Originally Posted by Jeep2Xfire
Another tip is fo rthose "cutting" lug bolts (not trying to belittle anyone here).
If you put your thread chaser on before you cut, life will be easier for you. In cutting the end on a bolt, you may damage threads, just a part of life. And if you go to clean the threads up with a thread chaser (should be in your tap and die set) after you cut, you start the chaser on the bad part of the threads.
HTH
Justin
A good point.
When I described what I went through I ad libbed a little.
I did the grinding and then used a belt sander to put a 60 degree chamfer on the 1st 2 threads. Spinning on a 12X1.5 die or thread chaser wasn't actually an option-I had neither. And it would have made an unholy mess of the thick chrome on those beautiful, expensive lugs I bought!
But it should be pointed out that if you have no experience shortening bolts, it is very easy to screw up those first few threads, and those will damage the female threads in the spindle. Let a pro do it. The guys that mounted and balanced my tires wouldn't touch them. That's why I did it myself. I've shortened more damned bolts in my life than I care to remember!