Advice for a stud

[4speedjim]

My '05 Gr Caravan has a few cross threaded wheel studs and one broken. I'm trying to replace the rear drum brake studs but cant find room to back out or install the new studs in the hub. Thought I could just hammer the old ones out and slide the new ones in and be on my way. My hub has no access holes in it if that matters at all. There doesn't seem to be clearance between the hub and backing plate or a hole to push the stud through.

 

[Aspen500]

Sorry to have to tell you but, you need to remove the bearing/hub assy to replace the stud. It's held in by 4 bolts from the backside. Don't forget to unplug the speed sensor also, if your van has ABS. Getting the bolts out isn't usually the bad part, it's getting the hub assy to come out of the axle upright, depending on how much rust (i.e. how much salt they use on the roads) it may about fall out or, it may seem welded in. The brake backing plate will want to come out with the hub, but doesn't have to. However, the same 4 bolts that hold the hub in also hold the backing plate in. If worse comes to worse, a new aftermarket hub assy can be had for $35-$50 for cheaper ones and $80-$100 for better ones.

 

[4speedjim]

Oh man! Thanks Aspen500. I was afraid of that! I'm near Buffalo where salt use is excessive and the damages are extensive. Buying a hub isn't a big deal, the extra time I can deal with too, but the corrosion... oh the corrosion! It loves to pee in my Cheerios! Sounds like a good job for the heat wrench. Thanks for your help and speedy reply. Its greatly appreciated.

 

[Aspen500]

If you have to heat it, I'd highly recommend replacing it now, vs a month from now. We used to use an air hammer and various methods to get hubs out, usually the front integrated hub assy's but after that they're unusable but in most cases they're being removed for replacement anyways. Won't help you any but we've got a tool now called "The Hub Knocker". Works like a champ and is also WAY quieter than an air hammer for 5, 10, 15 minutes trying to get the flippin' thing to break loose. Hopefully, yours won't be that bad. The rears on Caravans normally aren't that bad because the bore it fits into is fairly shallow.

The hub knocker attaches to 2 of the wheel studs and then you hit the end of it with a 5lb hammer, or more often than not, it take the sledge hammer a few whacks. It sort of levers the hub out of the bore. Every so often we get one that has to be tagged teamed. One guy can only swing a sledge hammer so many times before he can't anymore. Me and the other guys in the shop aren't getting any younger either, lol!

 

[4speedjim]

I thought maybe a slide hammer, but I like that tool. Your advice gives me hope I can do this in the driveway. Hate to ship 'er out for wheel studs. So wrong on so many levels.

 

[BudW]

Attached are pictures from my ’02 Minivan FSM (which should be identical to your ’05 Model).

BudW

 

[Aspen500]

The service manual shows them coming out with the hub attached to the vehicle but there isn't enough room to do it that way on an '05, unfortunately. Different hubs between an '02 and '05 that put the hub flange and brake backing plate closer together. Engineers, gotta love 'em!

 

[BudW]

I have a rear stud to replace on my ’02 (with rear disks) – which I plan on doing when performing a brake job (front and rear), pretty soon.

In my case, I have the rear drum parking brake shoes in my way (so even more fun than what 4speedJim, has).

My wife’s van is weird, kinda/sorta like Aspen500’s ’79 is. The front brake setup is for a car with rear drum brakes (which is a different setup than a car with rear disks). So to get brake parts I have to order rears for a car with rear disks and fronts for a car with rear drums.
Anyway.

I will not let a tire shop change my tires (or rotate, etc. – ever again). Three years ago (or so), a tire shop changed a tire due to road hazard - using impacts. The next day, that same tire came off of her van about 2 blocks from my home (total driven was 5 blocks sense tire install). All 5 lug studs were broken off. Being the front of van was on the ground in a small business parking lot, I went out to change the studs in the bitter cold weather – using an improvised large C-clamp. It took me about an hour to complete, including getting new studs for it (about the time it would take a tow truck to get there).

It ruined the front brake rotor having her drive on it a short distance to get car off of main road and into a parking lot. Not a biggie, sense new rotors are only about $40. Again, the front brake rotors are different on her van – depending if car has rear disks or drum brakes – even though both versions are the same diameter. The front studs were not exactly easy – but appears to be easier than rear ones would be.


In Jims case, he might have to remove the brake shoes first – but it should be doable. with it on vehicle.
BudW

 

[7T8 Custom]

You should have had it towed to the tire shop so they could fix it (including the towing bill) at their expense.

 

[BudW]

I do remember there was only one location the new stud could go in, without removal of the hub bearing – on the front. It was iratating having to rotate the hub to get to that location each time.

I do not remember what the drum brakes look like to comment about them – so it might require hub bearing removal, possibly.
The service manual says it can be done on car – but the FSM is not correct all of the time.
BudW

 

[Aspen500]

Exactly why lug nuts, or lug bolts, should always be torqued correctly, using a torque wrench or torque stick of the proper torque value. Those torque sticks you use with an impact are pretty much dead nuts accurate. With German lug bolts with ball seats, I use ONLY a torque wrench however.

Anyways,,,,,,,,,,,,those Caravans have so many brake options, especially the older ones. Is it steel or alloy wheels, 14", 15" or 16" wheels, disc/disc or disc/drum, 3.8L or 3.3L, certain years is it FWD or AWD.......Funnily enough, with all the front rotor options, they all take the same pad. Go figure.

 

[BudW]

I hadn’t used a torque wrench on lug nuts in a very long time. I have two 4-ways that I use. A huge one for my ¾ ton pickup. Using it – I’ve never caused a striped or damaged lug stud my entire life.

Now after another shop uses an impact on them (fairly sure torque sticks were not in their tool boxes) – I’ve mostly had problems afterwards.

I agree, those torque sticks are a wonder tool.
BudW