Wheel stud spun in axle HELP

John O · 03-20-2009, 12:03 PM

Hey Gents, my son and I put a 2" BB on his 2002 Wrangler yesterday. Everything thing went well on the front end and we were hopeful that the rear would also. Prior to jacking the rear we cracked the rear lugs on both wheels. We found out that one of the studs was spinning in the axle. We could make no headway with it on the truck so I pulled the wheel off with the axle intact. We finished installing the lift and then attacked the stud issue. We started to drill it out but basically smoked 2 drill bits w/o making a dent in the grade 8 wheel studs. We tried holding it whit a pipe wrench but couldn’t get a good grip. Finally we said F it and reassembled the rear with 4 bolts holding the tire on. It’s tight but not a condition I want my 19 year old son wheeling with. I was contemplating solutions and thought of tac welding the stud to the axle, unscrewing the lug and see what I have from there. My concern over that is the fact that we recently had new tires installed at a local STS Tire Store...I’m thinking that one of the village idiots there spun this stud or cross threaded the lug and said F it. I don’t want to weld a damaged stud to the axle still have a bad situation. The wheels are stock 5 spoke mags and I’d rather not destroy the mag.

Anyone have any ideas? All help is appreciated.

Johnny O

**Dravintoad** · 03-20-2009, 12:29 PM

When you had the axle out, you shoulda been able to get to the head of the stud with a cutting wheel and...

John O · 03-20-2009, 12:34 PM

No. there was no room, but thanks for the thought.

jstin3232 · 03-20-2009, 12:40 PM

had the same problem the other day but worse but anyways it was in the front driver tire. we had to take the front hub assembly off it was 3 bolts from the back of it they were 13mm 12point bolts i don't know if that is the same in the back too lazy to get up. but your probably gonna have to take that off the axle and get a hammer and hit the stud from the opposite end to get it out. ps autozone sells wheel studs for 2 bucks a peice

**Dravintoad** · 03-20-2009, 12:45 PM

You can get a pipe wrench back there, but you can't get a cutting wheel/die grinder/dremel back there?

Am I missing something?

jstin3232 · 03-20-2009, 12:48 PM

yeah or that i had to take mine off anyways for other reasons

John O · 03-20-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dravintoad

You can get a pipe wrench back there, but you can't get a cutting wheel/die grinder/dremel back there?

Am I missing something?

it was a small pipe wrench...might be able to do a small grinder. The grade 8 studs smoked 2 drill bits so I'm not sure how effective a cutting wheel would be.

red88MJ · 03-20-2009, 01:07 PM

got a welder? tack weld it to the back of the axle if you cant get a grip on it with anything.

srad711 · 03-20-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red88MJ

got a welder? tack weld it to the back of the axle if you cant get a grip on it with anything.

This is the way to go. If you don't have a welder any shop should be able to do it in short time.

gabriel05 · 03-20-2009, 01:39 PM

Instead of tack welding the stud to the axle. Why not tack something else to the back side of the stud? Maybe get a large nut (3/4" would probably work) and then weld the I.D. of the nut to the stud. Then just put a wrench on it.

John O · 03-20-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabriel05

Instead of tack welding the stud to the axle. Why not tack something else to the back side of the stud? Maybe get a large nut (3/4" would probably work) and then weld the I.D. of the nut to the stud. Then just put a wrench on it.

That sounds like a good idea...then if the stud is stripped or cross threaded I can remove it. Perfect...at least a plan has evolved. I was so pissed off yesterday that I wasn't thinking clearly. maybe I should recheck all the bolts we tightend as well

gabriel05 · 03-20-2009, 02:33 PM

It happens no worries. The nut trick was something I read here on the forums. It can work if you break the head off a bolt too. If that won't work I'd get out the angle grinder and grind the head off the stud. Then beat it out from behind with a punch.

**Coops** · 03-20-2009, 04:32 PM

Yup, they tried teaching me the weld a nut on the end trick in tech school, works pretty good. Or you could tack the stud to the axle, remove the lug nut and than grind or brake the stud free.

Once you get it out though, I wouldn't be surprised if a new stud will also spin because the old one has ground out the hole.

John O · 04-20-2009, 01:48 PM

In conclusion we just welded the stud to the axle...as Coops had suggested the knurl in the axle had wore also. Worked out fine.

**RUBtjICON** · 04-20-2009, 01:55 PM

When I went to put my BB in my Rubicon, it had locking lugs on it. Well got to the 1st wheel on the back, and the key for the lugs broke, and when it broke it took a piece of the lug with it. So I do feel your pain

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