So, you are happily going about a tire or rim change and you are tightening a lug nut to find that it never tightens. Then you discover you can't remove it either. It just spins and spins. If it's the lug nut or the wheel stud being stripped then you may be in for a long and expensive day. BUT, there is hope!
A few weeks ago while working on a fellow NICOnauts car we ran across a similar issue in that two lugs did this on wheels using extended aftermarket studs. As they had not really been torqued down there was some play on the rims and after cutting the top of the lug net and prying around following a good soaking with Liquid Wrench we were able to get those off and the studs replaced. We then ran into the exact same issue with the other side involving two more studs (turned into 4). No wiggle room here. Can't tighten the wheel and cant drive it to a mechanic with only 3 studs working (and being very afraid to tighten those too)...So, what to do?
Being creative we grabbed a socket as a guide, a 1/2" bit and drilled the bishes out!!!!
Here's a how-to on what is needed:
Wheel stud drilling
Here's the first one removed:
FUN TIMES!!!
(NOT)