Seized driver rear lug studs (axle replacement?)

[DrZ3ke]

Good afternoon Jeepers!

Bit of a back story, I was a "sucker born every minute" a couple years ago when I thought I got a great deal on a 2000 TJ Sport. I have since learned that not only is the phrase, "you get what you pay for" accurate... sometimes you don't even get that. Link below to my old build thread I need to update...

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-have-i-gotten-myself-into.79040/

Anyway... I'm slowly working my way through the problems and making this beast dependable. The next thing on my list is the driver rear lug studs. Two of them are completely seized. I've tried everything I can think of and research to get them out and have pretty well accepted I'll have to buy a new axle. Main question is this, if I replace the driver axle do I need to replace the passenger as well?

 

[Gilaguy23]

Its really easy to pull the axles. Do that and then punch or press them out and get new studs pressed in., easy doins.

 

[Tronner]

Heat? BFH? When I did my axle studs many moons ago, I usually hit them with some heat and then a hammer with a Lug nut still on. since it appears yours are broken I think hitting them with a good quality punch after some heat would help them come out.

 

[DrZ3ke]

Heat? BFH? When I did my axle studs many moons ago, I usually hit them with some heat and then a hammer with a Lug nut still on. since it appears yours are broken I think hitting them with a good quality punch after some heat would help them come out.

I've tried heat, BFH, air chisel, as you can see even drilled a center hole out. Don't want to beat too much more on it and damage the differential.

 

[Tronner]

I've tried heat, BFH, air chisel, as you can see even drilled a center hole out. Don't want to beat too much more on it and damage the differential.

Only other thing I can think of is pulling the Shaft, Use a Ball joint press or a shop press and press them out that way. Sucks when a simple 20 minute job turns into an Ordeal. My condolences.

 

[DrZ3ke]

Only other thing I can think of is pulling the Shaft, Use a Ball joint press or a shop press and press them out that way. Sucks when a simple 20 minute job turns into an Ordeal. My condolences.

That's....actually brilliant. I didn't think of pulling the shaft and then trying to get them out. That would give more room to work.

Everything I touch turns into an ordeal, be it on this Jeep or any household projects. I either terribly overcomplicate things or vastly under plan. But thanks, that's very helpful!

 

[OldBuzzard]

I would drill them, bigger and bigger, until what's left in the hole is almost nothing. Then whack them out with a punch. It doesn't matter if you're off-center, as long as you get a very thin spot which will be weak enough to collapse when you whack it.

 

[tnjeepguy]

Proving once again, rust is a killer for a TJ and working on it.

Cheap (rust) is not cheap.

Have to pull the axle anyway to get the new ones in, huh !

 

[Strizzo]

is this on a 35 or a 44? on a 44 you're not going to hurt the diff as the axle is located by the bearing at the axle end.

I would keep drilling out the holes you have started larger and larger until you can either punch the remnants out, then you can put a new stud in.

This shouldn't be something that requires replacing a whole axle shaft, but they don't have to be done in pairs.

 

[Gilaguy23]

Everything I touch turns into an ordeal, be it on this Jeep or any household projects. I either terribly overcomplicate things or vastly under plan. But thanks, that's very helpful!

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