I'm not sure exactly what happened, but here's my hypothesis:

Cause: Failure to properly torque lug nuts.
Whodunit: Suspect last seen in mirror.

The right rear shock has sheered it's top bolts and was on tomorrow's schedule. So it's back there thumping around making noise. Driving it earlier it seemed like the noise got real bad so I pulled over to check it & found the truck resting on the wheel w/ 4 bent studs & 4 damaged studs. Hub cover & lug nuts not to be scene within the last 1/2 mile (had time to go look while waiting for a tow truck). Inside of the wheel is scrapped up & will need to be rebalanced BUT it looks like the inside wall of the tire got a pretty good gouge so it'll likely need to be replaced anyway or the snow tires will just go on early.

 

Once again, posting on the internet results in a fast fix. I just heated up the studs to get the Loctite to break. I figured if I might need to replace the hub anyway (easier, smashed bearing, etc.) if I melted something I'd be in the same spot. Thanks for the fast replies and now feel free to make fun of me for causing this headache.

 

It was to not to hit them out or back in with a hammer, as you'll transfer TREMENDOUS shock loads to the bearing surfaces inside.

Heck, I cringe just installing the little stamped-steel "hub caps" over the spindle nuts on my trailer hubs.

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