Joe Strickland

Ever have a bad day, and it just gets worse?

That's today for me.

All 5 of the bolts sheared off on the back drivers side hub. After a towing adventure, me and a friend got 4 of the broken bolts out of the hub pretty easy.


Number 5 is a different story. I was drilling the pilot hole for the easy out, and the broken bolt decided a rear exit was better than a front one.

The dammed thing unscrewed into the hub. It is now enjoying a short lived freedom in whatever is behind the hub.

The question is, what's back there?

I know the hub needs to come off, but I'm hoping there is an easier way, or its safe bouncing around in there for a while .


Thanks for any help.

ambit

I think it should have just fallen out of the back? Might be stuck against the rotor/caliper. At least on the fronts there is nothing 'behind' the wheel hub. Here is what the front looks like behind the rotor



I think the rears are the same? Look at these pics.

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/200...wheel_hub.html

Yidney

Not like the front. You parking brake is in there.

insame1

This /\

It is not ok for it to be in there.

Joe Strickland

I'm banging away on the rear rotor, it's not budging.

torx bolt out, parking brake off.

how do I get this thing loose to free my bolt-part buddy?

Yidney

I hear you. Once you have the torx bolt off, there is nothing holding the disc on besides rust, and mostly it's rust on the inner circumference of the hole where it fits over the hub. It can hold the disc way tighter than you can imagine that small surface could. If there is a trick, I do not know it - besides maybe PB Blaster left overnight. I hate removing discs unless I am replacing them, in which case I can use a small sledgehammer. But maybe somebody here knows a trick, or you can search online.

insame1

5lb mini sledge. You'll want to use a piece of wood between it and the rotor and tap on the top bottom left and right till it pops. Also it seems counter intuitive but hit it from the front (side closest to you).

beejAMG

its yrs of dirt and rust acting like metal weld. that piece of screw should not be there. hit the hub carefully from all edges until it loosens. it will...eventually.

Joe Strickland

Thanks for the tips. I'm thinking to set it on fire, and see if that helps. If not, at least I might have a chance to meet that cute female fire fighters I see over at the station.

Rudeney

If the rotor feels solidly stuck, then it's rust and you need to knock it loose with a hammer. use a wood block and hammer and tap both on the edges (up and down) and on the back (out). If it feels loose but "hung up", like on a spring, then the parking brake shoes will need to be retracted. This is just like working on an old fashioned drum brake system.

shadenfroh

There's a hole through which you can see the small gear for adjusting the parking brake. I imagine loosening it with a screwdriver wouldn't harm. When you're done I think the reverse procedure is to tighten it until the brake "bites" than back off four clicks (I've seen this in a youtube video, not WIS or anything).

Joe Strickland

Woo-hoo!

My miscreant bolt peice is free, and on its way to a happier place (actually, I threw it as far as I could down the street. I will probably run over it and get a flat tire).

I can now drive to the gas station to buy my Redbull and Snickers like a normal human.

If any of yall ever make it down to New Orleans, lunch is on me.

Seriously, come find me if you get down here.

icfreelynow@gmail.com

beejAMG

lol who are you Homer?