Weekend Vent and Pointers Needed

[GoaterAz]

For those with some time to kill…

Last weekend I attempted to remove the front right wheel. Five lug nuts came off (with some force from a breaker bar) but the remaining lug nut was just spinning the stud. It's been literally 5+ years since they have been removed. So, I put the 5 nuts back on and I drove down to my local shop to see if they have any ideas on removing the nut (i.e. cutting it off etc). Keep in mind, this shop is less than a mile from my house. Upon arrival at the shop, 4 of the nuts that I literally just tightened minutes earlier where now finger tight.

The shop was closing but they took a look and told me that something in the hub assembly may have disintegrated and they couldn't really guarantee they wouldn't do damage to the wheel when attempting to break the stuck nut.

Being so close to home and given the shop was now closed, I just needed to get the truck back home. I tried to tighten the four loosey goosey nuts, they would get to snug and then literally just spin each stud…all four of them. At this point, I figured since I got down there…I could probably get back. The plan was to just take it slow and steady…shortly after leaving the shop's parking lot, the front right side of my truck started to bounce and made a god-awful grinding noise, the front right wheel felt like it was square, this must be what Fred Flintstone has to deal with. I pull over and noticed that 2 lug nuts jumped ship and there was no way I was driving home. Called a tow truck and $80 later…she's home.

Anywho, my disc brake conversion is coming sooner that I had planned, lol. I was reading the Gumby build thread and I decided to just take off each front assembly as a whole (I will be pricing out Porterbuilt tubular control arms). The only thing holding me back from taking off the passenger side assembly is the brake line. I am working with limited tools but I went down and bought some flare wrenches and I'm still just rounding out the brake line nut…I've also tried several rounds of PB Blaster and a vice grip…no luck.

So, my question is…any tips on removing this guy?



Or I could remove it at the drum, but keep in mind, I can't get the wheel off…is this removable from the back? It doesn't look like I can.

[jhama78]

Do your wheels have hub cap or center caps that are removable with the wheel on the truck? You could possibly remove the grease cap and wheel bearing nut from the from wheel bearings and pull everything off as an assembly

then you could get to the back side of the wheel studs.

[jhama78]

Ive also had good luck with using vice grips on stripped/rounded brakeline fittings, just make sure that you have them extra tight so they wont slip any further.

[R.L.]

+1 on the vice grips if a tubing wrench doesn't work, your going to replace that breakline any way try taking the whole hose off and replace it now, if its old enough to be that stuck on how much life could it have left in it any way? Go around to the other side and put some penetrating oil on that line now so when your ready you wont have this trouble over there too.

[GoaterAz]

Originally Posted by jhama78

Do your wheels have hub cap or center caps that are removable with the wheel on the truck? You could possibly remove the grease cap and wheel bearing nut from the from wheel bearings and pull everything off as an assembly

then you could get to the back side of the wheel studs.

They do have center caps, but unfortunately they are installed from behind the wheel.

Originally Posted by jhama78

Ive also had good luck with using vice grips on stripped/rounded brakeline fittings, just make sure that you have them extra tight so they wont slip any further.

I suppose I should just keep on trying that (more PB and vice grips), the nut is far more damaged now than in that picture. I won't be reusing it.

Are the nuts on the brake line replaceable? Because if they aren't and the whole line is going to need to be replaced, I could try to cut through the rubber hose portion and try to remove that brake line at the master cylinder.

[GoaterAz]

Originally Posted by R.L.

+1 on the vice grips if a tubing wrench doesn't work, your going to replace that breakline any way try taking the whole hose off and replace it now, if its old enough to be that stuck on how much life could it have left in it any way? Go around to the other side and put some penetrating oil on that line now so when your ready you wont have this trouble over there too.

Lol, I was quoting Jhama when you posted…that was my plan B.

I'm wondering if that's what I'm going to do, how is that brake line attached to the crossmember? It almost looks like there is a metal shim between the hard and soft line.

[hounddogs!]

Originally Posted by GoaterAz

how is that brake line attached to the crossmember? It almost looks like there is a metal shim between the hard and soft line.

The assembled fitting goes through a big hole in that tab. The 'shim' is basically an e-clip to keep the fitting from pulling back through.

[leddzepp]

Vice grips on the nut. An $8 harbor freight butane torch is also very helpful in heating up and breaking loose connections.

[Tinkermc]

You may need to invest in some tools, if you like Craftsman they usually have real good sales at this time of year.

[terry b]

Cut the steel line with side cutters and drive a six point scocket on it with a hammer. Then turn it out. Nock the fitting out of the scocket from the back side.

[RustySunShine]

Wow I just went through that a few years ago. I had to tack weld the stud to the hub to keep it from moving.
Vice grips and a hammer.. clamp the vice grips on the flare and hit it
with a hammer.. works every time..

Another quick tip.. take a chisel and cut the two shoe hold down pins from the back, it will save you time.

