Dang those lugnuts

[Superduper]

So I need to prep my cars for moving. One of them has been sitting here for years. Car has been lowered and all the tires are flat now and don't hold air anymore. Found a set of used replacements so the chrome ones are gonna be removed and maybe rechromed for future reinstall (anyone know of a good reasonable rechrome shop?).

It's this guy:

That was my daughter back when she was maybe 10? She's 20 now and bossier than I. :grim:

Anyhow, with the tires being flat and the lowered suspension, the car is sitting on the mufllers. Too low to easily get a floor jack under... what a pain. But the worse part of the day had to do with those dang lug nuts. Find out they had locks on 'em. Well, of course there is no key so I check all the auto shops and they said they got nothing. Buy a universal socket from Harbor Freight thinking it might work and it would except it needed around 1" clearance all around the lugnut. Then bought a set of extractors from Sears but they were too small. Then finally found a proper lug nut extractor. A set of 2 sizes for $25. Only 1 size works -- the other too big. Well it worked all right. But once it extracts the nut, you can't ever get it off the extractor. Ever. I finally installed a hardned bolt (same as stud) and using my superduper ultra long snapon breaker bar, finally thought I got it to budge but it was all for naught since the only thing budging was the bolt snapping in 1/2. Not I'm really up the creek since I got 3 more wheels left to go and the extractor is all filled up and nothing short of a melting pot was gonna separate them.

In the end, I ended up sacrificing some sockets which I am loathe to do since I hate losing tools, and definitely hate breaking up sets of them. Rather than sacrifice my snapon and Mac sockets, I ended up finding all my craftsman sockets that would fit and hammered the crap out of them to the lock. Each lock required 2 sockets -- the first cuts/grinds the splines down a bit and the second zips them off. The sockets are no good anymore but compared to the cost of the extractor (and gas it would've cost to get more), I guess it was a wash.

What a day. And still not over since the last tire I still can't get changed due to I can't fit a jack under anyplace. When I'm done moving, I'm putting stock springs back. I bought the car lowered and it looks really cool but I'm too old for this ****. It shouldn't be heart surgery to replace a tire.

 

[baddboybill]

Yeah Norm the Iroc is a sweet car for sure. The old socket trick is what I would have suggested too. As for rims you can probably get a nice set of originals on eBay cheaper than getting those rechromed plus with being aluminum I'm not sure they can. How close you moving to Illinois again? I know there are some rechroming shops around. Good luck

 

[Superduper]

You in Illinios Bill? Cuz I ain't moving there.

And the wheels that were on there look like originals that were polished and chromed so apparently, it CAN be done but the chrome is sorta peeling so it wasn't a great job. Anyhow, I already did buy originals to replace them and they look all right but the ones I took off (in the photo) look better to me. So I'd prefer to redo them. Sometimes, when you are restoring a car you love, it's not about the money because truth be told, there's nothing you can do to them that is smart, money wise. It's all money down the drain no matter what. The only question is whether you will be smiling or not when the money slinks away.

 

[redbenjoe]

been there almost -- done that somewhat --but never with all that difficulty -

:'-( :'-( :superduper: :super:
norm -- i actually got exhausted just reading your story

 

[baddboybill]

You in Illinios Bill? Cuz I ain't moving there.

And the wheels that were on there look like originals that were polished and chromed so apparently, it CAN be done but the chrome is sorta peeling so it wasn't a great job. Anyhow, I already did buy originals to replace them and they look all right but the ones I took off (in the photo) look better to me. So I'd prefer to redo them. Sometimes, when you are restoring a car you love, it's not about the money because truth be told, there's nothing you can do to them that is smart, money wise. It's all money down the drain no matter what. The only question is whether you will be smiling or not when the money slinks away.

Hey I understand that But the wheels only have chrome trim though and not fully chromed, at least that what it looks like. Although I could be mistaken thats where it may not be able to be redone exactly same

 

[Superduper]

You in Illinios Bill? Cuz I ain't moving there.

Hey I understand that But the wheels only have chrome trim though and not fully chromed, at least that what it looks like. Although I could be mistaken thats where it may not be able to be redone exactly same

No, it was fully chromed. Just the contrast in the images doesn't show like in real life. The ones on the car are chromed originals with the factory backspacing. New reproductions only have the front wheel backspacing. I find that ironic since they are reproducing the Iroc Z style but they only reproduced the front wheels. The rears will stick out farther if 4 of those are installed and I don't like that crabby look. I guess I understand since the rear wheel backspacing only fits the Iroc Z and won't fit other chevy's. They won't even fit the Iroc Z if installed on the front. But the fronts will fit not only the Iroc but almost every other older Chevy too. Unfortunately, like I said, on the Irocs with the rear wheel discs, they will stick out a little farther.

 

[blu_fuz]

What a headache man .


I have hammered sockets onto locking lug nuts but it is such a pain in the ass.

Works 98% of the time, every time

 

[baddboybill]

So Norm is the motor a 305 or 350?

 

[Superduper]

Factory 5.7 with edelbrock runners. Cold air intake. SLP headers, full subframe connectors, engine compartment crossbraces, B&M shifter.... And lowered. Really cool but now, I just wish it wasn't lowered, battery not relocated to rear, factory T-tips instead of the current aftermarket (hurst?) t-tops, etc. Also need to change the starter which I'm loathe to do.... too old for that now.

