Aargh!!! Wheel nut stuck on stud. Think it may be stripped or crossed threads...

[dmcfarlane]

I recently fitted bolt pattern adapters to my trailers so that I could run DII wheels consistent with my truck wheels. I had not at the time ordered new 16" tires to fit my spare 16" rims, so as an interim measure I mounted my snow tire / 18" wheel assemblies with the expectation of changing them out to the 16" wheels with new tires real soon. As such, I don't bother with the anti seize. 3 weeks later, I am changing them out... the first trailer goes smoothly, and I take the time to put plenty of anti seize on all the studs and nut surfaces. All done. Now for the second trailer... this one hasn't even left my garage since I mounted the 18s. This should be easy...

Alas, when I went to remove the first wheel one of the five nuts turned a little and then stopped. It wouldn't come off. It wouldn't go back on all the way. It can be turned using a 24" breaker bar and a VERY GREAT DEAL of force. I don't think turning it is achieving anything though. At first I wondered if the stud is rotating inside the bolt pattern adapter. Then I realised that it doesn't really matter what is going on, the bottom line is I am screwed. Right now the nut backed off about 2mm (when I pull them apart there is about 2 mm gap between the adapter face and the inside face of the wheel).

I need guidance on how best to proceed. I would prefer not to have to cut up my wheel in order to get it off. I am thinking about drilling out the lug nut and stud, but I haven't opened up one of those lug nuts (with the covers) before, so am not sure how awkward this could get.

Any bright ideas?

 

[D Chapman]

torch it off. You will be drilling all day... I think I heard of someone "spliting" the lug nut once.

But, before you try anything, try some heat. Maybe from a propane torch.....

 

[dmcfarlane]

Update.

Inspection of another lug nut reveals that the hole that was bored in the nut to accept the screw tap extends all the way through the actual nut, and the only thing covering the hole is that stupid chrome cover they all have. A test drill on the metal of the other nut revealed fairly soft steel. Back to the real nut, and a punch and a cutoff tool made short work of the cover end.

With the hole now visible I could see the end of the stud and confirmed my theory that it was rotating in the adapter, however given the design of the adapter (press fit stud rather than screwed in stud) I could not simply unscrew it.

So, with the hole exposed my 5/8" drill bit had an easy run... the steel of the nut was pretty soft, the stud was a little harder... however, bottom line was that drilling it out took less than 20 minutes, and I was going slow and lubing it -- could probably have gone a bit faster but didn't want to break the bit.

Now to repair the adapter... I'm kind of upset they didn't use studs that screw and loctite in to the adapter. These press fit ones are not impressing me so far.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

Sears sells great bolt extractors, with very steap LH gripping threads. I used them for exhaust bolts, work every time.

Or just glue on the 5th nut and forgetaboudit.

 

[LMRW]

ya you can split it with a cold chisel and a good heavy hammer. the trick is to drill the shoulder of the lug all the way through first.... then start wacking on it hard, she'll split all right.