Rear tire lug spin
- Thread starter dac
- Start date
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
If you mean the acorn-shaped lug nut, I am guessing someone welded the stud to the inside of the brake drum rather than swedging it in place. Depending upon the quality of the welding job, they sometimes break loose when trying to remove the lug nut. If you have access to an acetylene torch and don't care about the paint on the wheel, heat the nut until red. Allow to cool and then try backing it off. The heat will cause the lug nut to swell and loosen its grip on the stud.
You might also try cocking the lug nut wrench at an upward angle to put pressure on the stud against the brake drum hole it exits. That might bind it enough to spin the lug nut loose.
On the other hand, if there is really an open face hardware store hex head nut instead of the correct acorn lug nut, spray some penetrating fluid in the center of the stud so that the fluid runs down the stud's threaded shank. Do that a couple times a day for a few days. Then try to back off the nut, once again cocking the lug wrench at an angle to put pressure on the stud.
Do yourself a favor and have new studs swedged in the brake drum to avoid future problems like this.
Marshall
You might also try cocking the lug nut wrench at an upward angle to put pressure on the stud against the brake drum hole it exits. That might bind it enough to spin the lug nut loose.
On the other hand, if there is really an open face hardware store hex head nut instead of the correct acorn lug nut, spray some penetrating fluid in the center of the stud so that the fluid runs down the stud's threaded shank. Do that a couple times a day for a few days. Then try to back off the nut, once again cocking the lug wrench at an angle to put pressure on the stud.
Do yourself a favor and have new studs swedged in the brake drum to avoid future problems like this.
Marshall
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
Another suggestion: Do you have access to an air ratchet gun? If so, slip the correct size socket (preferably 1/2" drive) over the lug nut and set the air gun to maximum loosen. The shock of the air gun might break the nut loose from the stud.
Marshall
Marshall
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All else fails try a nut splitter like this one, followed by penetrating oil.
https://www.amazon.com/Acymner-Prof...-Corroded/dp/B0CMXBWK4P/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/Acymner-Prof...-Corroded/dp/B0CMXBWK4P/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Will N
Well-known member
I had this happen to me. I was lucky in that the nut was not bound up on the stud threads. I was able to use a Vise-Grip locked on the nut, and I pulled it outward while unscrewing. Pulling it outward put enough friction on the stud and hub that it didn't spin along with the nut.
A long shot would be to pop your hub cap off and remove the axle nut. If the hub has been off the axle recently, you might be able to get it off with one of those knock off wheel pullers. If it breaks loose the wheel/drum assembly will come off as a unit and it will be easier to deal with the rotating stud.
Mike1291
Senior Member
I had this happen to me a few years ago and the only sure-fire way to get it out is to drill it. I tried splitting the nut as others suggested but the nut failed to separate. Yes it's painful and it took hours to drill it out the right way but it was worth only cosmetically damaging the wheel.
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Synchro909
Well-known member
OK but don't get any penetrant on the back of the stud. You want all of the resistance to turning back there as you can get.
To maximise the outwards pressure on the stud, try undoing all of the other nuts and pull the wheel outwards on the side opposite the problem stud. Every pound of pressure will be multiplied several times over at the stud. Then I suggest a rattle gun (a big one!)
JRrev
Well-known member
II would try the impact gun first. I never saw a splitter both big enough nor able to circumvent the spokes and clearance to the hub. The only time I had this problem and wanted to save the wheel paint, I drilled 3/16" holes next to each other across the end and down one side almost to the wheel. Then I cold chiseled the drilled line open.
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The Master Cylinder
Well-known member
I like Synchro's suggestion.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
Volume 12 page 25 of the MARC "Technically Speaking" booklet has a good article on this problem. It's first important to know for sure if the lug stud is turning or not. Many were welded by shade tree mechanics that had no way to swage them properly. If the weld breaks or it wasn't properly swaged then welding it to the hub is an option. There have been instances where the lug nut galls the threads and the nut will turn on what's left of the stud. If this is the case, the lug nut can be carefully drilled with a succession of non overlapping holes from one side close to the rim then up one side, over the top, and then down the other side. The holes generally have to be drilled on an angle in order to have clearance with the wheel. After drilling, a cold chisel can be used to fracture along the drill line to break the nut in two. It's not easy to drill on an angle but it can be done with careful center punching in preparation of drilling. If I tried this, I'd use a cobalt drill bit with several on standby if they get dull. The nut could be ground carefully with a die grinder on the drill line to reduce any hardness that may exist in the surfaces of the nut without getting too close to the wheel rim nut chamfer area. I don't think the nuts are too hard but then I haven't tried to drill one yet.
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