 

[redbenjoe]

starters are usually too low anyway :'-(

and often difficult for human persons to remove -

except for :superduper: :superduper: :superduper:

 

[Superduper]

I've replaced dozens of starters in my life Ira. But handling those 30lb. motors with arms overhead and dirt dropping into the eyes was never fun. Today, that 30lbs is just too heavy for me. Arms no longer have the strength. Except maybe I'll pickup one of those new gear reduction units with the small japanese motors. Those are much smaller/lighter and maybe installs easier. The only negative is the very high price.

 

[oldskool69]

Sounds like you have some serious challenges ahead of you my friend...or some serious expense for labor.

 

[Superduper]

Sounds like you have some serious challenges ahead of you my friend...or some serious expense for labor.

The headers might pose some challenges manuevering that starter outta there. Old headers are a bitch to get out since the hardware gets rusty and then the gaskets will crumble and leak and the resulting annoying tapping noise from the exhaust leak will drive you crazy. Anyhow, it's not all that difficult a job for strong young bucks since it's really just 2 bolts securing the starter and several wires to connect. Pinching and shorting out the wires is common though since they aren't really visible underneath and you really need to work by "feel."

 

[floyd]

damn i had the exact same car only the wheels were gold in the middle but the same color and engine , i also had a flowmaster exhaust on it , she was sweet , i sold it because i could not afford that and the 2 monte carlo's i had


have you seen these ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lug-Nut-Remover ... b2&vxp=mtr

 

[Superduper]

Yep those look like what I used. And they work too but I wanted it done right away and didn't wanna wait for shipping to save a few bucks. Still, since the thing can't be separated from the nut after removal, I would need like 4 sets. One for each wheel.

@Joe: this is one time I wish I had cheapie Taiwan/china sockets to sacrifice. I realize I only messed up Craftsman sockets but now the set is incomplete.

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Hey Norm, Well, you did everything I would have done, in the exact same order....What a pain!

The sad part is, if you simply would have had a tow service pick up the car and take it to a tire shop, they would have dragged the car on the frame and mufflers with out giving a F%&K and the tire shop would have trashed the rims taking the lugs off....

As much as it sucks....doing it yourself IS the only option!

SWEET RIDE BTW! 83? 84? 85?

Is that little girl one of the daughters I met? They grow up too damn fast

 

[Superduper]

Chris, That's an 88. Back when I bought it, I searched long and hard for it. Most were 5.0 liter versions. In fact, I have another 5.0 '88 Iroc sitting here but the red one is my baby. I knew I wanted the 5.7. It was a dream find. Then other priorities got in the way and the car sat. I thought 10 years but now looking at my daughter in the picture, I pretty sure it was well over 10 years ago and yes that is my older daughter in the pic. Of course all these years, the car has sat resulted in all the tires going flat and no longer holding air. The idiots at ORielly's said we can't sell you lug nut lock removers since you could use that to steal cars. What a stupid claim by a know-nothing kid.

Anyhow, jacked up the rear and stuffed wood under to make it sit higher. That allowed car to sit high enough for me to get jack under and replace the last rim.

Found some gear reduction starters on eBay for about $80 shipped. That's lower than I thought since similar looking ones sold for $200-$300 back when that style first came out. In fact, Summit Racing and Jegs still advertises the Tilton starter for around $380!!!!

It's cheap enough to try and 1/2 the weight and 2/3 the size of the Delco one so I'm gonna order one. Hope the headers don't create too much clearance issues to remove the old starter. I really really don't want to undo them.

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Are you driving this car to your new house?

If so AWESOME!

Short story long....

My High School, (Birmingham High) was near the Van Nuys, Ca factory that built all the Camaro's. In 1983 our Auto Shop was given a brand new 1984 that was used by the factory as a teaching tool. It had been built and taken apart numerous times. Needless to say, you can't sell that. So they gave it to the school and to MY Auto Shop. I did double period A.S. through out high school. When the car was delivered my teacher wouldn't let us near it. He never did. He always joked he would take it when he left and I think he did The car we got was blue with white strips. Iroq...Stick shift. Sick Car. Power everything....T-Tops....just sweet....I've always had a connection to that body style.

 

[baddboybill]

Oh man I had a bad memory in my teens while changing out starter. The FN bolt fell straight into my eye. Couldn't see for hours and bolt put a dent in my eye. It was red for over a week. Sadly to say I learned my lesson by not putting my face under bolt I was screwing or unscrewing anymore

 

[Superduper]

Oh man I had a bad memory in my teens while changing out starter. The FN bolt fell straight into my eye. Couldn't see for hours and bolt put a dent in my eye. It was red for over a week. Sadly to say I learned my lesson by not putting my face under bolt I was screwing or unscrewing anymore

For you guys without glasses, it's so easy to wear safety glasses that you sorta can only blame yourself if you don't.

But us guys that wear glasses are a bit harder. While it does afford some protection, it's very easy to scratche the lens when dirt gets on it, or you you should bump the glasses on anything. Then the antiglare coating starts to peel and the glasses look stupid with an ugly azz blemish right in the middle. Stacking safety glasses on top of regular glasses doesn't really work.