[JointTech]

ugh, i would do everything I could to not cut the steel line. Flaring that under the truck is going to really suck. Its bad enough in a vice.
I'd go with heat and vice grips. If you are doing any brake work you should replace the rubber hoses anyway so cut it off to get it out of your way.

[PanelDeland]

Put a wrench on the hose side of the bulkhead fitting and vice grips on the rounded off nut.You'll need to pull the line and either replace it or have it trimmed and double flared.You can go ahead and cut the rubber hose.The disc brake kit requires new hoses anyway.

[GoaterAz]

Thank you for the responses guys, there were several ideas that I would have never thought of.

To keep the ball rolling, I decided to just cut the rubber portion of the brake line to continue with the surgery. I was able to remove both sides in about 5 hours (with hand tools and PB Blaster, lol). Most of the time was spent degreasing and cleaning etc. I'm learning a lot about patience…and the importance of leverage haha.

After deciding on a stance (around 5 front, 7 rear static) and learning about the lack of ground clearance of the lower control arm and front crossmember at that ride height…I am now doing research on Porterbuilt Dropmembers with Coilovers. Stay tuned for a 'how do I remove the front crossmember with a wrench' thread…haha.

Anywho, I know I love looking at any picture of these trucks…here are a couple:

[Tom Vogel]

To everybody who intends to work on brake line fittings... An old mechanic told me years ago to invest in a set of Snap On tubing wrenches. Couldn't believe how much they cost, but I never rounded off another tubing nut.

[Daner]

I don't have a set of tubing wrenches so I use a torch liberally. It's worked for me so far. Heat and cool repeat. If it's really bad a torch with oxygen is faster.

[Grumpy old man]

extensive testing was done on tractorbynet a forum for serious tractor and equipment owners on all the top name rust lubricants KROIL/wd30/pb blaster/ liquid wrench etc etc and after much testing using torque wrenches and dial indicators the absolute best no holds barred rusted nut and bolt treatment was a HOME MADE 50:50 mixture of automatic trans fluid and acetone it worked better faster and cheaper than all the rest !And us tractor guys are constantly dealing with rust and corrosion on hard working plows "wheel lugs" and high pressure lines !

[zicc1835]

lets see the rest of that truck .....looks good

Originally Posted by GoaterAz

Thank you for the responses guys, there were several ideas that I would have never thought of.

To keep the ball rolling, I decided to just cut the rubber portion of the brake line to continue with the surgery. I was able to remove both sides in about 5 hours (with hand tools and PB Blaster, lol). Most of the time was spent degreasing and cleaning etc. I'm learning a lot about patience…and the importance of leverage haha.

After deciding on a stance (around 5 front, 7 rear static) and learning about the lack of ground clearance of the lower control arm and front crossmember at that ride height…I am now doing research on Porterbuilt Dropmembers with Coilovers. Stay tuned for a 'how do I remove the front crossmember with a wrench' thread…haha.

Anywho, I know I love looking at any picture of these trucks…here are a couple:

[GoaterAz]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

extensive testing was done on tractorbynet a forum for serious tractor and equipment owners on all the top name rust lubricants KROIL/wd30/pb blaster/ liquid wrench etc etc and after much testing using torque wrenches and dial indicators the absolute best no holds barred rusted nut and bolt treatment was a HOME MADE 50:50 mixture of automatic trans fluid and acetone it worked better faster and cheaper than all the rest !And us tractor guys are constantly dealing with rust and corrosion on hard working plows "wheel lugs" and high pressure lines !

Interesting stuff...

Originally Posted by zicc1835

lets see the rest of that truck .....looks good

No problem, I know I love looking at ANY pics of these trucks.

The body is silly straight, the only real issue is the front fenders on both sides have rust in the normal location. Well that…and it currently doesn't have front wheels lol.

Now I'm just budgeting out the 'wants vs. needs'...

[zicc1835]

very nice.......thanks

[franken]

Maybe a crazy idea or the problem is solved, but I'd try turning the steering wheel to push on the lug and impact the nut off.

[bigmac73]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

extensive testing was done on tractorbynet a forum for serious tractor and equipment owners on all the top name rust lubricants KROIL/wd30/pb blaster/ liquid wrench etc etc and after much testing using torque wrenches and dial indicators the absolute best no holds barred rusted nut and bolt treatment was a HOME MADE 50:50 mixture of automatic trans fluid and acetone it worked better faster and cheaper than all the rest !And us tractor guys are constantly dealing with rust and corrosion on hard working plows "wheel lugs" and high pressure lines !

Methyl salicylate (Oil of winter green) same stuff used in vicks, ben gay, linement and PB blaster, it will eat the rust up been using it for 20 years in the navy as a penetrate oil,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_salicylate

[Grumpy old man]

acetone evaporates fast and causes a drawing action to bring the trans fluid in as a thin lubricant , I didn't see any uses for winter green oil as a rust buster ?? on wikipedia ? I'll have to try it and see if it does anything ??

[bigmac73]

give it a shot, just dont rub your eyes or spill it on your crotch...

[Grumpy old man]