Snapped hub bolt

May 31, 2005 8 Replies
D

I have a 95 escort & was removing the hub by removing the four rear bolts that secure the hub carrier/spindle. One of the bolts snapped when I was attempting to undo it. I didn't have much time, so I have just put the other 3 bolts back for now. Wish I'd have just removed the hub the old fashioned way by removing the bearing. My questions are,


1) What would be the easiest way to remove the broken stud.
2) Would it be easier to just go down the scrappy & get a new spindle assy?
3) Are 3 bolts safe enough for now, my wheel isn't likely to fall of is it?
4) My original motive for removing the hub is to investigate the problem with the handbrake. It is taking about 14 clicks, & the adjuster at the leaver is adjusted to it's limit. Is this a common problem for escorts, & what is the problem likely to be (I was just planning to change the shoes first as the car's done 80K since I last changed them)

Thanks in advance



Dave



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M

With the hub off it will be quite easy to drill through the bolt from the broken off side, this will tend to wind the bolt back through the hole anyway, you may find that just drilling it through with progressively larger drills will remove it, if there is a bit of stud showing, you can get mole grips on to help it. If these bolts are removed each service as they should be then they never get stuck. Probably the self adjuster mechanism or relay arm has seized as obviously it has not been inspected and serviced recently.

mrcheerful

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D

My experience has been that they are interference fit, not threaded through the plate, so it won't be possible to wind it back. As you only need to remove the threaded section of the bolt, I'd drill through from the front-much easier access. The wheel will be happy with three bolts as a temporary measure. (The old brain teaser, "On a dark, rainy country road, a man has a puncture. When he removes the wheel nuts they roll away and disappear down a drain. How does he solve the problem). DaveK.

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M

if the head only of the bolt has come off then there will be plenty of stub to grab and twist, if the hub will come off. my guess is that the bolt has broken closer the threads though, so the hub should come off easily.

mrcheerful

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T

Takes one of each of the other wheels.... rememebering his mistake.

>
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S

(The old

Asks the AA to bring a strong magnet and string?

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M

Why remove the hub this way??

I always remove the large 30mm nut & take the drum off.

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C

1) It avoids the risk of dirt contamination to the bearings

2) It avoids the risk of damage to the grease seals

3) It leaves the back plate free of obstruction, making it *much* easier to remove/replace the shoes and self adjust mech.

4) It avoids the (possibly inexperienced) use of a torque wrench.

5) It avoids having to purchase a new hub nut.

Reasons enough for me.....

YMMV!

Chris

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