Just keep breaking them off

37chief · Jul 17, 2018

My son-in-law has a boat. Used mostly in salt water. He tried to remove a flat tire. I told him if the wheel bolts don't loosen up there is a chance they will break off. I showed him how to remove the rear hub. I heated the hub flange, and the lug bolts came out. Today he tried to loosen the other side lug bolts, broke two, and another must have come out some, the head is bent over. I wish he would had just waited. at least he is trying I guess. I am going to try and heating the hub, and weld a nut on what is left of the bolt. Never worked on anything that has been in salt water. Stan

rustred · Jul 17, 2018

an air impact wrench helps plus some penetrating oil. go back and forth a little at a time.

Steve@Advance · Jul 17, 2018

Be a good time to look everything else over under there.

Good chance the bearings have had water in them.

Look the spring shackle bolts over, be sure they aren't frozen. Look at the spring mounts for cracks in or near the welds, rusted frame components, the tongue, hitch, winch stand.

Salt water boat trailers are built heavier, hot dip galvanized. If it's a fresh water trailer there may not be much left!

DeltaRed · Jul 17, 2018

When he reassembles it,use abundant amounts of Anti-sieze on the threads.

donjr · Jul 17, 2018

...a boat with a flat tire???

d9gdon · Jul 17, 2018

Heat the bolt and then melt a candle so that it sucks the wax up into the threads. It will screw out easily when it cools.

ss55 · Jul 17, 2018

Overton's and others sell new hubs and complete hub assemblies.

MarkB_MI · Jul 18, 2018

Back in my yachting days, I kept my sportfisherman on a trailer. Anti-seize on the lug nuts/bolts is a must when launching in saltwater.

I'm a bit surprised your SIL's trailer has lug bolts rather than nuts. Certainly it's a bigger problem removing a broken bolt compared to a stud.

I suggesting heating the bolts rather than the hub. Heat applied to the stud is more effective, because there's less mass to heat. Also, you don't risk damaging the axle seal. Good luck getting those broken bolts out; your yachtsman SIL may have to spring for a new hub. But that's chump change for a yachtsman. If he complains about the cost, ask him how much his VHF or depth recorder cost.

Bob N.Y. · Jul 18, 2018

Imagine the joy of working on northeast vehicles that are in the road salt every winter.

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jul 18, 2018

(quoted from post at 07:08:21 07/18/18) Imagine the joy of working on northeast vehicles that are in the road salt every winter.

You don't work on them, you send them further south and sell them.

Just keep breaking them off

37chief

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rustred

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Steve@Advance

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DeltaRed

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donjr

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d9gdon

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ss55

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MarkB_MI

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Bob N.Y.

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john .?-!. cub owner

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