Trailer woes

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elf

Well-known member
So I took somebodies advice from here and decided to do some long overdue trailer maintenance. I usually pack bearings every other year but had missed the last few years. So I got after it last week. Had a lot of trouble getting stuck lug nuts off, finally just took each wheel and hub completely off. Then used a breaker bar and pipe to get all the lugs off. Spun one stud so I ground that off to remove the tire. Once I had it all apart I decided to blast the hubs and wheels and repaint them. With that all done, bearings all repacked, new seals in place, new stud installed in the one hub, I put her all back together.
This weekend we head to the cabin and brought the trailer with so we could aul back some wood. After I load it I check the tires again, all the lugs are nice and tight. About a mile from home, its about 80 miles to the cabin, I look in the mirror and think it's strange I can't see the front tire on the drivers side. Get the rest of the way home and look and it is gone. Broke the lug studs off. Don't know for sure what caused it but am thinking the force I put on it to remove the lugs maybe weakened them. The nice thing to know is that the trailer pulls fine missing a wheel. Now though I debate replacing all the studs on it.
 
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edmarino

New member
Well, if the other studs stayed on, then they probably are ok. I do hope you put never sieze on the studs when you put it back together so the nuts come off next time. I just did mine and I put longer closed end nuts so the thread is not exposed to get rusty. I looked at hub caps but they covered the air valves, besides the nuts were cheaper then the hubcaps.
 
yamadooed

yamadooed

Active member
Use an airchisel with a punch replace all the studs on the hub and then buy some new nutz install with silver anticheeze on the threads and torque to specs mine were 85ft lbs... After that drive it for a couple miles then retorque lugnutz... (torque wrench is not optional)
 
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lvr1000

New member
I always paint the studs (and hub/drum) before putting the nuts back on. Use to use anti seize until almost lost a wheel many a years back.
 
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wags

New member
You only need a dab of antiseize, if you paint it on you are asking for trouble. Just like anything else too much is not always a good thing.
 
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ubee

New member
you picked a fine time to leave me loosewheel!!anti-sieze not good for lug nut threads
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edmarino

New member
I agree with yamadooed you have to torque the wheel nuts properly and recheck them after a run. Nuts will come off if not correctly torqued, if you use anti sieze.
 
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elf

Well-known member
I don't think the wheel nuts not being torqued properly was the issue. Although I didn't use a torque wrench, I did recheck the lugs before leaving the cabin with a lug wrench and they were as tight as I could get them. All five studs actually broke off on the wheel and they are broken off into the hub material. So I'm wondering if the force I had to use to remove the lugs initially weakened the studs. If that is the case, should I replace studs on all 4 wheels, not just the one that they broke off on.
 
snowfish

snowfish

Member
Studs broken off at the hub is a good indication of an Over Torque Lug. The condition was aggravated by the force required to remove the wheel in the first place. "As tight as you can get it" could feasibly be in the 200ftlb+ range, depending on the wrench used and condition of your body. That's way too much.

65-90ftlbs should be perfect for most of the trailers that we run. If you've never used a torque wrech, you'll be amazed at how loose 90ftlbs feels! (Geo Metro lugs are only torqued to 40ftlbs. Now that feels almost like finger tight) I'll post a recommend torque spec per wheel size, when I get to the office, if you like.

It's not the answer, that you want to hear, but you probably should replace all of the studs. Anti seaze is not recommended. Best way is to protect the exposed stud. Acorn Nuts are the best answer. About a buck, or so, each. And they look pretty. At least when they're new.

Every SledHead, GearHead, TrailerGuy, etc Needs a Torque Wrench. If you're waiting for Santa to bring one, ask for both kinds. Foot Pounds and Inch Pounds. Use 'em or loose it. Cheers
 
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elf

Well-known member
Ubee,
If I turned the guys at the shop loose on it I'd have a enclosed trailer with a retractable roof and a hydraulic arm the just lifted each sled on and off the trailer with controls in the cab of the truck. While that sounds great, the trailer would also weigh about 40,000 lbs, need a generator on it to power the hydraulic pump, have a 20' outrigger spread, and I'd need a Kenworth to pull it. Other than that, I'm all for it!
 
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