Broken Stud / Lugs

OldMachinist said:

I normally just use a heavy duty c-clamp or ball joint press. Ball joint press is easy to use since they have hole in the foot to push the stud thru. To use a c-clamp just put a deep socket or short piece of pipe over the large end of the stud and push the stud into it. Putting the new one is reverse with the pipe on the outside.

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CerberusKy said:

Thank you!

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Tazza said:

I have removed ones that were broken off with an air hammer too. I pulled them back through the hub when doing up the wheel nuts. Careful not to over do it and snap the new one off though.

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CerberusKy said:

I ended up heating the hub around the lug with an oxy/acetylene torch, and then banging them out with a mini-sledge and a piece of re-bar.

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CerberusKy said:

Anyone know a good place to mail order new lugs from? TIA.

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OldMachinist said:

The reason you should press them out instead of beating them out is so you don't cause brinelling in the axle bearing.
Press one of unbroken ones out and take it to any real auto parts supplier and they should be able to match it up.

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Bobcatdan said:

Pounding studs out is going to do nothing to the bearing. Normally one swift swing from my 6 lbs short handle hammer pops them right out. To install, I have a spare lugnut and a larger nut I use as a spacer and run them in with in impact.

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OldMachinist said:

Well I guess the visual demonstration at a seminar by Timken Bearing that I attended must have been all smoke and mirrors then because when you looked at a bearing under magnification that was subjected to the impact of beating a wheel stud out it sure looked like it was damaged to me.

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jerry said:

O.M. is right on that , just because you can drive it out with a hammer doesn't mean the you are not shortening the life of the bearing.

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Bobcatdan said:

This sounds like one those "on paper" things that hardly proves true in real world. If you stop and think of the stress on axle bearings in normal operating conditions, two or three sacks of a hammer to a wheel stud isn't going to amount of a hill of beans. I have changed hundred of wheel studs on skidsteers and never had a bearing fail because of that.

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OldMachinist said:

The normal stresses on the axle bearings are rolling forces but impact damage occurs when a is bearing is struck while stationary. The damage doesn't cause immediate failure but it does shorten bearing life.
I'm glad your method works for you but it never hurts to instruct someone on the proper method and tools.

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CerberusKy said:

Thanks O.M. I'll keep that in mind for any future broken lugs.

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