Rusty trailer lug nuts

[cj7ole]

I bought an old galvanized two axle trailer to store and launch my boat in a storage facility, not to open road trailer, not licensed. Salt water has gotten to the ungalvanized springs, bolts and wheel nuts/studs. Any source on galvanized springs? 4 leaf, 1.75" x 25.25". 2.375" axle. And how do you get fully rusted wheel nuts off the galvanized wheels without ruining them? No way to get a conventional socket on them. Need new hubs, those I can find galvanized. And Etrailer wants almost $10 each for Galvanized u-bolts.

 

[tpenfield]

There may not be enough left t work with in terms of the wheel hub studs . . . and the hub itself doen't look too good either. anyway, if I were me, I'd bang/chip off the loose flaking rust as much as possible and then see if you can get an undersized 6-point socket wrench on the lug nuts.

If that is not promising, I would see if you can cut into the nut just shy of the bolt and see if it will loosen up that way.

Not sure I have seen galvanized leaf springs . . . the friction between the individual leafs probably does not make it worthwhile :noidea:

 

[bruceb58]

Chisel off as much of the rust that you can and then use one of these:
http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-10-pc-damaged-bolt-nut-remover-set-low/p-00952166000P

 

[GA_Boater]

Are you planning on only replacing the springs? Do you need to remove the wheels?

A nut splitter may work if there is enough room. Even if an under sized socket can be pounded on the nuts, the studs will probably twist off.

EDIT - Bruce's nut removers may work if enough meat is left on the nuts. Pretty sure the studs will still twist.

I've never seen galvanized springs, either. Since it's a yard trailer, just put a set of new springs on it.

Whatever you end up doing, grease or oil the springs and lug nuts. Good luck, CJ. You're gonna need it.

 

[gm280]

Time to just cut the nuts, what's left of them, off and the studs as well. There is no spinning those off anymore. They are rust welded to the studs now and are gone. So a cutter wheel or even a welding torch and cut them off. Then buy new hubs and lugs and springs and go to it. You'll spend less time and save yourself a lot of work and headaches. If you are going to replace the wheels too, then remove the entire assembly with the hub attached and throw them away and replace it all. JMHO!

 

[cj7ole]

I think I am going to start with the springs and do the lugs/hubs later. Planning on new galvanized hubs in any case. Trying to save the wheels, so fire is out of the question. Thinking to take off the wheels/hubs and cut off the back of the studs with an angle grinder and drive the studs through the hub and wheel from the back with a BFH. Alternate to using a grinder is to use a drill slightly bigger than the stud. I would start with an air chisel on the rusted nuts, but I will be doing this in the storage yard without use of my compressor. I am thinking no one makes galvanized springs. I do like those nut removers Bruce referenced.

 

[H20Rat]

Time to get the angle grinder out... Would make relatively short work of that.

 

[jayhanig]

I think I am going to start with the springs and do the lugs/hubs later. Planning on new galvanized hubs in any case. Trying to save the wheels, so fire is out of the question. Thinking to take off the wheels/hubs and cut off the back of the studs with an angle grinder and drive the studs through the hub and wheel from the back with a BFH. Alternate to using a grinder is to use a drill slightly bigger than the stud. I would start with an air chisel on the rusted nuts, but I will be doing this in the storage yard without use of my compressor. I am thinking no one makes galvanized springs. I do like those nut removers Bruce referenced.

Heat is not your only tool when it comes to breaking up rust structurally. You can also use cold. I use a product called CRC Freeze-Off Super Penetrant which comes in a spray can for about $12.

 

[WIMUSKY]

First thought air chisel. But since you won't have access to a compressor, I'm in the angle grinder camp with a cutoff wheel.... I've never seen that much rust on the nuts/hub..... And I live in the rust belt.....

 

[GA_Boater]

The bearing caps, at least the one in the pic, look intact. You can pop the caps and remove the whole wheel assembly and take 'em home where you probably have more tools. That's one way to save the wheels by working from the back as you said you planned to do.

 

[cj7ole]

First thought air chisel. But since you won't have access to a compressor, I'm in the angle grinder camp with a cutoff wheel.... I've never seen that much rust on the nuts/hub..... And I live in the rust belt.....

