SNAPPED WHEEL BOLT....HELP PLEASE.

[macumlad]

I have managed to snap one of my front wheel bolts whilst tightening it up. It does not protrude from the back of the hub & has snapped clean off with the front face of the hub so theirs no way of getting it out.
Does anyone know if its a major job to replace the hub as i have now snapped 4 drill bits & 2 stud extractors trying to get it out?

Any help would be appreciated?

Cheers. Glenn / Sunny Sunderland.

[trem1]

can you take a photo?? it will help. dont they just knock out ie: hit it through the hub and a new one goes in from behind, so the tightening of the the nut pulls it in

[macumlad]

Thanx Trem but its the threaded part of the bolt which has snapped within the threaded part of the hub.

Will try take piccies tomorrow mate.

[HimBigChief]

Could you cut a groove into the end of the bolt and use an impact driver to try to get it out that way? Alternatively, a front hub assembly is relavtively easy to fit, but you will need to get the tracking checked afterwards as it is likely to have altered.

[jasper5]

Did the bolt screw in easily before it snapped?
If it screwed in easily it should be quite easy to get out.
Soak it in WD40 or releasing fluid, get yourself a very sharp centre punch, Punch in a dent at the edge of the broken thread and knock the broken thread round until you can get something on the thread.
If you cross threaded the bolt and it was tight going in, you will need to borrow a heavy slide hammer which bolts onto the hub using the other wheel bolts, you slam the sliding hammer part backwards towards yourself and pull out the hub flange (not easy).If you can't do this then remove the whole hub assembly and take it somewhere that has a press to press out the hub centre and get the bolt drilled out on a pedestal drill.
I doubt if you would have cross threaded it so i'm confident it will come out fairly easy with the centre punch and a hammer.

[poddack]

I managed to do this with a drill bit and a stud extractor 18 months ago, managed to cross thread the hole though. I replaced the whole hub assembly (local scrapper £30) in the end.

[Bailes1992]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... &width=800

[Archangel]

a smear of copper grease on threads of wheel bolts helps for removal when required without them undoing themselves .

[FarmerPug]

try and weld on a bolt to the broken nut, then it might screw out with the new bolt, or else drill two smaller holes beside eachother on the nut, then file/cut at a flathead screwdriver so it fits into these small holes and it will hopefully grip it and turn it out

[macumlad]

Eventually needed to replace hub which was a real real pain in the bum but now its sorted.

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

[gumby6371]

Glad you've sorted it but for future ref I did exactly the same thing on mine, a nice chunky bolt welded onto the snapped stud did the trick for me and was very quick and painless, not to mention free

Of course you'll need to take care not to weld the bolt to the hub but I'm sure we all realise that bit dont we ?

[Blackbob]

You don't even need to weld on a bolt or nut, just gradually build up a lump of weld on the end of the broken stud (inside or outside of hub, whichever's easiest), when it gets to about the size of a pea you can grip/turn it with mole grips.. I find you're less likely to weld everything solid.. And i always use grease or oil on wheel studs, don't worry they never come loose.. And always tighten em with whatever wheelbrace you carry in the car, that way you don't find you can't get the wheel off when you've got a puncture in the rain/snow/dark