Need Help - Stud/Hub problem

I'm not sure exactly how this happened not that it really matters but I need help fast. My jeep is down and we are getting socked with massive amounts of snow up here in the NE.

I was driving and heard extra noises on top of my locker noises. I roll down the window in time to see my front wheel wobbling and one lug nut fly off (I was going 5MPH at this time). I got out and noticed all of my lugs loose.

The problem is they all became unpressed from the hub, so I can't tighten or losen them. What do I do?

It is possible my buddy changed the setting on my torque wrench or I never went back and tightened them at all with the torque wrench. Or most likely someone tried to steal my wheels last night but stopped when they realized their jack was too small anyway. I've driven 500 miles and went offroad once since I last loosened that wheel.

So any advice? Do I need a new hub?

The studs press in from the back of the hub flange and have a head so they cannot pull through. They are splined into the hub so they don't rotate.

If you have driven 500 miles on loose lug nuts and the studs are loose enough that they rotate when you try to tighten them, more than likely the splines have been enlarged and new studs won't fit tightly. You could try new studs -- you can buy them at Pep Boys or NAPA for a couple of bucks -- but I'm sorry to say I think you're looking at new hubs.

The lugs are most likely messed up for good. Cut them off or break them some how. You will need a new unibearing hub to replace the one you have.

Then the next time make sure to retorque your lugs after driving 50 miles everytime you R&R your wheels.

HTH

mark

if it happened all-of-a-sudden.. it was probably some Ahole tampering with it.. sxounds like a new hub is needed.. one thing to note, i bought a new hub from Qtec last spring and it was all new parts, but one of the studs was not a pressed-in tight fit.. it was not a remanufactured hub and it had quality timken bearings. was even stamped "made in USA" .. probably by the cheapest labor though.. anyways, i pounded the stud so it was snug and slapped a weld bead around the offending stud, and a tack-weld on the back of each of the other studs just for piece of mind..
mike