Lug nut snapped on the stud! Any ideas?

[briandye]

Havent caught a break with this damn truck when it’s come to wheels.

Half the lug nuts spun with that stupid cap when I attempted to put my lift on. Got it on, and bought two (4) packs of replacement lugs because that’s all they ad in stock at the time. No biggie, only like 6 were mangled.

Ordered the rest, but never got around to putting them on, because the rest of the lugs worked just fine without issue.

Ordered new wheels. Sit at Belle Tire for an hour and a half for them to tell me they can’t get any lugs off. They’re spinning. (As in the ****** cap Ford thought was a good idea)

Firestone (who mounted my new tires back when I put them on after installing the lift) over torqued my lugs so bad it’s not even funny.

I drive home, breakout my tools get 2 of them replaced, then come to one that’s not budging. Grab my breaker bar, SNAP. Broken stud? Nope. The lug itself broke. Now there’s a lug holding the wheel on yet no possible way for any socket to grab. How the hell can I get that off?!

I’ll post a picture as soon as I get on my computer in a bit.

 

[Don Hall]

Enough material to weld another lug?

If the stud spins, so would a weld lug....

 

[briandye]

Im beyond words pissed off. Can't recall last time I was this angry at something. I don't even know what I should do.

Heres the picture of the broken nut:


I tried to just move onto a different wheel, went to the front driver. Impact wouldnt budge a single one. Breaker bar....SNAP. Thinking another nut broke, I don't even know what happened. The lugnut just spins freely in either direction. Snapped stud? Wouldn't it just fall off then? This won't pull out. Maybe the lug snapped again but the lip of the stupid chrome cap is holding it on the broken nut.

What the hell do I even do for the remaining 20-something lugs!?

 

[Plati]

Wow ... sorry for you. Thats nuts.

Good news is you can still drive it?

If it was me, I'd cry uncle and hope there is a qualified dealer or machine shop that can handle this. We have a lot of machine shops in my area and some specialize in automotive. This HAS to be something dealers have seen?

Slight chance a hammered on bolt extractor would work .....

buy these too ...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZSDGVGG?tag=viglink23361-20

 

[Don Hall]

Maybe????

 

[stamp11127]

Couple of things come to mind. First is how to keep from damaging the wheel.

Is yours 2wd or 4wd?

Look from the back side of the front hub, is there access to the wheel studs at any point?

 

[ThatOneMike]

is this common? lol install a new hub and replace the rim

 

[Adieu]

Are you using a properly fitting deep impact socket in the right size??

PS i'd probably drill out the stud a bit, piloting it in several steps of bit size, then see if i couldnt get a screw extractor to bite the lug nut remnants


THEN --- id buy decent lug nuts.

 

[Drae]

I had my wheels balanced on my 2010 by a local tire shop and he had a hard time removing the driver's side wheels. He also had to use a breaker bar to remove wheel nuts he thought were over torqued. After removal, we saw on the wheel studs where the wheel nuts were getting so hot they were practically welding themselves onto the studs. I had never taken these wheels off since purchasing the truck last Thanksgiving. I have the same issue with my wife's 03 after I have to remove the wheels for something over time. They are very hard to get off when I know I torqued them to 110lbs. I'm 230lbs and have to stand and bounce on the breaker bar to break them loose so I know something is happening over time. I bought new one piece wheel nuts to replace the oem wheel nuts on my truck but I'm putting Ford wheels on my wife's soon that require closed wheel nuts and purchasing a second set for mines. Sometimes I feel like Ford is trying to push me away from my vehicles but I know there's no better options out there. There's always going to be something with any vehicle.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

is this common? lol

It's not common, but it's not unheard of with these poorly designed 2-piece Ford lugs either.

 

[stamp11127]

Only problem with replacing the hub is the caliper will hold the rotor and hub on the Expy.

If the wheel stud isn't spinning in the hub the easiest method would be to drill out the studs on the broken nuts - but not larger than the stud hole.

The remaining nuts I would heat up with a propane torch.

 

[thesavo]

After the top of lug nuts sheer off, are there still threads holding them on.?

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[Plati]

After the top of lug nuts sheer off, are there still threads holding them on.?

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If you look at OP's picture ... the part of lug nut that sheared was not contacting ANY threads on the stud. ALL the stud threads are in contact with the part of lug nut remaining.

I bet that lug nut metal is soft. I'll bet you could use a metal chisel to lengthen the remaining faces of the lug nut and THEN get enough purchase with a bolt extractor to remove. Just a theory. Job like this is best handled by a known process not a theory though IMHO. This can downhill fast.

dont let it turn into this!!
https://www.expeditionforum.com/attachments/2e029ce6-8ae0-439a-ae92-330f5a01b20c-jpeg.24739/

 

[Trainmaster]

Around here New Yorkers say "it sucks to be you..." But now I've learned of yet another way these Ford trucks are going to make my life miserable one day.

I'm with Mr. Sticker's suggestion. I love the picture he shared. Brings back memories. A hammered-on nut extractor should work. Or drill the stud out until there's nothing left of it. This junk's like pot metal these days, so drilling shouldn't be too difficult. But in the meantime, spray the sucker with enough Kroil to loosen it up.

If you drill the heck out of it, you should be able to turn the nut with some sort of hammered-on socket.

Then make sure you have the proper sized American-made lug wrench so you don't mess up any of the rest of them. That is truly important. And really avoid those franchised chain stores with pot-head maniacs who destroy wheel lugs.

 

[Plati]

If you drill the stud out, do you have to put a new wheel hub in?

 

[thesavo]

Studs are usually replaceable.

There is a tool meant for pressing them out.

Here's directions for doing it on the front wheels of a 2x4. 4x4 is probably similar. Rear procedure is shown as well.

Front studs can be done in-vehicle.

Rear bearings have to be removed and done in a bench vise.

https://workshop-manuals.com/ford/e...pair/front_suspension_rear_wheel_drive_(rwd)/




Also, sadly, no TSB on this. Only two for the TPMS,and one for the wheel-run out.



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[CaptOchs]

It's not just Ford. The same 2 piece lugnuts are used by other manufactures. I have had my Dodge Charger have the same issue. I use a chisel and hammer to carefully remove the chrome cap. Once off, the actual lug nut can be removed.

 

[thesavo]

It's not just Ford. The same 2 piece lugnuts are used by other manufactures. I have had my Dodge Charger have the same issue. I use a chisel and hammer to carefully remove the chrome cap. Once off, the actual lug nut can be removed.

There are a couple on my mariner that have a loose chrome cap. 18mm works great on them when the cap falls off.

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[ThatOneMike]

well an old smithy trick if to drive a screw driver or punch into what needs be turned and hammer on the driver/punch in whatever direction will loosen it....mind you if those lugs are torqued on as tight as you say....you're gonna need a lot of force to turn it.