Frozen lugs

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Dood
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Frozen lugs

Post by Dood »

I've never had the wheels of. Last night I tried to get the driver rear off and I can't budge the lugs. I checked to see if they were left or right thread and they appear right though there isn't a lot of thread sticking past the lug. I think they were originally left on these trucks? The driver's front is definitely right and I can turn most of those.

Anyway, I took it to tire shop and left them have a go with an impact wrench and no joy. Then they brought out 'big bertha' - this impact wrench the size of my head that they use on semis and all that managed to do was round off the lug.

What do I try next? Thanks!

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Dood
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Re: Frozen lugs

Post by Dood »

Boy do I feel stupid. The thread was in fact left as I thought it might be from the factory. :banghead I figured that since the driver front was right the driver rear would be right too. Now how to get the rounded off lug off.

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soopernaut
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Re: Frozen lugs

Post by soopernaut »

You would not believe how many times I've heard similar stories. The lug studs should have a "L" stamped on the end if they are left-hand thread but I guess it is too late for that. You can cut or torch the lug off and the press out the remaining piece. Then replace it with another LH stud or you could do all of them and put RH studs in.

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Dood
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Re: Frozen lugs

Post by Dood »

I just feel so dumb. :banghead I knew they should be left hand, but I didn't stick with my gut.

Anyway, I had an old 20mm 12 point socket that I hammered onto the nut and broke it free with a breaker bar. :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead

Even was here which I've read a half dozen times: http://www.sweptline.com/tech/probs.html#lugs

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nfury8
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Re: Frozen lugs

Post by nfury8 »

I see you posted right as I was and beat me to one of the solutions I was going to offer!! :lol:
Anyway, I will still post it.
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Odds are the front drum was probably replaced at some point and that is why it got right hand studs.

I know it is hind sight, but in situations like this, a breaker bar is safer than an impact. Less likely to round them off, and more likely to snap them. At least if they snap, they are off.

In this case cutting them is about the only option. Although sometimes you can weld a new bolt on top. It is also sometimes possible to hammer on a small socket and get them off, but that destroys the socket and sometimes the socket will split.

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Re: Frozen lugs

Post by rigrunner »

i did the same thing with mine. wnated the wheels off to clean them and couldnt get the drivers side loose. tookem to the tire place and after a while gave them the go head to break the studs then a older guy said wait dummies lol them old dodges are reverse thread.

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