New replacement of studs and lug nuts

[samagy16]

I have been thinking of changing all of the studs and lug nuts on my boat trailer and I wanted to get some feedback here about what I can expect to encounter when doing so. I consider myself fairly handy and have done some mechanical work on cars before and do have some tools. The reason I am looking to do so is because I boat in saltwater and my lug nuts and studs are very corroded and I want to do a complete replacement of these before I start taking the boat out with much more frequency in the upcoming months and summer.

Is it a simple lug removal (as hard as it seems it's going to be because of the rust), rim removal and then studs? Do the studs just come out if you hammer them in from the outside?

I was thinking of replacing the studs and replacing the regular lugs with acorn lug nuts (as I read so here and think it's a fabulous idea) with a little grease or something to protect and lubricate against corrosion in the future.

Any ideas? Any comments or warnings as to what I may encounter or expect.

Thanks in advance to those of you who respond to this thread.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Do the studs just come out if you hammer them in from the outside?

Maybe, but you're not going to want to do this with the drum or rotor mounted on the hub, so it's going to require disassembly and the probable need for a "bigger hammer." If you can remove the lug nuts without breaking the studs, I'd strongly consider just cleaning up the studs and putting on some new lug nuts with a dab of anti-seize. I like to break the lug nuts free and re-tighten once or twice during the year as preventative maintenance.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Lug bolts have splines on the shank near the head of the stud. Those splines dig into the hub as the nut is tightened to "pull" the stud into the hub. Because of the tight fit, you will need to drive or press the old studs from the hub. DO NOT hammer on the hub while it is installed as you will damage the bearings and races. Any of the larger auto parts stores can press the studs out for you. Since you will be there to get new ones anyway, have them do it. They can install the new ones at the same time or you can simply pull them into place with the nuts. Make sure you pull them up fully. Failure to do so will result in them loosening on the road with the net result being a lost wheel.

 

[dan t.]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

DO NOT pull the studs thru the hub with the nut, this is an acceptable procedure only for replacing a single stud. if you are changing them all remove the hub and press or drive them in while supporting the front side on a piece of pipe or a vise. Why not pull them thru? Becausr it streaches the stud and also you cant tell if it is fully seated in the hub

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

not all lugs are pressed in... some are threaded in and locked with locktight

 

[Silvertip]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Why not pull them through with the nuts -- because they stretch the studs. I didn't say to exceed the torque spec for the stud and besides, it takes no more tension on the studs to pull them in than it does installing the wheel and torqueing the lug nuts. The marks left by the original splines are already there. If you have a press available by all means press them in as its faster. But pulling them in is not an issue.

 

[Bondo]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

But pulling them in is not an issue.

Ayuh,... Hope not,... I've been doin' it for 40 years that way,... No problems yet...

 

[dan t.]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

just because its been done that way doesnt mean its the right way,I wouldnt do it on my own and I wouldnt do it on a customers unless it was a single stud or a non removable hub. wheel nut torque on a 1/2 in stud is 100 lb, without a torrington bearing of some type between the hub and the nut it will take a lot more than that to pull a stud thru

 

[DuckOfDeath]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

I've always used a stack of washers on the new stud and then ratchet on the nut to press it into the hub completely.

 

[samagy16]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Wow guys, thanks for your input and response.

To be truthful I am a bit confused now, although I understand what most of you are saying, I thought this would be much simpler. I did not want to get into removing the hub, but I have concluded (by most of your responses) that it is necessary. Would it be a wise thing, since I need to remove the hub, to just replace all 4 hubs altogether? They already come with studs installed in them and I would be getting the peace of mind of brand new bearings in the process. I know the hub is easily removed by releasing the cotter pin and nut. Now, my question is, (I already know this is the more expensive route) do the bearings that come in the complete hub assemblies need to be packed with grease or do they already come packed?

Sorry about the ignorance, this is something that I know absolutely nothing about. I am for convenience and efficiency even if it costs me a bit more.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Yes they are already packed but i always add a little extra grease

New hubs,bearings,lugs and all...
Not that expensive.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200334722_200334722

 

[Silvertip]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

By your admission that you know nothing about this says you had best let a shop do the hub swap for you as well since a critical part of hub/bearing installation is getting the bearing pre-load correct. Screw that up and you will be replacing not only the hubs and bearings again, you will be looking for a wheel/tire/hub that went bye-bye and possibly looking for a new axle as well. Some of this stuff is simply not in the relm of some folks.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

I think you're getting way ahead of yourself on this project. Before you know it, you'll be pricing a new trailer. Is there a problem with just removing the lugs nuts and then making a command decision? You may decide that the removal process has cleaned up the studs to your liking.

 

[samagy16]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Gentlemen,

Thanks to all of you who have responded. I am trying to get this done myself, if that wasn't the case I would not have started this thread. I stated on my original post that I consider myself fairly handy but felt no need to really give full credentials. I wanted to get some info on what I could expect, not really on what I should or shouldn't be doing, with all due respect for those of you concerned.

It is my nature to want to learn to do something that I have never done before and this is one of those things. I have done and learned how to do much more complex work in the past, this seemed like a project that I could tackle myself and wanted to approach it as if I had zero knowledge on the subject. Thanks for all of your input.

Btw Pez Vela I already have a few studs that are damaged.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

I'd just get the whole new hub assembly like liked from Northern if the correct one is available...You can also get them at Tractor Supply.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

I think you should have no problem going the complete hub replacement route.

Pop the dust cover or bearing buddy off,remove the cotter pin,unscrew the nut and remove it and the washer,wipe all the old grease off the axle and pop the new hub on.
Tighten the nut down on the new hub just until snug,back it off just a bit and put the new cotter pin back in....

This is not rocket science....

You want the bearing just tight enough to not have any play. When jacked up with the tire and rim on it should turn freely but you should not feel any play if you pull or push on the wheel..

Plenty of threads here on Iboats about how to tighten bearings...

Its so easy a caveman could do it...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

you pull the bearing buddy by tapping around the side of it or cap by tapping a screw driver or flat chisel under the lip.... Then remove a cotter pin and one nut.... Next pull the hub off and decide whether to repack bearings or not.. If not cover with masking tape to keep clean..... you can knock all 5 studs out of most hubs with a hammer in under a minute.... then flip over and line up the new splines with the groves from the old splines if possible and drive the new ones in in a minute or two.... replace the bearings and seals or remove the tape and put it back together..... set bearing preload (depends on threads and bearing size) and put cap or bearing buddy back on.


Or you can do the job much more quickly with the hub on the trailer.... knock the old lugs out and the new ones in.... when knocking the lugs out put a small sledge against the hub next to the lug you are driving out and hit the lug with a medium ball peen or framing hammer.... when driving in again use the sledge to drive against....

Drive them flush by sight..... an experienced "hammerer" will recognize the change in sound and feel when the lug bottoms.... then install the wheels and apply never seize and torque your lugs to spec and retighten every few miles as needed until they don't loosen.... When I do this I VERY rarely have a loose lug but for a first timer you could expect to possibly have to tighten a few times

This is not the "right" way but does work very well

 

[samagy16]

Re: New replacement of studs and lug nuts

Gary H and Smokeonthewater great responses. Exactly what I was looking to read and very well explained.

Should be able to tackle this project this weekend or next and will let you know how it went.

Once again thanks to all that responded.