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Calling RAM 3500 owners

HappyKayakers
Explorer
Explorer
I recently replaced tires on my 2006 RAM 3500 SRW. Seems like the tech over torqued the lug nuts. I got a local shop to break all the lug nuts for me and retorqued to 135 ft/lbs. I needed to remove the rear wheels to replace mud flaps (long story). Trying to remove 1 lug nut was very difficult and snapped the lug. I suspect the same will happen on another lug on that same wheel. Only 1 mechanic in town and he's not sure when he can get to me. I ordered new lugs and lug nuts from Amazon.

Looked on YouTube and found 1 video of someone replacing the lug on my model but he didn't start recording until he was well into the job. So, here's my question. Looking at the pic. Do the 8 small nuts on the center hub need to be removed to get the drum/disk combo off? Any other advice welcome.

Sorry, having probs inserting pic. Here's a link to it: http://happykayakers.com/?page_id=782
Joe, Mary and Dakota, the wacko cat
Fulltiming since 2006
2006 Dodge 3500 QC CTD SRW Jacobs Exhaust brake
2017 Open Range 3X388RKS, side porch
9 REPLIES 9

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
HappyKayakers wrote:
Thanks for the input folks. Still waiting for the new lugs and nuts to arrive. Since the mechanic is just across the street, I'll give it a shot myself. My big concern was getting the drum/rotor combo off. If that's really not necessary, so much the better. If it is necessary and I can't get it off, I'll just throw the wheel back on and drive it across the street.



I think you’ll have to remove the wheel, brake calliper and rotor before you’ll be able to knock your studs out of the hub. If you want to remove the rotor without removing the axle and hub it might take a little persuasion.
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
B&W Companion
2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
rjstractor wrote:
I'll bet this is a very common problem among full size pickups.


Idk, it's not common in my world with a dozen or more personal trucks and 100s or 1000s of company trucks in my care over the last 25 years. But I'm sure someone somewhere is gorilla mitten a lug wrench every day!

What is common though, are those lug nuts are junk. Well, Idk about junk, but they seem to wear out and stretch. Every Dodge like that I've had or worked on, if it was older and the wheel lugs had alot of cycles on them, they were toast.
Last 07, I had about 120k when I switched up to some 4th gen wheels and at those miles, had I kept the old wheels I would have needed new lugs as they were getting very sticky. To the point that even lubed, they wouldn't spin on, on the low setting on my air gun. Which is about the equivalent of installing by had, except faster. Would have to go to setting 2 and the gun would actually rattle a little running them on.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

rjstractor
Nomad
Nomad
I'll bet this is a very common problem among full size pickups. People who lack common sense think since it's a "big" truck they need to stand on the end of a four foot cheater bar to tighten the lug nuts. 135-140 ft./lbs is not that tight, just a 70 ish pound pull on the end of a two foot bar. A fairly strong person can do this with one hand. I'm not that strong anymore, and torqueing lug nuts to 140 is really easy with my torque wrench.
2017 VW Golf Alltrack
2000 Ford F250 7.3

HappyKayakers
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for the input folks. Still waiting for the new lugs and nuts to arrive. Since the mechanic is just across the street, I'll give it a shot myself. My big concern was getting the drum/rotor combo off. If that's really not necessary, so much the better. If it is necessary and I can't get it off, I'll just throw the wheel back on and drive it across the street.
Joe, Mary and Dakota, the wacko cat
Fulltiming since 2006
2006 Dodge 3500 QC CTD SRW Jacobs Exhaust brake
2017 Open Range 3X388RKS, side porch

BurbMan
Explorer II
Explorer II
Here's the pic:



Agree with Dodge Guy, you should be able to press studs out/in without taking the axle out and removing the hub.

Get yourself a good ball joint press like this one:

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
You don’t need to remove the axle to replace the studs. Just remove the wheel press (hammer) the old ones out and install the new ones. They make a kit to install the new ones pretty easy.
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

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Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Could be the nuts too. Every 3rd Gen Dodge I've workd on, if it had lots of cycles on the lug nuts, the threads were getting stretched.
If they don't spin on absolutley smooth, the lug nuts need to be replaced. Check em all before you put it back together if you weren't planning on replacing all the lugs.

And a little grease or antiseize on the lugs works wonders on reducing wear n tear and corrosion and ease of use.
Drop your torque a little if lubed. Say 120 if 135 is the spec.

Note, there will be a pile of naysayers about lubing lug threads.
Take your pick. I chose 30 years of antiseize now with no ill effects other than its messy if you're messy.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
A very common issue unfortunately.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
You will take those 8 bolts out to remove your axle. After pulling the axle you remove a snap ring and large bearing retainer nut. Then you can remove your hub.
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
B&W Companion
2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5