Spinning lug?

Baileigh Inc

Baileigh Inc

Member
I found out that I have a lug on my 28 sedan that is spinning. Cant get my wheel off. Won't tighten, won't loosen.

Any tips?
 
see if you can pull the wheel and brake drum together,tack weld stud to drum and remove nut, if not your going to have to split the lug nut with a chesil or a small disk grinder
 
ford3 said:
see if you can pull the wheel and brake drum together,tack weld stud to drum and remove nut, if not your going to have to split the lug nut with a chesil or a small disk grinder
Click to expand...

It is stuck all of the way on. It broke loose about 1/2 turn then started spinning.
 
I had that problem about a year ago. Drilled a hole in the lug nut along side the stud into the threads. Be careful not to drill your wheel. Pulled out on the tire to hold the stud and was able to unscrew the lug nut. Thought I would need to split the nut, but it came right off.
 
Smog Tech,
I've done that a couple of times over the years and then squirted some penetrating oil on the drilled hole, let it set a few minutes and off it came.

Good Suggestion...............:o
 
Remove the other 4 nuts and let the weight of the car rest on this one. The added pressure might hold the stud enough to remove the nut. Spray the threads with Kroil first.
 
I had one stuck good on my AA. it did the same as yours - backed maybe a turn or so off then spun the lug. I didnt have much available but I did have an angle grinder so i started grinding about half the nut off which heated it up just enough to be able to put a lug wrench on the nut and back it off normally.

not saying you should do this with nicely painted wheels but the drill and penetrating oil method seems like your best bet.
 
I agree, I'll have to remember that one, It should help. I ve never thought about any thing like that. The last one that I had to do that was on the rear of my 29 tudor. The 28-29 hubcaps will snap on and off like newer cars. I snapped off the hubcap, removed the axle nut and used my knock off hub puller and removed wheel drum and all like Ford 3 suggested. I cleaned the surface and brazed the lug bolt to the hub.. I ended up schorching the paint a l;ittle but not too bad. If I had tried Toms method the wheel may have came of without damage to the paint on the wheel.
 
I like Tom's idea.
I was going to suggest removing the 4 and pulling up (cocking) on the wheel to tension the lug. I like using the weight of the car, good call Tom.
 
Had one lug like that back in 1958 on my 1930 Coupe -- still have the Coupe -- 10 miles away was a still practicing senior Blacksmith born in the late 1800's -- he tack welded the rear of the loose lug & removed the nut.

Had no idea where to get new lugs in 1958 -- went to the local Ford dealer a few blocks away. After asking for 1930 Model A lugs in 1958, the parts department manager felt sorry for me & gave me (5) new "1956" Ford black lugs to try.

Blacksmith then removed all five original lugs, inserted five new 1956 Ford lugs, mounted the wheel, tightened the installed nuts for proper wheel nut alignment & welded the backs of the new 1956 lugs to the hub.

Asked the blacksmith how much? He smiled. Fifty (50) cents.

Only has $3.00 in my pocket. Not too high a repair price for a Model A that I bought a few months earlier after having to scrounge around to come up with $25.00.

Funny that all of those details seemed like yesterday.
 
Find the center of the lug nut and drill progressively larger diameter holes into nut and stud about the length taper on the nut. When you get the hole large enough the nut will fall of similar to drilling rivet heads. Drill straight-Hold the assembly steady-and you will have it off in before you know it. Snug up a couple of the other lugs to hold things together while you are busy drilling.


Chet
 
Did a mini article in the Model A News a couple years ago on this. Drilled 3/16" tangent holes in lug nut from wheel lug hole to end, turned lug nut 180 degrees and did the same, plus across the end. Strike lightly with chisel and the nut split apart. Another idea from a friend was to use an impact wrench pulling the trigger quickly. It jars the nut from the loose stud.
 
ford3 said:
see if you can pull the wheel and brake drum together,tack weld stud to drum and remove nut, if not your going to have to split the lug nut with a chesil or a small disk grinder
Click to expand...

If all else fails, I had problem on rear and did use a small disk grinder. But this also destroyed the stud. So may not be the best method because some of the above ideas may be better.

If you do get it off and you think about welding the stud, on the rear, make sure the weld does not stick out to far from the hub. The hub will run rather close to one of the studs on the e brake band. So if you have extra weld on the stud, it will rub on the stud.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top