Yesterday i was pulling up to a traffic light and my steering wheel starts wobbling back and forth. I pull over and look around the car to find that my front passenger side wheel is crooked <img border="0" src=smileys/smiley3.gif border="0">
So i go ahead and take the lugnut cover off and there halfs of 3 lugnuts fall out! <img border="0" src=smileys/smiley7.gif border="0">
So i had to wait in freezing cold for the tow truck and now i dont have a car. Now, is there any way to get out the other halfs of those 3 lugnuts that are still screwed in or do i have to replace the whole thing? and if the latter then how much would it cost and what parts do i need?<edited><editID>Firestarter1984</editID><editDate>37919.8653703704</editDate></edited>

 

You mean the lugnuts snapped and half of it was left in the hub on the car? Man that sucks. Maybe you can drill them out. I have seen a machinist backwards drill and tap into a larger snapped bolt so that a smaller bolt could be screwed into it. Then as it tightened it would actually take the other bolt out if you get my meaning.

 

i've tried doing that today
got the craftsman broken nuts removal kit, but when i drilled a hole in one lugnut and then put the thing that removed the nuts in the hole and started tightening it the tool just broke off

 

deppending on if you have the same setup as me 97 A4, im pretty sure 96-98 is the same and the brakes/hub assembly might still be the same on latter models too.</P>


This is assuming you have enough of the lug bolt protruding. I would get a big pair of vise grips and try to take it out with those if it dosnt stick out past the brake rotor remove the caliper but leave the brake line attached you should now be able to remove the rotor. hopefully you have enough get a hold of it if you cant get a grip on it try grinding a flat spot on the bottom and top. be very careful not to grind anything important. this should give you enough of a grip so that it wont slide off if you cant get enough leverage at this point you should be able to get a wrench on the flat spots and use a pipe to extend your lever.use liquid wrench or simmilar product liberally(try to wipe this off the surface your trying to grip as it would be counter productive). try holding the hub from spining with the remaining lugbolts instaled and a pipe or wrench between them</P>


at least thats the way i would do it ,but hey man its your car!<IMG src=smileys/smiley2.gif border="0">You decide</P>


Ohh yeah and craftsman sucks and Bob veilas a homo(but i mean that in the nicest posible way<IMG src=smileys/smiley4.gif border="0">)</P><edited><editID>SlimChriz</editID><editDate>37922.0265277778</editDate></edited>

 

dude, that craftsman tool blows chunk...
The machinist I saw do it was using a titanium alloy bolt pin so I guess he could torque the hell out of it.

Did you remove the rotor? Might give you some extra room to work with. Your in a tight spot, man. If Chriz' idea doesnt work then you may have to bring it to a pro - I'm sure someone has had this same problem.

good luck

 

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Another word of advice if your not confident of your ability to fix the problem dont grind to much off the bolt. also you could try grinding the bolt into a hex like pattern and try hammering a socket on like werks said, but i wouldnt recomend hammering a socket on the broken shaft of the nut without doing this</P>


Also excessive hammering can and will alter suspension settings on most cars ie... alinement,camber,ect..... if the car pulls to one side or handles different affter check the alinment.</P>

 

Did you get your lugs out yet???

 

yeah, i had to take it to a mechanic and he replaced the hub, back on the road since saturday?