Maybe you want to clean up that old trailer and sell it. Or maybe you feel like breaking out the tractor trailer as your backup trailer. In any case, you’ve found you need to loosen the lug nuts and replace them as they are too rusted.
Don’t frustrate yourself with inadequate tools and online tutorials. We’ve got a simple solution for you to use to take those rusty lug nuts off.
Dealing With Rusted Screw Threads
While we are positive our Cheater Wrench can make any lug nut removal a simple and painless process, things become a bit tricky with rusted lug nuts.
You see, we don’t want to literally break the lug nuts, just their hold on the wheel. But when lug nuts become very rusty, this can cause the metal to degrade to a dangerous point. So when you apply any force to the exposed lug nut head, you may end up breaking the head off from the rest of the screw. This would leave the threads of the lug nut still in the lug nut well.
To avoid this potential problem, be sure to soak the lug nuts in oil. WD-40 is a good choice for this work. Give the oil time to work on the rusty bolts before you move onto the next step. We recommend at least 30 minutes of soaking time.
Breaking Rusted Lug Nuts
Depending on how long the tractor trailer has sat in your back lot, it may not be all that stable. Be sure to check:
- If the trailer is balanced
- The condition of the tires
- What else might have rusted
If your tractor trailer is not stable, you can remedy this by:
- Blocking the wheels (if you are not removing the tires)
- Moving the trailer to flatter ground
- Using jacks to elevate and balance the tractor trailer
Once the tractor trailer is safe and secure, pull out your Cheater Wrench and use its torque multiplying ability to remove those lug nuts. Not need to push hard, let the Cheater Wrench do the work for you. Also, it will help keep you from accidentally snapping the rusted lug nuts.
Recycle Rusted Metal Parts
Don’t toss the removed, rusty lug nuts into the trash! Metal can always be recycled. While you may not make money off a handful of rusted lug nuts, there are several things you can do to recycle them.
- Find your local recycling center and bring in all your metals, such as empty food cans, rusted metal goods, sheet metal, etc.
- Add it to your current curbside recycling if your area is zoned for metal recycling.
- Drop off the rusted lug nuts at your local drop off recycling bins.
So once your tractor trailer has fresh bolts, you can feel good about how easy it was to do so and do your part to protect the planet!