The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Wheel stud nightmare

Just got home from a short trip in my Grumman [1963 2 ton Chevy chassis, dually]...

It was a wild drive home. Just as I drove onto a highway overpass, all the wheel studs let go on the right rear. No warning, and I do listen to my machine, dont even have a radio in it.

Thank the Lord no one was in the left lane, or anywhere around me! A Good Samaritan who stopped complemented me on my driving skills, having watched the whole thing from 100yds back, but all I did was react. My family was on board, no one was hurt. Another thanks...

Anyways, I am looking for information on replacing wheel studs and locating a supplier for the studs fore and aft. That machine will NOT move until every wheel stud has been replaced!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Shouldn't be doing those 8 grand hole shots in that beast
Glad no one got hurt on that wild ride, ya kept everyone safe w/your superb driving skills .
As far as your wheel stud & lug nuts any good parts house should have them & if they don't look for a truck repair shop. They not only should have them but also be able to press them in for you....joe

Sounds familiar!
My very first time driving on the interstate by myself, about 16, headed to an antique engine and tractor show with a 65 F350 loaded with engines. All but one stud on the left rear sheared off and the wheels really flopped around on the remaining stud and the hub, very lucky the last one held. Managed to quickly and safely get it stopped on the shoulder. A few hours to round up a truck and trailer and carefully it drove on the trailer, got it to my grandparents house and found and replaced the studs in the morning, only a couple hours late for the show.

In my case I now suspect the lug nuts were loose, I remember hearing a squeak that sounded like the side racks moving when I was fueling up before the trip, looking back it must have been the wheels squeaking under the loose nuts.

Glad you're all OK, and NAPA should have studs for you.

Grigg

Check for rust around the hole and broken studs. Loose lug nuts often result in rust forming around the nuts and studs.

Or at least every time I've broken a stud investigation has lead me to the same conclusion Grigg came too: Loose Nuts.

Mine happened at about 16 too...

Squeaking as well as rust coming from the lug nuts has always been a sign of loose lug nuts. And they don't come loose on their own. It is from improper mounting. I don't think you will gain anything by replacing the other studs. New ones will break too if they are not properly mounted. Look at the holes in the wheels. If they look wallered out, they were run loose.

Will do. I was able to find the outside wheel...trying to make up my mind as to whether to drive 75 miles back to look for the other in daylight.

Is the outside wheel usable, are the lug holes in good shape?
If not then I'd leave the other one where it is.
If good then I'd go fetch the other and hope it too is good. Or if you had a good tire on it I'd go fetch it.

Unless you were looking for an excuse to swap to some different wheels? What size do you have now?

Grigg

I have 8 lug 19.5's, 4 hand holes

Havent had a chance to check the lug holes, but the tire is ruined. It was a nice Bridgestone.

For a 19.5" I'd go look, those are nice wheels.

Grigg

Went back today and found the lost wheel! No obvious signs of wallowed out holes, but I am going to take it to my shop and check them with a caliper.

Just as I had figured, the outside tire took all the damage from rearranging the rear skirt, and the inside came out looking good {at least at first inspection}

I wonder, does a new brake drum come with studs pressed in? might be the way to go, since the drum took a bit of a beating...

Nope, not that I've seen before.
Replacement studs should be no problem to find at NAPA or the like, either by application, or more likely with an old one in hand.

If the lug holes in the wheels look clean and aren't all puckered and misshaped at the edges then they are OK, no need to measure. They are hub centered wheels any how right?

Grigg

Yes, hub centered.

Gonna have to measure the thickness of the rim and double it, and measure the drum thickness as well to come up with the stud length. Might even go extra long so I can put an extra nut on for security.

That was a ride I dont care to repeat!

I would just pull one out of the other side and take it in to match up.

Adding an extra nut is not a good idea in my mind.
Torquing them to spec and checking them every so often is a good idea.

Grigg

Think a 6 ton press will seat the studs?

yes

Be sure to support the hub from behind before you start pressing on studs. I ruined a brake drum on an old Dodge military rig trying to press-fit some new wheel studs once- - - - -the drum gave way before the stud moved! A piece of pipe big enough to surround the stud head from the back side will keep the load off the drum if it doesn't slip off the hub easily. Some studs are swaged as they exit the drum to keep the drum in place. There's a special cutter made to cut away the swaging and make the stud easier to remove.
Jerry

Thanks for the tip, HRL!

After further examination of the rims, I think I will find some replacements. Not so sure that my {found out today} 1 ton has stud centered wheels, and I didnt like what I saw under close inspection.

Plenty of learning for me to do, I'll be doing it over at the 1 ton forum...Thanks for all the help!

I have finished replacing the brake drum, shoes and wheel cylinder. Had a bit of a problem finding replacement lug nuts, they are a bit oddball.

The local parts shop had some sent in I thought were small by sight, so I went home to remove one for comparison. while comparing the two, I noticed something VERY wrong with the one I had just removed...

CRACKED!

I have not checked all the others, and dont plan to, since they will ALL be replaced, along with every stud and full brake service while I'm in there!

So, some said they could have been loose, some say over tightened, now I find one cracked! Not sure what the cause was, but every part that MIGHT have been part of the incident will be replaced.

Pre-Flight checks!

It appears that part of the issue could have been lack of the clamp plate that the lug nuts seat in and distribute the clamping force over the wheel center, they also add some support to the wheel center.

If it'll stop raining I'll go take some pictures of the plates I'm pretty sure you need.

Grigg

The rain slowed down,
Try this:
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2776297030080251109YhSQdn

Grigg

Grigg. I think you are on the right track on this

Salt will rust out the lock washer even on modern day Securex fasteners. http://www.mfmvs.com/wa_wheelfast.html When the lock washer rusts out you have about an eighth inch gap between the nut and the wheel.