help lug nuts keep spinning.

[Hammerman]

I have a 94 Navajo. Lately I've been hearing a grinding noise when I drive. I assumed it was the bearings. I have an extra set of rotors and bearings. I went to take the lug nuts off...and they just spin. The lug have come loose and keep spinning with the nuts. This is on all five. What can I do to get them off? Is there some kind of extraction tool out there?

 

[IZwack]

Of course me being the ghetto-superstar that I am, I would support that corner of the vehicle with jack stands so that the wheel is off the ground. Then take a drill to the center of a lug nut and keep drilling until the nut itself pops off -- basically you're eating away the stud until the nut has no more stud to hold on to. When all 5 nuts are off, the wheel should come off. Then all you have to do is hammer the studs off towards the back of the rotor/hub and replace them with new ones.

 

[sn0border88]

ya, you dont have much of a choice there unless you can somehow get a stick welder inside the back of the rotor and tack the backside of the lugs

 

[Hammerman]

Not a good day for me. Atleast I know what was making the rumbling sound. I have an extra wheel in the garage so I might just whip out the angle grinder and cut all five spokes, take the outer part of the wheel off and work my way toward the lugs.

 

[IZwack]

Not a good day for me. Atleast I know what was making the rumbling sound. I have an extra wheel in the garage so I might just whip out the angle grinder and cut all five spokes, take the outer part of the wheel off and work my way toward the lugs.

That might prove to be more difficult than drilling the lugs

 

[clvineyard]

ohhhh man i just went through that today. well i made this mistake twice due to my cheapness, ok get the wheel off the ground, pull the wheel torward the nut you want to take off first, and try to turn the lug nut with a lug wrench after a couple turns try to hold the stud itself with your thumb and turn the nut with your fingers that worked for me, but i only had 2 like that and they were just about right across from each other but anything is worth a shot good luck

 

[Anime]

Perhaps an impact wrench would spin the lugnut off faster than the lug can spin with it, if the lug isn't completely stripped.

If you don't have an impact, and don't know anyone who does, just take it to Sears or something and get that free brake inspection. Be sure to bring your new lugs, too.

 

[sn0border88]

If you don't have an impact, and don't know anyone who does, just take it to Sears or something and get that free brake inspection. Be sure to bring your new lugs, too.

Dude, your a freaking genius. That may actually work. take it to a tire shop for a rotation or something, and when they bring you the bad news blame it on them!

 

[Hammerman]

Perhaps an impact wrench would spin the lugnut off faster than the lug can spin with it, if the lug isn't completely stripped.

If you don't have an impact, and don't know anyone who does, just take it to Sears or something and get that free brake inspection. Be sure to bring your new lugs, too.

Thats an awesome idea...too bad I already started drilling. I've got one down and 4 to go.

 

[DeRocha]

I'm curious as to how all 5 studs could be broken free like this.

 

[quicklook2]

someone used an air wrench to put them on, and they should not have been allowed around power tools.

 

[sn0border88]

ive put mine on all the time with an impact, so its still pretty odd they all broke free.

 

[Hammerman]

someone used an air wrench to put them on, and they should not have been allowed around power tools.

No air wrench was used. I put the rotors on two years ago and I'm the only one who has taken the tires off since. Is it possible they loosened up a little I drive on it too long with out noticing and that screwed up the lugs? I'm baffled. I did get another one off today. So only 3 three left!

 

[Anime]

Dude, your a freaking genius. That may actually work. take it to a tire shop for a rotation or something, and when they bring you the bad news blame it on them!

I wasn't suggesting doing it that way. Simply bringing it in for the free inspection to see if they can spin off the lugnuts, and if so, providing them with the new lugs and/or just having them replace the rotors. I sure wouldn't want a tech who's PO'd that he got blamed for something he didn't do to be working on the brakes of a truck I'd be driving. Usually when it's slow, a decent shop will be glad to do such small extras in the hopes of earning your business, be it then or in the future when you really do need a shop to do the work.

As for what caused the lugs to strip out from the rotor/hub, my guess would be either they were cheaply made or you just got a rotor that wasn't fully hardened, and/or the rotor/hub material was just soft and eventually the lugs turned enough to strip. If the lugs are loose, it's possible they gouged out the holes if they were ever driven with the lug nuts untightened, and eventually the holes were gouged enough to let them spin. An inspection of the backside of the rotor/hub and/or the lug holes in the wheel might provide clues as to what happened. You should definitely check the other side as well.

 

[Hammerman]

Got the wheel off tonight! Thank god that is over with. I never thought taking a tire off would take 6-7 hours of work. Now on to that brake job!

 

[DeRocha]

I assume you have already viewed Glacier's Brake job thread. It has lots of good info and pics..

 

[Hammerman]

I assume you have already viewed Glacier's Brake job thread. It has lots of good info and pics..

I have seen that and it's great. Brakes aren't a problem. My father worked for a small brake manufacturing/supply company growing up, so I used to change pads with him every 6 months or so.

 

[DeRocha]

I have seen that and it's great. Brakes aren't a problem. My father worked for a small brake manufacturing/supply company growing up, so I used to change pads with him every 6 months or so.

Brakes are easy..its the pulling off the rotor, repacking the bearings, servicing the hubs that get messy...