compudude86
CEG'er
After I got a flat about 2 weeks ago, and snapping a front wheel stud with the lug nut still on it, and having a lug nut/wheel stud that would just spin on the opposite side, and the threads on the others looking like trash, I decided it was time to replace all 8 Front studs and lugs. Passenger side was a breeze, knocked the old studs out using a socket drive extension centered on the stud and a hammer, they popped out with little issue. Put the new ones in fron behind, tapped them in lightly using the same method as I put them in, then used the sacrificial washer/nut method using some metric hardware I got at Ace. Tightened them down, felt behind to make sure it was properly seated, backed off the bolt, took off the washer, repeated 3 times, golden. Went to the drivers side.
H3ll ensued.
Tried to remove the wheel stud/nut by drilling through the nut, and succeeded in trashing two big bits. They were cheap, didn't fit anything else, no big deal.in one last act of desperation, I tried cracking the lug nut with a hammer and chisel, nothing. Succeeded in removing the nut material, and rounding off everything around the stud, so it looked like a mushroom top, or a steel rivet, in the wheel, also gouged the hell out of my wheel in the lug area, but not a big deal to me since that gets covered by a center cap.
On my trip to menards, I went to the bit aisle, and got myself a $13 cobalt 7/16 bit. I wish I would've found it sooner. Took me a matter of a few minutes by starting the bit, spraying some wd-40, getting it going, then once started, giving it a stream of WD-40 for cooling and lubricating as I drilled. It also smelled strangely like grilling steaks as I did this and the WD-40 smoked
. It was spitting out chunks and curls of blue metal, instead of the tiny flecks and dust the other bits were making. After a few minutes, the remainder of the nut broke free and popped off, and the wheel was free. knocked out and replaced the studs, and all was well.
Moral of the story, spend the extra $13 up front for a decent cobalt bit (mine was a no-name one too) and this will go much smoother. It would seem cobalt (material, not brand at lowes) is the hardest bit the hardware store sells, and the bit shows very little signs of the beating I put on it. And don't use other tools to try and free it, like chisels,etc it wont work, they just gouge the wheel. Also, I think this was due to some mo-mo who got ahold of an impact wrench/air tool and didn't understand how to use it and overtorqued the lug nuts and studs because the rear wheels with different tire brands didn't have the issue.
H3ll ensued.
Tried to remove the wheel stud/nut by drilling through the nut, and succeeded in trashing two big bits. They were cheap, didn't fit anything else, no big deal.in one last act of desperation, I tried cracking the lug nut with a hammer and chisel, nothing. Succeeded in removing the nut material, and rounding off everything around the stud, so it looked like a mushroom top, or a steel rivet, in the wheel, also gouged the hell out of my wheel in the lug area, but not a big deal to me since that gets covered by a center cap.
On my trip to menards, I went to the bit aisle, and got myself a $13 cobalt 7/16 bit. I wish I would've found it sooner. Took me a matter of a few minutes by starting the bit, spraying some wd-40, getting it going, then once started, giving it a stream of WD-40 for cooling and lubricating as I drilled. It also smelled strangely like grilling steaks as I did this and the WD-40 smoked
. It was spitting out chunks and curls of blue metal, instead of the tiny flecks and dust the other bits were making. After a few minutes, the remainder of the nut broke free and popped off, and the wheel was free. knocked out and replaced the studs, and all was well.Moral of the story, spend the extra $13 up front for a decent cobalt bit (mine was a no-name one too) and this will go much smoother. It would seem cobalt (material, not brand at lowes) is the hardest bit the hardware store sells, and the bit shows very little signs of the beating I put on it. And don't use other tools to try and free it, like chisels,etc it wont work, they just gouge the wheel. Also, I think this was due to some mo-mo who got ahold of an impact wrench/air tool and didn't understand how to use it and overtorqued the lug nuts and studs because the rear wheels with different tire brands didn't have the issue.