Let this be a lesson!! DON'T EVER FORGET TO TIGHTEN THOSE LUG NUTS!!!
OK folks, I've made it through the effort of removing the damaged threaded studs on my front brake drum. And you know what? I'm going to tell you how I did it!
After multiple times of trying to hydraulically press these studs out, I came to the conclusion that "yours truly" was going to have to drill them out!
First, I went down to my local home improvement store and purchased several sizes of titanium drill bits up to 1/2 inch. I came home and the first operation was to cut the threaded end of the stud sticking out from the drum off with a hack saw. Then I center punched the cut stud. After setting up a support jig on my little drill press to hold the brake drum, I proceeded to step drill through holes through what was remaining of the old stud. I did that several times until my half inch drill made the last pass. Then I took the drum, flipped it over on the bench and with a chisel whacked the head off the old stud from the inside of the drum. The stud wall was so thin that the head popped off with a couple of blows. It was then easy to remove what was left of the knurled area of the old stud.
REPEAT SIX TIMES!!
Then I installed the new studs by using one of the tips previously mentioned on this thread, by using a flat washer and nut to pull the new stud in tight. That worked, however, I might have to take it to someone who has a hydraulic press to finish totally setting the new studs to their proper depth. That is needed because the stud backing plate on the inside of the drum is still too loose.
Stud removed from brake drum Removed stud Tools used to remove worn stud New studs in place I have learned a valuable lesson and hope that all of you out there go and check those "LUG NUTS"!!
BTW, can anyone post the proper torque for lug nuts?
