Hope someone can help with advice.

My 2002 Mk3 Mondeo estate has broken a front coil spring. When I started to work on the car I couldnt get some of the front wheel nuts off. They were super tight so I had to use an extension bar. I felt the nuts starting to turn and thought great ! However this turned out to be short lived when I realised they were turning but not unscrewing.

A glance on the back of the hub has revealed that the wheel studs are turning with the nut (ie. the wheel stud splines have stripped !!!

Tried drilling the studs through the middle of the wheel nuts from the outside but getting nowhere fast. Cant easily get at the back of the stud and not much to get hold of anyway (eg with mole grips etc).


Anyone got any ideas ????

PS. it also looks like when the wheel is eventually off, I wont just be able to knock out the wheel studs as the upright (or steering knuckle whatever its called) is in the way !!! Is this right ??

Can you get someone to put a couple of tack welds on the back of the stud so you can undo the nuts?

As said a tack weld on the back or drill down the side of the buts on opposite side and split the nut off with a sharp chisel . Don't forget to check the other wheels

steel or alloy wheels, alloy probably.

if steel you could put some heat into the nut,

you could also tack the back of the stud to the hub to stop it turning. You might be looking at new hubs anyway if the stud hole are knackered so welding the stud might be the easiest way. Hope you get it sorted


EDIT
Damn, way too slow

[Edited on 8/3/09 by liam.mccaffrey]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I dont own a welder so might have to look for a friendly local welder to help. I had thought of this idea but hoped there might be some other way that I could do myself.

Unfortunately alloy wheels fitted so I cant use heat on the nuts.

Cheers

Angus