I live in the rust belt too, MI. But am a FL snowbird. PO must have dunked it in saltwater repeatedly w/o rinsing it off. Trailer is in FL on the intracoastal, most of my tools are in MI. Trailer/bunk design makes it difficult to rinse it off with the boat on it. Once the rust starts making flakes and layers, the salt just soaks in. Underside of galvanized fenders didn't get rinsed and are full of large holes.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Someday I want the best of both worlds too.

As mentioned, just start cutting away and throwing out the rusted parts and start fresh.....

 

[GA_Boater]

I didn't know you were so far away from your tools, CJ. Maybe you can take the wheels to a trailer shop if you have no luck. They probably see rusty nuts like that all day long down there..

 

[bruceb58]

What is the rest of this trailer like? Hopefully, it is not square tubing.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I have multiple drills. As soon as I bought a second one I found the first one, of course.

Go to the local hardware store and buy what you need. A man can't have too many tools....

 

[fishin98]

Wow!.....Looks like you may have to toss the hub and wheel....invest in a cheap hub kit, and tire/wheel combo from Walmart or somewhere similar. If your going to try to save the tire/rim. just use a sharp chisel and hammer and cut the nuts off. From the looks of it, the hubs and bearings are probably history.

 

[cj7ole]

Now I am learning my storage lot/marina has been sold to a developer, so I may be looking for another storage area, none close. So big dilemma, if I can't find a similar close storage lot/marina might have to put it back in dry rack storage at an additional $200/mo and sell the trailer. Or maybe the trailer and boat.

My plan when I return in November was to bring a few more tools than I normally carry in my RV, namely my 1/2" drill motor, my angle grinder, a 100' extension cord, a breaker bar and a jack.The rest of the trailer is in fairly good shape. being galvanized channel construction. The fenders are toast, I plan on bolting a 1x6 Trex board on top for use as a step.

 

[NHGuy]

Don't take a torch to galvy, causes poisonous gassing.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Harbor freight angle grinder and stack of cut off wheels.

 

[cj7ole]

Got it done. Hub covers came off easily, they were EZ Lube axles and the hubs were fully packed with grease, so they came off easily and the spindles were good. Axles were galvanized and in good shape. Tossed the old hubs, bearings and all. Installed new galvanized hubs (no brakes) from E-trailer, reused old tab washers and spindle nuts. Packed the bearings first then pumped the hubs full after installation. Man, I like those zerks on the end of the spindles. Two old galvanized wheels were rusted through and wouldn't hold air. Had to remove all four hubs from the wheels though. Ended up drilling and grinding the studs from the backside and beating them through with a 3/8" punch pin and a 3# hammer. Got 2 new galvanized 14" wheels from Ecustomrim in Ft Myers (via Amazon) and had a local tire store remount the still-good tires.

Removing the old springs was as big a problem as the hub studs they were so rusted and frozen to the springs. Using a breaker bar and a six point 3/4" socket on the bolt side (the nuts were shot) I managed to either break off the nut or at least get the bolt to turn. Then I either cut off the opposite side with the grinder using a 1/16" wheel or I pounded out the old bolt. New springs from E-Trailer were then installed using 1/2" galvanized bolts from the hardware store, long enough that no threads were within the spring eye bushing. If this were destined to be a road trailer, I would have used 9/16" studs, but I couldn't find any that were galvanized. A new Zinc plated u-bolt kit with galvanized plate, also from E-trailer completed the install. Boy did those old u-bolts pop when cut with the grinder. The old fenders were so bad I just removed and tossed them as the trailer needn't be road legal. Glad I had my digital caliper to measure the spindle as I needed a different seal than the one that came with the hubs. Not sure why. E-Trailer had those too.

Finally I used up an entire spray can of Rustoleum Cold Galvanizing compound on everything either messed up by the grinder or not already hot dip galvanized: u-bolts, springs, wheel studs and nuts. That stuff is amazing. Altogether, I have less than $400 into the upgrade. A bit more than budgeted, but that is normal.

Trailer Idler Hub Assembly for 3,500-lb E-Z Lube Axles - 5 on 4-1/2 - Galvanized

4

$123.16

-Leaf Double-Eye Spring for 3,500-lb Trailer Axles - 25-1/8" Long

4

$79.96

CE Smith U-Bolt Kit for Mounting 3,500-lb, Round Trailer Axles - 5-1/8" Long U-Bolts - Zinc

2

$53.90

Double Lip Seal for Marine Hubs

4

$18.76

14"- 5 bolt rims (2) $65.62
Hardware, paint, grease gun and grease, tire mounting labor $70