rodent

iTrader: (35)

Just picked up my 05 Evo a couple weeks and thought I'd take off the wheels and inspect the brakes.

Funny thing but when I tried to take off my front wheel, it seamed maybe the Hulk may have put these wheels on last time when the previous owner had it. My 500ftlb impact wrench had problems getting most of the nuts off the wheels. The right front had one that was really struggling to come off. Then all the sudden it starts to spin freely. WTF? After looking closer, it seams now the stud is just spinning freely in the stud hole. There was some slack so I tried to take the wheel and force it off but no luck.

First thing I tried was to split the nut. This actually worked on an a set of locking nuts on my old STi. You basically just grind a slit with a dremel and pound a wedge so it splits the nut. Well, the metal on the stock nuts is thin at the top and thick at the bottom so I was not able to split it.

I finally was able to get the top rounded acorn metal out of the way and was able to see the stud. Got the drill out and matched up the bit to the stud and started drilling away. The only problem is it spun the nut so I needed somehow to hold the nut. Looked in my toolbox and found an o2 sensor socket tool that was able to hold the nut while I drilled. Used lots of lucubration and the bit seam to cut throug the stud pretty quick but still took a good 10 minutes.

Took some pictures and thought I'd share this just in case it happens to someone else.






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SupraJunky101

iTrader: (10)

Same thing happened to me not too long ago, I actually cut the stud from the back and just replaced it. I did it without maiming the hub

BenJ

iTrader: (21)

Damn, talk about a fun problem to inherit. Good job getting it off though and the O2 sensor socket was a great idea.

rodent

iTrader: (35)

I didn't think about going through the other side but there must be room to drill out a stud. Good to know.

Yeah, I wasn't too happy when it happened. They were on there REALLY tight. I wonder if it might of stretched all studs?

Gusl

iTrader: (41)

I had a similar issue with my car also.
I F...ed it up so bad i eneded up having to spend $400 on a new hub.

Patience & a drill works best for this obviously. Stay away from sledge hammers.

colonelfox

iTrader: (41)

Thanks a million for posting this up. I decided to throw a rebuilt shep trans in this weekend and literally the first bolt I had to remove (drivers side stud) turned into an hour and a half of misery until I searched google and turned up this page.
On the downside the stud surface is FUBARed and I'll have to tack weld the new stud in place. I'll just use it for the lock lugnut which isn't torqued down as much. There's no way after I just blew through 2K in mods and fixing the trans that I'm going to buy a new hub as well.

abevAWD

That sucks man, glad you had the tools to get it - having that happen totally sucks. What probably happened was the last person to put the wheels on most likely used a powerful impact gun without a torque bar to put the lugs back on.

DJ Brett B

iTrader: (12)

that sucks- had a shop strip an OEM wheel lock, they were able to somehow get it off after an hour and all it did was destroy the lock itself, no damage to hub/stud etc. I was lucky.

rodent

iTrader: (35)

Sorry to hear you had the same situation I had but I'm glad this thread may have helped you. I learn tons on these boards and I try to contribute where I can. Sucks about the hub being stripped too but a small weld won't hurt.

Bobster22388

iTrader: (13)

damn, that sucks. Good idea of how to get it off of there definately. I don't know what I would have done if I did not see this idea. Hopefully this will never happen to me (knocks on wood)

Foxrder354

use a carbide bit (ones used for porting manifolds) and b care full of the rim! also make sure all sockets are of the stud and ur wearing safety glasses.

colonelfox

iTrader: (41)

I've been to the ER 2 times for eye injuries while wearing safety glasses. Make sure they're of the wrap around variety and not just the cheap front protection kind. Definately use a carbide bit. They have a black oxide coating and are made for metal. A wood bit will almost certainly dull out very quickly, or worse yet, snap under pressure gouging your wheel and possibly your wrist or hand. You need to lean into the drill just a little to keep constant pressure on the bit. Don't let it chatter because the studs are hardened steel and it'll kill the bit.

20psiMR

iTrader: (6)

I had something similar happen. The stud may have been spinning too, but I know the lug nut was for sure. It was severely stripped. I took an impact to it and just put pressure on the wheel, hit it with the impact till the stud got hot enough and broke the lug nut off. Then I took it to mitsu told them the studs suck and they replaced them for free. Happened on both fronts on the same day. Ive never had a problem before until after my first winter up in Reno and I was taking off my stocks with blizzaks. I rotate every 3000 plus swap race wheels on for autoX, so I take my lugs off quite a bit and this was first time I stripped any out, let alone two. Mitsu actually warrantied it, which surprised the heck out of me!

Im told if you live in a place that gets snow, its a good idea to put some thread lubricant type stuff (not loctite) on before you install the studs. Reapply every 6 months or so and it should be ok.

rodent

iTrader: (35)

I actually apply anti-seize to the threads and the nuts seam to go on and off so much smoother and I never had a problem with any coming loose. I've been doing this on all my cars for the last 10 years and no issues and they always maintain the same torque when checked with a torque wrench after 6 months.

Anyone else doing this?

http://www.engineersedge.com/wwwboard/posts/13070.html

D-Mon3y69

iTrader: (47)