Hello. Im new to the forum, and joined to try and get some help on a problem I am having. I have a 1995 F-150. It has 3.55 limited slip axles. It has the 5.0.

I was driving down the road last night, when the back of my truck dropped to the ground and my tire rolled away. Thankfully I was on a back road going slow, and was not on the highway like I normally would be. Anyways, I got out to look at it and the studs were all sheared down to nothing. The rims holes where the studs go into were stretched out about 2" longer than normal, making them a long oval instead of a circle.

I had the truck towed to my house, and I put the rear wheel up on a jack stand. What could have cause this? It was not undertightned lugs, as I check them every week when I check my tire pressure. And to boot I had not changed that tire for at least 4,000 Miles.

I try to turn the lugs but they will not move. Is it possible that the rear axle froze up? If so why would this happen? Could it be a lack of fluid?

I usually check the fluid, and have never had a leak. I missed checking the fluid this last oil change because I brought it in to a wal mart to get it done. They told me they would check the fluid in the differentials, I only saw them check the front, and just assumed they would check the back. Please let me know what you guys think.

I have been losing money every day this truck is down and out. I could have been killed had I been going 70 on the highway. If wally world is at fault I am going to be pissed.

 

Bump. I hope someone can help with this.

 

TIP: stop bumping your post after only 30 minutes.

someone may have been trying to steal your tire/rim or playing a joke on you.

or they were not as tight as you thought.

walmart is not the place i would choose to do maintenence on my vehicles.

you will need to take that axle out to have the studs replaced.

 

Despite the fact you claim you checked the studs recently the evidence(elongated holes) says the lug nuts were loose. Do you have model correct wheels and lug nuts on the truck? Are these unibolt rims perhaps?

 

Factory rims.

Would the axle be locked up if it was just a problem with the lugs?

 

Haven't you checked to see if the axle spins or not? I highly doubt that's your problem.. if anything I'd just attribute it to weakened studs deciding to go bye bye or a fault on your part.

 

jack up the rearend and see.

 

I think you'd know if the axle locked up.. it would do a lot of skidding and hopping before all the lugs sheared off. How have you been treating the truck lately? Are you the only one that drives it?

 

I let no one drive my truck. I drive it gently.

I will jack up the truck to see if it spins. What would something like replacing the studs cost, how easy would it be to do?

 

i vote someone was trying to steal from you and you came out before they could finish.

 

Replacing the studs in not too hard. You have to block up the rear axle on stands and open the diff. Then remove the pinion shaft and lock bolt, and after removing the brake drum push the axle into the housing and remove the C-clip that keeps the end of the axle in the diff. Then pull the axle completely out, punch out the old studs and press in new studs, then reverse the order for assembly.

 

Well, replacing the studs was far easier than that. I punched out the old studs with a hammer. Then I put the new studs through the holes and put some washers on them. I then tightened them down using a lug nut and a wrench.

It took about 5 Minutes to do. I am glad that I did not do any of the above.

 

What does "bump" mean?????

 

it means the poster was too impatient to wait for someone to answer the question that they asked.

the 'bump' pushed the post to the top of the list.

 

OK, thanks for the info!!