[airguitar]

A nut on the sparewheel of my Mahindra Thar was tightened by a local tireshop in the reverse ( my bad that I took it there for a tire puncture fix). Now it seems stuck and I cannot remove the nut to rotate tyres ( or worse if there is a puncture, I will be stuck ).

During a recent periodic service, the A.S.S said that they tried but couldn't remove it and asked me to get it removed at any local garage. After the A.S.S. gave up, I tried on my own remove the nut ( it's not grooved in tight, it rotates a little bit like 10% of a turn but that's it)

What are my options now to have it removed without any damage to the alloy or the mount? Any garage that can help out or is there anything DIY that I can try?

[SS-Traveller]

Go back to the same shop and ask them to remove it. They probably put it in with a pneumatic impact wrench, thy can take it out the same way.

Then refuse to pay them.

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by airguitar

What are my options now to have it removed

I could see the A.S.S tried with something like Chisel already and failed.
This is one option.

Originally Posted by airguitar

without any damage to the alloy

Already enough damage is made on the alloy wheel. Conical section will get deformed if the nut is reversed and torqued.

[kosjam]

Take it to a mechanic who has a welder. Ask him to weld a T rod onto the nut and then begins the painstaking task of slowly rotating it open and close and jiggling it, in an effort to break the remaining threads of the lug. With luck (and good welding skill) there will be minimal damage to the alloy, but be prepared for some discolouration at the very least. You will obviously have to renew the lug.

[PGA]

If the nut could be gripped A.S.S would have done the job. And since the nut is moving 10% its most likely cross threaded. You can go back to A.S.S and ask them to remove wheel with the hub, now try unscrewing the stud from the other side but this would necessitate good grip to the nut from the front side. Lastly if nothing works the stud will have to be drilled and taken out.

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by airguitar

What are my options now to have it removed without any damage to the alloy or the mount?

As this is on spare wheel, I would say sacrifice the mount. Both alloy and mount can't be saved in current situation. Use a mix of impact wrench, weld and lastly drilling the stud to get out of this situation. It's another task of installing new stud, involve Mahindra service center for it.
Keep filling air regularly in tyres to avoid getting a puncture in this situation.

[airguitar]

Thanks, all. Yes, after taking it to multiple places, the only option is to sacrifice the bolt on the mount. The welder-mechanic ( who is engaged by Mahindra ASS usually for such issues and also deals with similar issues on high end cars ) said that he will have to cut out the bolt via welding and remove and it then ASS will order a new bolt/nut. During the welding process there is a chance that the flames can burn a bit of the paint on the tailgate/mount etc. Need to see how it can be done with minimal impact.

A good example of how a simple thing carelessly done causes so much heartburn.

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

I could see the A.S.S tried with something like Chisel already and failed.
This is one option.
Attachment 2478400


Already enough damage is made on the alloy wheel. Conical section will get deformed if the nut is reversed and torqued.

Yes, they tried with a chisel and failed.

The nut was handscrewed, this much I'm sure (they don't have the werewithal to tighten it using pneumatic drivers etc), and it doesn't press against the conical section that much. So not sure if there is any damage at all.

[Indian2003]

I dont know the Thar but just seen a few pictures of the spare wheel mounted.
Can you remove the rear door?
If so you can take out the door and place it on a bench and drill out the bolt using a pillar drill. Start with a small drill bit gradually increasing the size until you can remove the nut. The final drill size will be the size of the bolt or slightly larger.
Your mechanic wont have one so you will need a workshop with some heavy gear.

[airguitar]

Current situation: Bolt will need to be weld/melted. Then I have two options

a) Change the whole mount ( Rs. 2500 ) - A.S.S suggests not to waste money on this. They suggest below

b) Get a spare bolt of similar spec and weld it - this is what A.S.S is recommending.


I'm due to take it to a workshop to remove the bolt tomorrow first. Then A.S.S will decide the next steps ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Frustrating.

Took it to a lathe and a 3-4 blows with the chisel brought the nut out undamaged. Bolt, nut, mount, alloy all safe. No damage to the bolt thread either as it was hand-tightened.

Thanks everyone.