Jeep Forum- Frozen and cracked lug nut

 

 

Frozen and cracked lug nut – drill out?
A lug nut cracked in half while I was adding some Moab wheels to my rickety old Jeep.

Can I drill this thing out and replace the wheel stud or should I be driving it to a mechanic? It seems pretty straightforward and simple. Am I over simplifying it?

The lug is on a rear wheel. I have a Dana 35 with drums – it looks like I have enough room to push the old stud out and slide the new one in w/o removing the axle. If anyone knows if this is correct, please verify it.

FYI – This lug is stuck. I bent two lug wrenches while trying to get it. Heat and PB Blaster had no effect. Jack on the end of my lug wrench/breaker bar had no effect. The lug nut finally stripped. I got a stripped nut remover tool, pounded that on, cranked on it and it snapped the lug in half. Now there isn’t enough of the nut left to get a tool on it.

I picked up a replacement wheel stud earlier as I was expecting the stud to snap. It never did. So I have one and I’m ready to jump on it. For more information, click on this link.