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Judging by your picture I would expect the threads past the beginning to look worse if the hub was damaged. I would try screwing in a new lug by hand without the wheel on. If it goes in easily I suspect everything is OK.
I can get it back on but it's very tight....is it a tough job to replace the hub?
It can be pretty tough. You will need to remove a few suspension parts, so you'll need a good ball joint remover. You also need a new wheel bearing, so you'll need special tools (like the SIR tools, but they are kind of pricey) AND access to a shop press. I just did one rear wheel bearing and hub and it took me 2 weekends - because I had to buy another bearing because I made a rookie mistake on the install.
Parts will be around $400 for the new hub, new bearing, a cover plate, some screws. SIR tools are like $500 for the basic set you can get by with. I borrowed a press. Ball joint tool was like $30 at HF (and it worked great!). Time was around 3 hours all in. Also, you'll need an alignment after it's all said and done.
Here's the guide I used. If you have the tools and inclination, it's a good DIY project. But, for one lug, I would try to retap, then I would try a time-sert, then I would try wheel studs (press in or screw in (which you might be able to get for a re-tapped hub), and only after all else fails, I would try a new hub...
Thanks TD...that's what I'm thinking....RSS has a greed to replace the damaged lug bolt so off to HF to get the TAP...I know I can get the lug bolt in now but what concerns me if I can't get it out at some point.
I'm in the try the tap and die solution first camp - it's easier and should be sufficient. I've done this many times on bolts equal to or worse than your pic but you need to cut both the hub socket and the wheel bolt to ensure proper fit. It should be a M14 x1.5 (standard pitch not narrow) but of course verify with a good bolt first. Use the cutting oil as noted and tap and die both the wheel bolt and hub from the same tap and die set. Take it slow and easy, and be as precise as you can, work both the tap & die back and forth (on and off the threads) over small distances eventually covering the full threaded length - should work out fine. Afterwards assuming successful cutting, you may wish to mark the wheel bolt and hub socket to ensure you always replace the bolt into the same hub socket - may not be an issue, but it adds to the safety. Also probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, clean off all cutting oil from wheel bolt and hub. I use denatured alcohol and a grease remover. Otherwise the wheel bolt will back out at some point.
Thanks for the advice...I have a replacement bolt on the way and my local indie suggested we try a thread chaser which I did. I was able to get a bolt in there however that bolt will not go in any of the other holes so your advice of keeping the bolt matched to the hole is well taken. So I think it's going to be OK without changing the hub...it's not like I take the wheels off every week...normally a couple of times a year to clean the calipers.
My indie took a look at the threads and the first few in the hub are gone and there are some inside that are damaged too...on the advice of others I'm going to replace the hub....so my question is, do I have to take the bearing out to do this?
All of the DIY's are for replacing the bearing..I just want to replace the hub.
These machined wheel hubs are just ****ty. For a $100-200k car, wish these where hand tapped.
But, this happened to me also. Just go buy a 14 x 1.5 tap with some oil (i used trans fluid) and chase all the taps. I did and man, there was so much crap on the tap. I had to go slow. But now I can hand thread all the wheel bolts with no friction against it.
02-22-2017, 10:00 PM
