BT Trailer lug nuts

THLWL · 01-09-2008, 04:28 PM

Don't know if any other BT folks have had lug nut issues, but, I went to air up the tires on my 2 year old trailer. I noticed some of the lug nuts looked "swollen". I investigated and found that the trailer mfg. installed steel lug nuts that have a SS casing. The steel rusted from the inside and split the casings. I chisled the casings off (for 2 days) to gain access to the steel lug nuts. Picked up 48 ALL SS lug nuts. As I went to remove the steel lug nuts on the first wheel, 2 of studs are now spinning on the hub. So I have to destroy the center wheel cap to gain access to the hub nut so I can remove the hub to replace the studs. If I'd had a flat, I'd have been up a creek! You should confirm your lug nuts are ALL Stainless Steel!

Sydwayz · 01-10-2008, 05:14 PM

Quite the predicament you got there.

1. Summit sells SS Lug Nuts, which is where I got mine from.

2. Do you have drum or disk brakes? If you have disk, I don't know if you will be able to get the hub/rotor/wheel off the spindle unless you can get the caliper (or whole assembly) off first.

3. You might try having someone weld a "lever" to the back of the studs that are spinning if you have disk brakes, and can get to the back of them, then try to break the nuts loose holding opposing tension on the "lever."

4. Do you have a brake flush kit installed? This would help keep things a little more clean (of salt) after you dip in salt. www.championtrailers.com sells them.

Good luck.

THLWL · 01-10-2008, 09:04 PM

6 wheel disc brakes. I have access to welders and cutting torches. First will need to put boat back in lift so I can work on an empty trailer. I wash the hubs & trailer everytime I take it out. I've looked at the design of what was installed and there doesn't appear to be anyway to wash the inside of the cased lug nut. It seals up against the wheel socket and the jacket seals up against the steel lug nut. Poor design for marine application. Spoke with the Mfg. today and he said they don't make a SS lug nut. I then informed him I had 50 in my possession. Again, I don't think they deal much with salt water in Michigan.

Sydwayz · 01-15-2008, 07:52 AM

How did it turn out?

THLWL · 01-15-2008, 02:44 PM

Still awaiting my Gibson mufflers before I can put the boat back in (that's why I pulled it out of lift originally). We continued to try and remove the nuts while boat still on trailer. The first wheel now has 4 studs spinning and the second wheel has 5. I'm still at a loss as to why a mfg. would put steel lug nuts on a boat trailer! This would have been an interstate nightmare.