Go BottomHow to remove Stripped Lugs
 | Baby Farmer
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2000-05-24 16588
Hi,I have a trailer that has stripped lug nuts holdinng the wheels on. When I put a wrrench on them I can turn them but theyn don't come off.I don't have an air impact tool and was wondering if that would help in anyway. It seems to me I need something like a gear puller or something that will pull the nut out with pressure as I am turning it. Or is there some other way to get them off, other than by oxy acetylene torch, which I don't have either.Once I do get them off how do you replace the studs, what tools are needed?Thanks for any help
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| Joe Padavano
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2000-05-24 16589
I had exactly this problem on my truck. The lugs are pressed into the hub or rotor with splines. The splines sometimes strip, allowing the lug to slip. Check your trailer again, as you may be able to remove the wheel and hub or drum as a unit by removing the axle bearing nut and bearings. Do you have access to the cap covering the nut? If so, remove the nut and pull the wheel and hub off as a unit. You should be able to see the head of the lug on the backside and either grip it with a vice grips or tack weld it to the hub or drum with an arc welder. This will allow you to loosen the nut.
Since my truck had disc brakes, I was unable to do this. The alternative is to get a couple of good quality 1/8" drill bits. Drill holes in the lug nut parallel to and on opposite sides of the lug. Now use a hammer and chisel to split the nut.
Either way, once you get the wheel off, you will likely find that the hub or drum has stripped where the lug splines go. I simply used my arc welder to tack weld the new lug in place. ....
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| Baby Farmer
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2000-05-24 16594
Joe, Thanks for the advice. Some good ideas. On my wheels it seems that the stud is stationary and that the nut has stripped the threads on the stud so the nut is rotating and the stud itself is stationary.
Assuming this is the case and I somehow get this off how do you press a new stud into the brake backing plate?
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| Halsey Green
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2000-05-24 16596
I have been in the same spot you are - they make a tool called a nut spliter, looks sort of like a C-Clamp on steriods, with a wedge on one side and anvil driven by bolt. You line up the parts on the nut and tighten the bolt, and the nut splits, allowing you to remove it over the threads. If the stud is messed up, you will have to remove the hub and drive it out and insert a new one. A trick to replace them is to put the new one in the hole and put larger nut over the bolt and then use the lug nut to pull the new stud in place. Hope this helps. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2000-05-24 16598
Joe was right if both stud and nut were turning. Since they aren't, then Halsey has it right. You MIGHT be able to wedge something, like a screwdriver blade behind the nut to pry out as you turn it with a wrench to get it started off, or you MIGHT be able to get hold of it with vise grips so you can pull as you turn the nut and get it started off that way. And of course either one may NOT work, too. And the answer to your other question is, No, an impact wrench won't help in this situation. ....
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| Joe Padavano
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-24 16599
Since it appears to be the threads on the lug which are stripped, can you remove all the other lug nuts then have someone pull outward on the tire while you attempt to unscrew the nut? This may get you to the point that the threads in the nut will engage whatever is left on the stud and allow you to remove the nut. As you know, you'll be replacing that lug anyway. ....
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| Baby Farmer
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2000-05-24 16601
Thanks for all the tips. I sure have a few more options than I had this AM.
I think I am headed for that nut cracker as I have more than one that is stripped. Unfortunately my brother had this trailer for a while and while I always use a hand wrench to tighten the nuts. He let the garage put them on and they obviously over torqued many of the nuts and stripped em. I''s let you all know how I make out.Thanks again ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2000-05-25 16629
A comment on the use of a nut splitter: I'm not sure you know for certain that the stud threads are messed up. Who knows, the stud might be OK. I'd probably replace the stud on principal, because the threads probably are weakened. Other people may be inclined to salvage it if possible.
If you cut too deep with a nut cutter, the stud will certainly be lost. The way I've used them is to cut deep into the nut, but not into the threads. Bang on one side of the cut with a cold chisel to spread the nut. The remaining metal on the inside of the nut just breaks. If the nut turns, it can be held in place with a vise-grip or wedging it. If that's not enough, another cut can be made on the opposite side of the nut, and usually the nut just bends open and falls off. A thread chaser can clean up the stud threads.
Whether the stud is replaced or not, it's still not a bad way to use a nut cutter. Of course, nut cutters are best when there's a lot of open space around them. There could be problems getting one clamped on against the tire rim.
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