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There are two ways to tell if your lug nuts are swollen. But first, you need to assess whether your car has two-piece lug nuts. You can do this by inspecting all the lug nuts on your car, or by inquiring the vehicle manufacturer whether they’ve used this type of component on your vehicle according to the VIN number. You can also ask the manufacturer whether there were any recalls regarding swollen lug nuts.

Moisture by itself won’t cause lug nuts swelling, but it can lead to corrosion, which is the main reason for this phenomenon. Modern vehicle manufacturers use two-piece lug nuts, which are made from a durable steel nut, and a decorative chrome cap.
The problem arises when moisture infiltrates between the lug nut and the decorative cap. This is especially noticeable in places with cold weather where salt is used on the road.

What to do?

Heat

How To Remove Swollen Lug Nuts?

A swollen lug nut won’t cause issues with driving, but it’s highly recommended that you replace them as soon as possible.

To remove swollen lug nuts by yourself, you’ll need to either use a hammer to seat the socket over the lug nut. This works only when the swelling isn’t too bad. If it is, use a slightly larger socket.

A word of warning. Expect to have the lug nut stuck in the socket after removal. You’ll need a way to get it out of there that often requires a bit of force. Also, understand that your socket might get damaged in the process.

There are a couple of things that cause lug nuts to swell. Some of them are pretty obvious, while others are not so much.

Low-Quality Materials

Moisture

What Causes Lug Nuts to Swell?

Replacing two-piece lug nuts with corrosion-resistant ones is the only proven way to fully prevent this issue from happening. If OEM lug nuts are known to swell, you should pick an aftermarket alternative with corrosion-resistant features. This might change the aesthetics of the wheels, but it will prevent lug nuts from swelling, which is what matters the most in the end.

Lastly, when the two-piece lug nuts are made from a lower-quality material, it’s a matter of time before a problem such as swelling will occur. Cars from several US and Asian manufacturers are among the most affected by this issue, but swelling also happens on cheap aftermarket lug nuts with decorative metal caps. This is why it’s important to invest in high-quality lug nuts, not just because of swelling, but because they’re holding your wheels attached to the car.

How to Tell Your Lug Nuts are Swollen?

It’s known that metal reacts to heat, and there is plenty of heat in and around the wheels. Brakes generate high temperatures that often affect other nearby components. This includes your lug nuts.

Lug nuts can swell due to excess heat and sudden temperature changes only if they’re already damaged, or the lug nut caps are made from a low quality metal. By expanding and reducing its size frequently, the decorative cap can become deformed, which directly leads to lug nut swelling.

It’s Difficult or Impossible to Fit the Right Socket Wrench

Most cars manufactured from 2010 forward include two-piece lug nuts. Some car brands are more prone to the lug nuts swelling issue than others. While they rarely affect how a car performs on the road, they are an important safety feature as they are the only thing keeping the wheels attached to the car. Although they’re designed to last a lifetime, If they are swollen, it’s recommended to replace them as soon as possible to avoid situations where you’re stranded on the side of the road with a flat that just won’t come off your car..

In this article, we’ll talk about a phenomenon referred to as lug nuts swelling. We’ll talk about the causes, how to recognize lug nuts swelling, and the best thing you can do to prevent this from happening. If you suspect having this issue, here’s what you need to know!

The most obvious symptom is the fact that you can’t use an adequate socket wrench to remove the wheels. If it’s even difficult to fit the socket on the lugs, it’s a clear sign that they are swollen to some extent.

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