A spud nut, also referred to as a lock nut, is a specialized nut that tightens the drain basket and its corresponding rubber gasket. Once tightened, the nut will make certain that the drain basket fitting is leak-proof. Spud nuts are used on virtually every type of drain system in the house, from sink baskets to toilet tanks and bathtub drains. The most effective way to loosen a spud nut is using a wrench made especially for this purpose, but other types may also be used with similar results.
Spray the spud nut edges with spray scrubbing. Oftentimes, the nuts will likely have corroded and be tricky to eliminate. Utilizing a penetrating oil will help loosen the threads once you begin to turn it. Harness the nut to help spread the oil onto the threads.
Attach a spud wrench onto the spud nut flanges. Conversely, adjust slip-joint pliers so the width of the jaws encircle the spud nut flanges.
Pull the wrench or the slip-joint pliers in a counter-clockwise turning to remove the spud nut. If the nut does not budge, tap the handles of the wrench with a hammer, while still pulling the nut counterclockwise, to ease loosening the nut for removal.
Cut the nut off if it refuses to budge after a wrench has been attached and the handles have been tapped. Cut through the nut to a diagonal, from the cover of the nut into the bottom. Once the nut has been cut, pry it apart with a screwdriver. Spud nuts are made from mild steel and they will cut and pry readily.