Mechanical help and advice needed on removing extremely frozen lug nut on 1971 VW Bus - Beyond Tiki

UL Uncle Laffo Member Atlanta Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 76	UL Uncle Laffo Posted posted on Thu, Jan 3, 2008 3:27 PM I know you've tried it, but heat, or a Reciprocating Saw is the only solution. Butane is not hot enough. It has to be a blow torch at least. PB Blaster can also take a coupla days to work. At this point you've wrecked the nut and possibly the stud. You can cut the nut off with a Saws All. Just cut it in half. Get a milk crate, lay the saw on it and approach the nut from the side at a 90 degree angle to the wheel face, saw through the flat, turn the saw over and do the other side. Pops off with a hammer. You'll have to have new studs pressed into the hub, which with the problem you're having, is a good idea anyway. I'd go as far as to say it's mandatory. The nut is not your main concern now. You can cut it off. Do you know what "Swaging" is? If not send me a personal message and I can explain what you need to know about the studs and such. It will depend on year and drum setup for your Bus. All light trucks, no matter the make or the year, pretty much have only a couple of different setups. Floating Hubs, non Floating Hubs, Etc. Drums brakes for German, American or whatever are all pretty similar. Do not have a Midas or someplace like that press out your studs! You'll be looking for new parts. I don't know about you but finding drums for my Ford E-100 is about impossible at this point. Laffo

I know you've tried it, but heat, or a Reciprocating Saw is the only solution. Butane is not hot enough. It has to be a blow torch at least. PB Blaster can also take a coupla days to work. At this point you've wrecked the nut and possibly the stud. You can cut the nut off with a Saws All. Just cut it in half. Get a milk crate, lay the saw on it and approach the nut from the side at a 90 degree angle to the wheel face, saw through the flat, turn the saw over and do the other side. Pops off with a hammer. You'll have to have new studs pressed into the hub, which with the problem you're having, is a good idea anyway. I'd go as far as to say it's mandatory. The nut is not your main concern now. You can cut it off. Do you know what "Swaging" is? If not send me a personal message and I can explain what you need to know about the studs and such. It will depend on year and drum setup for your Bus. All light trucks, no matter the make or the year, pretty much have only a couple of different setups. Floating Hubs, non Floating Hubs, Etc. Drums brakes for German, American or whatever are all pretty similar. Do not have a Midas or someplace like that press out your studs! You'll be looking for new parts. I don't know about you but finding drums for my Ford E-100 is about impossible at this point.
Laffo

Post #352772 by Uncle Laffo on Thu, Jan 3, 2008 3:27 PM