑ http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/how-to-change-a-flat-tire
      5. ↑ http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/how-to-change-a-flat-tire
      6. ↑ http://www.familyhandyman.com/automotive/tires/car-repair-car-jack-safety/view-all#step1
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/fLMSeSBiTNg?si=LMVzI-gdPsJvxyQA&t=109
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/fLMSeSBiTNg?si=ItALM48-ce3hCItb&t=153
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/kfK5lix-5DI?si=604qSwJeY7ApW6bq&t=74
      10. ↑ https://youtu.be/3UpyixFMaH4?si=dLBR4VFK7cTvEyA6&t=136
      11. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/how-to-safely-jack-up-your-vehicle/
      12. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/how-to-safely-jack-up-your-vehicle/
      13. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/how-to-safely-jack-up-your-vehicle/
      14. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/how-to-safely-jack-up-your-vehicle/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To remove lug nuts and tires, start by using a tire iron or wrench to turn each lug nut a quarter turn counterclockwise to loosen them. Then, jack up the car so the tire you're removing is no longer touching the ground. Next, use the tire iron or wrench to unscrew the lug nuts the rest of the way so you can remove them. Once the lug nuts are off, grab each side of the tire with your hands and pull it toward you until it comes off. To learn how to jack up a wheel, scroll down!

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      • Yuvraj

        Feb 7, 2019

        "Removing the lug nuts to remove my tire was very difficult and confusing. This article helped me a lot."
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