broken/sheared lugs

[scrit9mm]

while attempting to replace my dry-rotted goodyear marathons I found that some jack-hole torqued them down with a impact wrench. With a breaker bar I removed 3 lug nuts, the 4th sheared the lug off, and on the 5th one the whole lug spins in place! I cannot access the back of the hub to cut off the head of the lug. So is my only option to drill through the center of the lug until I can break off the lug nut?

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: broken/sheared lugs

Why can't you access the back. Drum brakes you can usually still take them apart without pulling the wheel off. Spinning in the hub is a bad sign. The question is, is it the stud that is damaged or the hub itself?

You might also see if you can get a nut splitter on the nut and get it off that way. Even with a dremel you could cut through the nut given enough time.

 

[scrit9mm]

Re: broken/sheared lugs

I cannot get under the trailer because the way my boat is sitting in the drive, not really wanting to get under this thing because I really dont trust jack stands and jacks with this trailer.

I didnt think of cutting off the lug, the problem is that it is close to the rim and I dont want to damage the rim.

Anybody have comments about a good drill bit to drill through the lug?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: broken/sheared lugs

Take the whole hub off the trailer first. Will be a lot easier to work with.

 

[Bondo]

Re: broken/sheared lugs

I cannot get under the trailer because the way my boat is sitting in the drive, not really wanting to get under this thing because I really dont trust jack stands and jacks with this trailer.

I didnt think of cutting off the lug, the problem is that it is close to the rim and I dont want to damage the rim.

Anybody have comments about a good drill bit to drill through the lug?

Ayuh,.... Get some wood blockin', 'n properly block it up, so's it's Safe...
Then pull the Whole Hub...
You'll be lookin' at the backside of the stud from the backside of the hub....
A 4" grinder can then be used to grind the shoulder off, 'n ya can beat it through...

 

[oldjeep]

Re: broken/sheared lugs

Just buy a new hub. If one of the studs is spinning then chances are good that a new stud isn't going to help. Hubs are cheap.

As for beating on them with a hammer, either use a press or just throw it away - hard to properly seat and unseat studs by beating the crap out of them.

To get off your stuck nut, I'd just use a nut splitter and be done with it.