Removing a seized or cross threaded lug nut.

**pajeff02** · 08-07-2011, 01:50 PM

I am not really sure how the heck this happened, but I somehow managed to cross thread a lug nut when I installed the Bogarts about two weeks ago for a track outing. I was swapping the street tires back on to the car late last week and when I went to remove one of the nuts on the rear left wheel it initially broke free and then stopped turning. I tried rocking it back and forth with a breaker bar and then hit it with the air impact. All I managed to do was spin the stud in the axle flange thereby compounding my problem. In all my years wrenching on cars, this is the first time this has ever happened. The Bogarts utilize a shouldered lug nut with a washer and are open on the end, as shown in the first picture. The seized lug nut is in the top right of the wheel picture -- I worked on it with one other lug nut installed simply to hold the wheel in place. I began by center punching the wheel stud to help keep my drill bit in the middle of the stud as I started drilling.

Starting with a small sharp drill bit, and paying careful attention to the angle of the drill in order to stay centered in the stud, I began drilling. I made a depth gauge with a zip tie and a piece of tape to ensure that I would be drilling deep enough to get just past the length of the lug nut. After the first hole was drilled to the proper depth, I began stepping up the drill sizes. Between drills, I used my Shop Vac to suck out the chips and also applied some oil to the larger drill bits. If you ever have to do this, be very careful that you do not snap a drill bit off in the hole or you could really have a tough time of it. The bits started catching on the lug nut threads as I approached my final size and twice I had to use a pair of vice grips to extract the bit from the hole. At this point, I applied a few strips of duct tape on the wheel and center cap to protect the finish. Just shy of the thread diameter the lug nut finally broke free. I worked up in small increments, probably using somewhere around 12 to 14 different drill sizes -- patience is key in a process like this.

I will now have to remove the brakes, backing plate, and ABS sensor in order to pull the axle and change out the studs. While I am at it, I will order longer studs from ARP as the Moser studs were just legal for our track. I believe they require that at least the diameter of the stud extend beyond the face of the wheel. I would note that had these been closed face acorn style lug nuts that I probably would have ground the top of the nut off to access the stud for drilling. Here is what I have after removing the wheel:

**transamtom** · 08-07-2011, 03:14 PM

Well that sucks.

I lost my wheel lock key a few weks ago...that sucked too.

But the siezed stripped wheel stud sucks worse.

**Knight** · 08-07-2011, 03:35 PM

Another great write-up Jeff! One I hope I won't need to refer to anytime soon though......

I have done similar on other bolts though. But, same as you, I've never had it happen to a wheel lug/stud before.

**pajeff02** · 08-07-2011, 04:14 PM

Any suggestions as to the spun stud? Should I simply tack weld it in 3 places when I install the new one?

**Knight** · 08-07-2011, 04:46 PM

Are the new studs heat tempered? Tacking shouldn't affect them, but......

I take it the stud splines are stripped and the stud didn't just back out? If the axle plate is stripped, I wonder if you couldn't get slightly larger splined studs? If the stud itself is stripped, you may just be able to install the new stud, as long as the hole isn't enlarged.

**pajeff02** · 08-07-2011, 05:25 PM

The stud spun in the axle flange so I am assuming the hole is out of spec now.

Well, so much for a fast upgrade to longer ARP units with the fix. Earliest estimated ship date at any of the sites I generally order from is August 31st.

**Knight** · 08-07-2011, 05:28 PM

Try Moser directly?

**pajeff02** · 08-07-2011, 05:40 PM

I have been looking for ARP studs, P/N 100-7708. Will check Moser's site as well.

**pajeff02** · 08-07-2011, 05:48 PM

Looks like Moser may have their Grade 8 house brand: http://www.moserengineering.com/othe...hevy-12mm.html Interesting that ARP lists the knurl diameter as .509" and these are .505" -- but what's four-thousandths here or there, right?

**bigrondownhiller** · 08-08-2011, 04:04 PM

If the hole in the axle is too big you could get the axle redrilled. Or just a tack like you mentioned.

**pajeff02** · 08-08-2011, 06:03 PM

Looks like I have to press the reluctor ring off the axle to remove the studs. I ended up ordering the Moser studs after calling ARP and being informed that their studs are on "national back order until sometime in September".