Broken Lug studs

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

I have tried searching this site for instructions on how this is supposed to go, but havent found quite what I need. I have about 48 hours to figure out how to do this myself, otherwise my landlord might try to tow my car.

On the boulevard today, doing about 35, felt a little shimmy shimmy shake shake....took a corner at about 15 mph and my right rear tire passed me in the bike lane. Made a nice 2 foot split in my rear 1/4 panel first though.

Towed it to my apartment... All 5 studs are broken! Bought the new ones... took off the front part of the brake caliper, and this is now how it sits. My chiltons is WAY off, the pictures look 180 degrees different in one section, then dead on in another... but with different directions!

Please, if anyone has done this before on the rear wheel of a vette similar to my '80, Drop some vette-chanic love my way! I have money to work on this, but not to pay a real mechanic to do the work.
FYI, no spacers on my wheels.... 295-50-R15's. Maybe I overtightened them? Looks like it. This is the first I have ever hear of overtightening being an issue... costly lesson.
Jens (Sobbing in San Diego.)

P.s ... If anyone is in the area of Oceanside and can help, I'll do my best to drown you in beers, and make sure you leave with plenty too.

 

[6 Shooter]

Bummer - Sorry to hear about your bad experience . . .

I'm sure someone will come along soon and give ya some great advice.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[Ludigdrums]

I feel your pain buddy. I was lucky enough to not loose my wheel, as 1 lug held it on. Here's the interesting story http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?p=281420#post281420

I realize that you probably just want to get a wheel on this thing to get it out of your way for your landlord, but you might be looking at a few problems afterwards. The main one I'm talking about is excessive runout in your trailing arm assemblies, which will then lead to air in the brake system, and that means bad brakes. I would attest that it is caused by the wheel bouncing around when it broke off, and the hammering you need to do to replace the studs. So, the best/real way to do this job is to remove the spindle...but that's a big job that required special tools, that can cost around $500 (however, I got a set for less than $200 on ebay...brand new). Point is, after I fixed mine with the way I'm about to tell you, I ended up getting new trailing arm asseblies from Van Steel. So, here it goes...

I'm not sure what you mean by the front of the brake caliper...but the whole caliper should lift off once you remove the two retaining bolts that hold it on. Be careful that you don't remove the upper bolts, because those hold the caliper halves together, and you don't wan't to be removing those.

Then you need to remove the rotor. Make sure that the parking brake cable is released. You should be able to slide the rotor off, however rust and the parking brake may prevent this. You can persuade it with a hammer on the front hub, but you also might need to loosen the star adjuster through a big/little hole in the front of the rotor.

Realize, that unlike the front rotors, the wheel studs attach to the spindle, not the rotor.

Once you have exposed the spindle, you need to remove the remaining studs by hammering them out. Use a heavy duty punch, and maybe some spray lubricant.

You will have to loosen the brake shield, and also cut a hole large enough in it to feed the wheel studs through. Then you need to really lube the hole well, and put the stud in. You need to make sure that you draw the stud in straight. Take a bunch of washer, or a socket of appropriate size, and put them on the stud. Then tighten a lug nut on the end to draw the stud in. Make sure when you're done that the stud is flush on the back side of the spindle. Also, I would get a couple of lug nuts, because you will be putting a lot of force on them to draw the studs through. Also, take care to not strip the studs. You might also need/want to grind the little ridges at the base of the stud, to help draw them through the hole.

I gotta run to work, but I hope this is a start, and I will try and send inf ofrom the service manual later!

Good luck!

- Jeremy

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Buy the new lugs now and put them in the freezer, the colder the better. They will shrink a bit when frozen and be much easier to insert.

Can you borrow the tools to pull the spindle off? Several of the autoparts stores lend tools – it is worth a few phone calls. If so pull it and have the lugs pressed out. Hammering on the spindle can cause more damage than you might think.

Good luck!

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

gonna use this info to try and get started... I have no phone and now no car, so borrowing specialty tools doesnt look like it's going to happen. You guessed it, getting the wheel back on is priority number one. after that, i only have to drive it 1/2 block to MY parking spot, where i can work on everything else toprevent further damage.

thanks, Jens

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

ok, I have the brake off.... I have been gently massaging the outer hub (not the rotor) to try and pull the rotor off. I am unable to budge it, and the studs are refusing to be driven back before the rotor is out of the way. Do auto stores have the tool I seek to yank the rotor off? after that, from what I can see there will be little trouble.

Thanks.. Jens

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Jenshammer,

The reason you can't get the rotor off is because there's a ridge of rust built up on the inside edge of the parking brake.
You can tap evenly all the way around the backside of the rotor to get it to come off. Make sure the rotor doesn't cock to one side, you have to pull it off straight. It will chew up the E-brake pads a little, but that's the least of your worries right now.

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

i pounded on the rotor for a while... even heated it up with a torch (gently) so when it cooled the rust would have been broken. But, it turns out... I need to drill out the rivets first! Didnt know about those, but someone from the CAC gave me his number, we talked through it a bit. hopefully, tomarrow I can grab my drill and fix/finish this.

The E-brake hasnt worked in the last 2 years... If a gorilla came and yanked my rotor off, destroying the e-brake, I would buy him a gorilla-sized beer of happiness.
Jens

 

[GTR1999]

You have some work there for sure. If all the studs are sheared off the best thing to do is press in new ones with the spindle out of the car. Now the problem= the rear bearings are press fit to the spindle. You are not going to just remove the spindle and replace the studs. The bearings will get wrecked for sure and you have to set up the end play to .001-.002" max. This requires knowledge and capability to remove and install the bearings- special tools are required as well. Before you know it you'll be sendign them to a vette shop and writing a $1,000 check.

You can do an on the car replacement and maybe not get into those bearings but you'll have to drill a hole in the backing plate big enough to get the stud in place. It will be at the 3 and 9 o'clock position depending on the side of the car you're working on.

 

[Bill75]

Jens,

Just read this post, if you're still trying to get it 1/2 block to your place where you can work on it and not be in the panic mode, try using a dolly under the wheel and have some friends help you push it. Desperation sometimes leads to breaking stuff. Just a thought. Good luck

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Jens,

Just read this post, if you're still trying to get it 1/2 block to your place where you can work on it and not be in the panic mode, try using a dolly under the wheel and have some friends help you push it. Desperation sometimes leads to breaking stuff. Just a thought. Good luck

Do you have a fat friend? Have um sit on the opposite front fender and drive it to the parking lot. No, I am not kidding.:W

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

I've got it back to my place now... I have been working on it there. Sadly, I had no fat friends available to help me get it here. Thankfully, my rotors are unusually small, they never touched the ground. In fact, the dragging *appears* to have done no damage at all. I am leaving to Washington State tomarrow, returning on the 20th, then moving to alaska on the 25th.

Anyone wanna buy a vette? $2K
Jens

 

[jclit]

Sold!!

Jim

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

Wow, I hope it's not april 1st! This would help me quite a bit before I move back to alaska. I will have less stuff, you will have a good parts car. I emailed you.



Jens

 

[JENSHAMMER@HOTMAIL.COM]

The car is listed in the for sale section.


Jim who posted above has 1st dibs, but if i dont hear from him, (I emailed him) the 1st $2K and a way to ship it out of here takes it. I've been burned on a sale or two before, a shake of the hand is great but doesnt pay the bills.
Jens