Broken Bolts at the Hub

out wheelin, i realized i was in 3wd.

i had been having problems with the bolts coming a bit loose that hold my warn hub locks to the _______ (don't know the name). i clean those bolts off and use locktite. but they pretty much ALWAYS back out, not even finger tight. so i look and they are all gone from this wheel. WTF?!?!?!

i pull some spare bolts out and try putting them in, but they wont thread in, at better sight i see that all 6 of these grade 5 bolts are sheared off. Damnit!

i'll try getting them all out with an ez out, but with my luck, this will be the only time the locktite got a bite and i won't get them. what is the name of the part i need to replace? the item that the warn hub bolts to-6 outer bolts.

 

You might try some heat from a propane torch. I do it all the time on pump inpeller bolts that were put on with loctite.
Andrew

 

I've had the exact same problem. Usually the bolts come out pretty easy as they have been slammed back and forth in the bolt holes before they actually break off. I tried everything to keep them tight. The only solution that has worked for me was to use studs and use nuts on the outside to hold the locking hubs on. If you look closely at the bolt holes you can see that they are back bored (no threads) at the outside edge. That area allows the bolts to move back and forth slightly under pressure. And there is lots of pressure there. If you use a stud, the collar on the stud fills that area and voila! They stay tight. The studs I use were coarse on one end, fine on the other. The coarse threads into the hub. I used lock washers on the outside under the nuts (fine thread) and they haven't come loose in two years. I used two nuts jammed together to tighten the stud into the hole and used red lock tite on the studs as well. Do this and you'll never have a problem again.

 

I agree with Posimoto. Make sure you clean the threads out with a good tap first and get ALL the debris out. Spray brake cleaner works well. I use aircraft style pinch nuts or nylon locking nuts with flat washers so I don't chew up my hub body's. Used that set up on my FF in rear for about 12=15 years with never any loosening or shearing.

 

you need the kind of washers with 2 tabs that you can fold over to hold the bolt from spinning out. thats what they used from the factory. or you can drill a small hole in the head of each one and safety wire them

 

If you can't get them out, you can always send it to me to fix. It might or it might not be cost effective.

 

if you have drums , I have a set for you. and do the stud trick works great, ,,,OIIIO

 

i do have drum brakes in the front still. thanks for the help all. VERY helpful. definately gonna use the stud trick. really makes sense, and nylock nuts.

steve, i'll try to hook up with you soon.

i did locate a complete d30 axle with drums for $100 about 70 miles away. he said it was narrow track out of a 74 or 76 cj7. my understanding is that this is the same axle, correct? if so, i was thinking for the complete axle of spare parts, this is a good deal?

thanks again for all the info

 

'76 was the first year of the CJ7 AFAIK.
As long as everything is in good shape, and nothing is missing, its a good deal.

 

The only difference between '74 (or '73) and '76 drum brake axle will be the factory ratios, and whether the drums are finned or not. The '76 axle may have a heavier gauge tube (I recall Jeep changed the 30 tube thickness around 1975).

 

new question. wicked needs a hub . I have 10" brakes with the 6 bolt hubs here doing no good that I will never use. but........ the hub is pressed onto the 10" drum ,will they work on his 11" set up. what has to be done ,do we press it off throw away the drums and his drums will fit without pressing????????? they are free.