xjrev10 Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I am finally starting to well try to work on my 87 Chief. The trans is bad so I have to push and pull the thing around and with one FLAT tire on the left front, its a bear. So I went to pull the tire/wheel off to replace with a spare so I could move it, I could only get 4 lug nuts off. Seems the 5th lug is WELDED. And what I mean by that is someone cranked up their buzzbox and actually melted the wheel stud into a ball of $#!& to hold the rim on. :rant: I have pulled all the hub bolts and the caliber bolts thinking that miraculously it would pull off straight. But the 24 year old bond on the knuckle and hub had other plans. I looked at poping the balljoints off but I don't think I can do that with the axle shaft still in the axle... Save for drilling the thing out, which will not be an easy task and I will most likely screw the rim up or just pulling the whole axle (axle is scrap anyway but its replacement is not necessarily "bolt in" :yes: ) do I have any other options? This is ALMOST a laughable matter I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Does the truck start? If so use the old Socket on 1 of the hub bolts and use the power steering pressure to knock the hub loose from the knuckle....even with the caliper still bolted on you should still be able 2 kick the knuckle free. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 If that doesn't work, and the lug nut is not welded to the rim, weld (have welded) a large nut to the top to get a socket on it. Even with the caliper bolts out, as long as the caliper is on the disc inside the wheel you will not be able to remove the wheel/disk/unit bearing/axle shaft as an assembly because the caliper is hooked behind the steering knuckle. If this a a 4wd truck, you also won't be able to remove the balljoints because the axle shaft is in the way. Drilling it out is going to be hard, as studs are usually grade 8. A torch would make quick work of it but also mess up the rim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hick92 Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 i have the same problem on my truck a high $$ shop impact wouldn't even break it loose so I'm going to drill it out starting with a small drill bit and stepping it up till i get to the right size Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I never expect an impact to work. breaker bar with a 4 foot cheater pipe on it. snap that stud off. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 There is NO lug nut on it. Its just the melted wheel stud holding the wheel on. Its going to take a little work to get the truck started but I'm thinking that may work. The brakes are bolted to the knuckle and the brake pads would have to slide straight off their little holders (part of the knuckle). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 If that doesn't work, and the lug nut is not welded to the rim, weld (have welded) a large nut to the top to get a socket on it. Even with the caliper bolts out, as long as the caliper is on the disc inside the wheel you will not be able to remove the wheel/disk/unit bearing/axle shaft as an assembly because the caliper is hooked behind the steering knuckle. If this a a 4wd truck, you also won't be able to remove the balljoints because the axle shaft is in the way. Drilling it out is going to be hard, as studs are usually grade 8. A torch would make quick work of it but also mess up the rim. Yes thats right! the caliper is "hooked" to the knuckle. I'm thinking the only option is drilling it out. Half a day job for me. Its got these wheels on it, a torch would make a helleva mess. Looks like I'm going to be drilling.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Good luck! digging through the old threads.. I forgot that I posted about this. Still havent got too it! Too many other projects! Plan is too use a large socket that fits in the "lug hole" on the wheel to center the bit. Then I will keep drilling the hole bigger till the darn thing pops off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 4" angle grinder........you'll destroy the wheel but........ Cut off stud then grind down without hitting the hub, did that on my Cherokee donor. Impact and breaker with pipe would not budge. Someone used Ford wheels and Jeep lug nuts and nut was too large for the Ford wheel but they ran it in anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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