Car ppl: Hubby's trying to do something dumb....(I think)

[cjeanean]

I just posed on here about a problem that my husband found out he had with his truck. The rear tire has only been held on with ONE lugnut, the other 5 snapped off at the wheel stud. Now, since he can't find anyone to replace the wheel studs for cheap, he wants to put the tire back on with only 6 threads left on the wheel stud. I don't think 6 threads is enough to hold the lugnut on (5 of the wheel studs only have the 6 threads, one has all of them) but he seems to think that it'll be enough. He drives on the highway every day, and I'm worried that he's gonna get killed trying to drive on the tire that way. Can someone help me??? He won't listen to my opinion, and I'm really worried. Thanks!

 

[English Chick]

Oh dear that is such a bad idea - dont know what a lugnut is but it does not sound good - his safety and others on the road must come first - Hope you can talk sense into him Cjean.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Ooops! Sorry, I read that wrong, so I deleted my other reply.
Has he gone to a junk yard to look for a used but complete assembly that he needs? The junk yard would probably remove his and put theirs on in its place.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Hurry, go out there and break the last one off and then grin at him and say "I win....

Get it fixed!". I suggest a sledgehammer, maybe even the back of an axe. Please be sure he gets out of the way before you start swinging!

It really is a bad idea! Joe said it right, "whatever it was it's bound to happen again"..

-Kim

 

[cjeanean]

Quote:
He's an accident waiting to happen. Something (?) cause the other five lugnuts to break off; the same thing is BOUND to happen to the sixth. Do WHATEVER it takes to stop him from driving that truck; he could kill himself and any number of other people. Call the police if you have to.

Apparently the other lugnuts had either not been tightened all the way the last time the truck was worked on or someone loosened them trying to steal his rims. I don't know which it is, but there was nothing wrong with the truck any other way. I just don't think that 6 threads will be enough, no matter how tightened the lugnut is!!! Does anyone know how to change wheel studs??? I'll do it myself if I have to!!!

 

[cjeanean]

Quote:
getting it fixed wouldn't be a problem if we weren't flat broke....we have 2 other cars, one needs an alternator ($140 + $60 core) and the other needs work on the suspension) but we don't have the money for it.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It is going to be much more expensive if he gets hurt or killed, or even hurts or kills someone else. A totalled truck and hospital bills are going to be a hellofalot more expensive than just getting it fixed correctly, or even learning to do it yourself.

I know your situation, I'm just pointing out a harsh truth.

-Kim

 

[kstaven]

Does he know that most of those wheel studs can be hammered out and a new one inserted from the back and pulled into place with the wheel nut?

Hammer and a wrench is normally all one needs to replace them on many vehicles.

If the threads are bad I would not be trusting my life to them. Studs could be pressure stressed and prone to shearing at this point. I say this because I was dumb enough to do exactly what your husband is suggesting about 20 years ago. They let go after about two days of driving.

 

[cjeanean]

Quote:
it's only gonna be about $20 for the wheel studs and lugnuts, that's not the problem. Apparently the only way to change the wheel studs is to drop the rear end, which I have no clue how to do. I'm gonna try calling around tomorrow to see how much a mechanic would charge to do it, and if it's gonna be more than $100 I think I'm just gonna get my alternator fixed. So, the million dollar question: is 6 threads enough to hold the lugnuts on??? Remember, 5 of the wheel studs have only 6 threads, and one stud has all of them.

Never mind, kstaven answered that one for me....darn it, I don't know what to do....he has school tomorrow and is dead set that he's not gonna miss, but I told him I would rather he went to work rather than school at this point. I'm so frustrated!!! So kstaven, you've changed wheel studs before??? He's got a 2000 ford f-150 1/2 4wd, and HE claims the rear end has to be dropped....I haven't seen it yet....

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I would say "No!".

-Kim