I went to get the wheels on my x350 balanced today, however, two of the lug nuts on the drivers side front were frozen solid. I told them to put the wheels back on and I drove it home, hoping to loosen them myself without the studs breaking.


Anyhow, I used a breaking bar and both snapped the top 1/2 inch off the nuts but luckily not breaking the studs. I then used a 19mm hole drill to get as much of the nut material off as I could and then used a chisel and screwdriver to get most of the nut off. I just had a small bit left when it got too dark to do any more. However, the threads are a little messed up on the studs.


I contacted Jaguar to try and get more studs, but they said that they don't sell them separately but you have to buy a whole hub assembly for over $400. I am therefore going to try to dress up the studs with a die rather than replace them.


Does anyone know the correct size of the lug nut threads on a 2004 XJ8 so I can go and buy a die? Or a cheap place to buy a new hub assembly?


Thanks

 

Careful what you ask from jaguar. Even the lug nuts are stupid $$$.
I don't know the dimensions for you but it is fairly common. I would bet you can get them off eBay or some other online source for pennies on the Jaguar dollar.

 

Next time get 19mm or 18mm hole saw - with no drill in the middle. Remove the pesky nut cover with a chisel and drill the nut body until it comes off like a ring, then what remains comes off very easy. There is a washer around 3-3.5mm thick between the nut and the wheel, which helps you not to nick the wheel with the saw. You would need a new lug not obviously.

Jag does not sell the bolts separately - long time ago they were $1.50 each, but they canceled my order and offered a complete hub instead for $$$. That's how they roll now days.

You can try eBay or a local junk yard for a replacement hub.

 

Been there. I've took a stud from an old hub assy.
The thread size iz M12x1.5.
Get Toyota lug nuts and replace all of Jaguar lug nuts with these.

 

Moscow Leaper is correct on lug nut size. Most auto supply stores will have them in stock. I purchase a set of locking Gorilla brand, lug nuts on ebay, so now I have spare lug nuts.
RyeJag

 

Every few months I like to pull my wheels off and wash the inside of the rim, so I probably have mine off more than most people. I always spread a little grease on the mating surface of the wheel and hub, and spray lube on the studs before torquing them to 90lbs. I've never had a problem with a nut sticking. On the other hand, my brother had a flat on his '06 VDP and the nuts hadn't been off since the tire was put on the wheel 35,000 miles before, and he stripped one. I managed to get it off for him, but all his wheels were frozen to the hubs and all the lugs took around 120-140lbs to break loose. Since then I've told him to bring the car by once a year and I'd remove, relube, and retorque the nuts. Couldn't hurt.

 

all's well that ends well.


I finally got around to finishing the wheel today. I think my problem before was that I was trying to do one stud at a time so that if something went wrong I could still drive the car. This meant that I couldn't take the wheel off on the first stud.


Anyhow the last of the two frozen studs was very easy. I just drilled around it with a 19mm hole saw until I hit the washers and I was then able to pull the wheel off over the remaining part of the 2 lug nuts. once the wheel was off the rest was easy. I mangled one stud a little bit, but I bought an M12x1.5 die and dressed it up as good as new.


Anyhow, thanks for all your help on this. I even went around the whole car and put anti seize on all the lug nuts and tightened them all to 90 ft Lbs.

 

Best and stronger replacements are Mitsubishi Outlander's lugs. I replaced my car's lugs with these and I've never had a problem since. You would also need a new spanner as Mitsubishi's use 18 inch spanner and not the 19' that our cars use.

 

These look like good replacements for under $1 per nut:

 

Ji Anticitizen

I would caution you against using those Robot Check lugs because they don't have a washer to prevent the lug from "eating into" the mag wheel lug hole.

Reconsider my brother and rather use Mitsubishi Outlander's lugs. Same as jags except they are hard steel and have washers. The only issue is that you'd need a new wheel spanner as they use size 18 inch spanner.

 

I had the same problem. I just bought some used studs at ebay. So now I have a couple of spare studs for next time it happens.

 

Just wanted to add my bit...the chrome caps on my lug nuts were loose and rattling. There was an annoying jingling sound were I went. Finally, I was trying to loosen the nuts and the caps just completely came off. So I found an aftermarket set on ebay, one piece polished chrome with washers. They look beautiful and no more jingling. Definitely recommend getting rid of those awful stock ones.

 

It took about 30 minutes but it worked.
9/16" hole saw (carbide tipped), low speed, lots of oil.
Once I got going I removed the drill bit so I still have the stud.
I'll take the wheel off later & take another picture.

I replaced all the other lug nuts with solid ones.
It took a 4' pipe to get them off. Damn air guns!
All the threads were rusty too. I'm using a thread lube this time around.

(originally posted in S forum)