I have a slow leak in one of my Explorer’s tires. I decided to just remove the tire and take over for checking. I could not loosen all of the lug nuts so I needed to drive the Explorer over. The attendant said they are required under federal law to tighten the lug nuts to 100 psi. I told him I could not loosen them. He shrugged. Anybody experience this?
It’s certainly not federal law, but common sense to tighten lug nuts to the manufacture spec. Most are a minimum of 100 to about 150 on some trucks. It is likely either they over tightened them or they do tend to like any nut with the salt we throw down it can seize up a bit and take a little more effort to get off I.E. a breaker bar and a pipe.
Similar to you the only time my lugs are overtight is when someone else does it.
I rotate my own so it only happens when I get tires changed. Im not happy when I encounter it.
Its actually Foot Pounds, not PSI. That Explorer should be around 90-100 Ft/Lbs with steel nuts.
i had that issue with my wheeler. to get the lug nutz off i sprayed the heck out of it with buster loose and some other stuff.
to this day i wont thread a nut or bolt back on without using anti seize on the threads.
100ft/lbs sounds about right for that vehicle. I’m thinking it is stuck due to last person putting on wheel cross threading the stud.
I am not sure what the question is, But on most Ford vehicles the torque spec for lug nuts is 100 ft lbs. 2020 model year they went up to 150. You should have no problem getting them off with just a standard breaker bar or tire iron. If it is that tight that you cannot remove it, I would guess that it was either put on too tight (possible causing damage to the wheel by warping) or too loose (possibly causing damage to threads).
The only other thing I can think of is if you have a lund explorer and are referring to the trailer tire, then rust may have been the issue if the wheel had not been off in a while. I had a lug nut start to rust to the steel wheel on a duck boat trailer that sees lots of salt on the roads.
Its not that they won’t loosen, its that they haven’t loosened. Yet.
Breaker bar and pipe is undefeated. (mostly)
Removal probability percentage is directly linked the pipe length.
This method would be considered to be “forcing the issue”, proceed at your own risk.
Twist harder! It’ll come off. Or you’ll snap the stud and you’ll need to replace it.
If you’re struggling, take it in and let a tire shop take it off.
There is a reason for a specified torque especially with aluminum wheels, the steel axle and the aluminum hub expand at different rates with temperature.
If you under torque an aluminum wheel it will work itself loose and you will lose the tire and wheel.
During winter months this is more critical when the wheel is allowed to warm up during a tire repair and its placed back on a cold axle and we demand customers come back in when they have driven a hundred miles for a retorque or have a qualified shop do it and sign our ticket.
Now, to your problem with the nuts not coming loose, if it has been a long time since it was off last, fords have a nasty habit of corroding between the steel mounting flange and their aluminum/magnesium rims.
That corrosion can grow to several thousands of an inch thick in short order effectively trying to push the nuts off of the stud, in a sense it increases the load on the nut several pounds making it almost impossible to remove.
I have had decent luck trying to tighten the nut, then try loosening it, a great air impact usually helps.
I could call my Buddy for you. Apparently his wife is really good at twisting nuts….. 
I could call my Buddy for you. Apparently his wife is really good at twisting nuts…..
i had that issue with my wheeler. to get the lug nutz off i sprayed the heck out of it with buster loose and some other stuff.
to this day i wont thread a nut or bolt back on without using anti seize on the threads.
Not sure on this but antisieze on your wheel stud threads was not recommended in the past. I used to put antisieze on the hub where the wheel and drum fit. It stopped the rust/corrosion on the centering hub.
Never heard that???? 
Did you try a 6 foot breaker bar? 
DT
I used to put antisieze on the hub where the wheel and drum fit. It stopped the rust/corrosion on the centering hub.
fords have a nasty habit of corroding between the steel mounting flange and their aluminum/magnesium rims.
Last two times I went to the tire shop, at least one of the wheels had to be beaten off the axle hub.
use an impact driver to remove it……
If it’s anything like my 2013 F150 your lug nuts expanded/swelled. It’ll be a pain to get them off. An impact was not enough for me. I busted 3 breaker bars and had to drill out 2 studs to finally get them off (this is the short story). You can also weld a nut to the lug if it strips/shears, but I didn’t have access to a welder.
I’d go impact before a breaker bar. The breaker bar will usually cause down or away pressure on the stud, making it more apt to break. Impact keeps energy in line with the stud. The hammering action also will help loosen the rust and circulate penetrant. If you are patient and go slow. The impact will even build a little heat and expand the nut a little. A side note I only heard recently. A mechanic friend of mine showed me an article about a guy using a torch and penetrating oil trying to break a bolt loose. He got a big breath of the vapor and dropped dead. So, using that combination. Be very careful not to breath any of the fumes. Can’t count the times I’ve done it.
I had this PVC pipe in the bsmt and it seems to work as a breaker bar. I need to get another for my wife’s van.
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I hope your kidding.. plastic shards wouldn’t be fun.
I hope your kidding.. plastic shards wouldn’t be fun.
Lol. One time use only pipe!
I had this PVC pipe in the bsmt and it seems to work as a breaker bar. I need to get another for my wife’s van.
If your being serious then wrap it in duct tape or something so when it breaks it does explode
Get a steel pipe… I hope you’re joking about using that as a breaker bar… Unless you’re extremely frail and old, I can put more force with just a ratchet than I could put with a PVC “breaker bar”…
Thanks guys. I will go shop steel.
Or just go to Harbor Freight and buy an actual breaker bar.
The top half of the handle on a jack works great as a breaker bar, but yes I agree just buy an actual breaker bar.
Fords are known for this. I got new tires at Costco and they called and said we have a problem. it took them over an hour to get the lugnuts off. they showed how corroded and gross they were. they warned me that if they broke 1 stud it was ok but if they broke 2 studs they had to stop. they didn’t break any studs but it was an ordeal. they replaced all of them.
I watched them as they had about a 6′ metal pole 2 guys were standing on to finally get them.
Mind you I’d had this vehicle for only 10k miles and the tires were finally ready to be switched out. they said regular rotations will generally prevent this as they said its likely not from overtightening. they just hadn’t been touched in likely that entire tire’s life. (the tires being replaced where a 50k mile tire)
I have always used antiseize on lug nuts and wheel/rotor interface and never had a problem. Lack of maintenance will bite you in the ass especially around here with all the calcium chloride they put on the roads.
They make battery powered impact guns now. Make tire removal easy anywhere.
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