# Driving a car home with only 3 lug nuts? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** bronco, ford\ **Created:** [April 6, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496 "2020-04-06T00:24:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/1 "2020-04-06T00:24:57Z")
I am looking at an 86 Bronco II that I am looking to buy, but it is 50 minutes away (very curvy roads might I add), and it only has 3 lug nuts on 2 wheels, and 4 on the other two. If I were to buy this truck, can I drive it home safely? I plan to buy new wheels, tires, and lug nuts immediately. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/2 "2020-04-06T00:28:56Z")
I’d pass on it, obviously poorly maintained. Why are you interested in it? Not a great vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/3 "2020-04-06T00:30:03Z")
Corona project, weird thing is that its from a dealer ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/4 "2020-04-06T00:51:20Z")
Then tell them you want all of the lug nuts on every wheel . If they won’t even do that what else have they failed to do. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/5 "2020-04-06T01:05:48Z")
Not to disagree but that’s what people do in an emergency. I don’t see any big issue to get it home. Long term no, but 50 miles home, I don’t think it is a problem. I had a friend who had a flat in the parking ramp. Try as I might the lugs were so rusted that I couldn’t help but break one off. I told him to get it replaced right away. Six months later I asked him about it and he was still driving it in Minneapolis traffic with three lugs and no problem. He traded cars then. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/6 "2020-04-06T01:48:46Z")
What’s the price they’re asking? ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/7 "2020-04-06T02:04:26Z")
$1200 dollars. Said they had a lot into it and the lowest they’d take is 1100. ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/8 "2020-04-06T02:08:48Z")
> **[1986 Ford Bronco II - LA AUTOS](https://www.laautosnc.com/1986_Ford_Bronco%20II_East%20Bend_NC_39847995.veh)** > > 1986 Ford Bronco II 2dr Eddie Bauer 4WD SUV \*\*FOR SALE\*\* By LA AUTOS - 6813 NC 67 HWY East Bend, NC ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/9 "2020-04-06T02:28:16Z")
> [@matthewhettleman\_166188](#): > > Said they had a lot into it You’d think “a lot” would include fairly basic stuff like lug nuts. I guess you’re supposed to be grateful it has wheels. I’d want a detailed account of what they’d done and what it still needed. 50 minutes away at 30mph is 25 miles. You can do it but I’d be hesitant. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/10 "2020-04-06T02:28:59Z")
Why don’t you buy enough lug nuts to replace the missing ones on the way to purchase the vehicle. Then put them on before you drive it home. But count me as surprised the selling dealer won’t do it. It’s less than $20 retail… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/11 "2020-04-06T02:34:06Z")
Those look like 5 lug wheels to me, why did you say 4? And I’d sure want a mechanic to look at it before I bought it, rust especially. ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/12 "2020-04-06T02:37:58Z")
Two of the wheels have 3 lugs, and the other two only have 4 out of the 5. ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/13 "2020-04-06T02:39:20Z")
That’s what I’m thinking. Then I could just return them if I ended up not purchasing it. ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/14 "2020-04-06T02:41:33Z")
Yeah. When I go I am definitely going to ask for what they’ve done to it in detail. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/15 "2020-04-06T02:45:09Z")
A 1200.00 vehicle if it even runs long enough to get home is a win situation . Do you really think that they will actually say what all they have done ? I am not sure if this can be called a project , money pit would be more like it . Of course you have not said just what your end goal is but this will take a lot of money . ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/16 "2020-04-06T02:55:35Z")
> [@matthewhettleman\_166188](#): > > Two of the wheels have 3 lugs, and the other two only have 4 out of the 5. YIKES! A DEALER is selling this death trap? ---
**Author:** ![matthewhettleman\_166188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@matthewhettleman\_166188](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewhettleman_166188)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/17 "2020-04-06T02:57:57Z")
Yup. Havent gone to see it yet, and I probably never will. Thanks for y’alls opinion! I guess it’s time to look for something that’s not gonna kill me! ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 4:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/18 "2020-04-06T04:06:15Z")
I am not going to speak to the wisdom of buying an $1100 Bronco but three lug nuts on a wheel would not scare me at all. Nascar changed the rules a while ago because the pit crews were only putting on 3 of the lug nuts on at each pit stop to speed up the pit stop. This on cars that are going 200 mph on the straights and then barreling into the turns. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/19 "2020-04-06T05:22:56Z")
Even with lug nuts, be aware that this thing is unstable. Don’t use a soft shoulder to get around a turning vehicle or it could tip over back end over front. In a Maine winter, those things and Ranger pickups end up on their sides. I know three people involved in tip-overs. Buy it if you want but there are better choices. Ask the dealer to remove lug nuts from another vehicle and put them on yours. They may have a coffee can full of them too. ---
**Author:** ![robh0377\_165836](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@robh0377\_165836](https://community.cartalk.com/u/robh0377_165836)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496/20 "2020-04-06T09:29:01Z")
> [@pleasedodgevan2](#): > > Even with lug nuts, be aware that this thing is unstable. Don’t use a soft shoulder to get around a turning vehicle or it could tip over back end over front. In a Maine winter, those things and Ranger pickups end up on their sides. I know three people involved in tip-overs. Buy it if you want but there are better choices. Ask the dealer to remove lug nuts from another vehicle and put them on yours. They may have a coffee can full of them too I think you can drive it slowly. But before that you should check the others nuts. And tighten the nuts if necessary! [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-a-car-home-with-only-3-lug-nuts/162496.md?page=2)