I knew this Day would come. D 35 troubles

[Andy D]

UPDATED I took the Rat for a 200 mile highway drive. The front end was a little squirrelly. I was hearing a clunk clunk clunk when I used the brakes. It sounded like maybe a loose caliper or something. I stayed in the right lane and cruised mostly 60-65 . When I got home I removed the RF wheel. The outer nut on the spindle was backed off and loose. The stub axle has about a 1/4" of up and down play . That can't be right. While I had the wheel off, I greased the ball joints. Then I moved to the LF. the first three lug nuts came off easily. the last two, not so much, The studs were spinning. I managed to pound one hard enough to shear it with a hammer . The last one wont budge. I'm gonna start drilling tomorrow. The wheel would not have fallen off, but it probably is the explanation for the clunks.

 

[adsm08]

The axle stub will have a fairly large amount of play with the 4x4 hub off. There is no bearing that holds it in place in the spindle, but the hub keeps it centered when everything is together.

 

[Andy D]

Great!, I'll concentrate on the studs on the left side. Thank you!

Update
I attacked the last nut with the last 2 sharp HF 1/8 bits I had on hand. I had no joy drilling the actual stud. But drilling face on into the nut worked OK. I split the nut most of the way through with a sharp cold chisel then I used the chisel to wedge the nut off the stud threads. Next, I used Vise grips to squeeze the back on. Rinse and repeat and the nut split. Carnage was 3 studs. When I got the hub off. one of the 3 "good" studs was missing its head. Im gonna clean up around the holes. Then JB Weld after prick punching around the holes to move a little metal back in to tighten them. Maybe with an internal toothed washer to give a good bond

Also the stub axle play was just about the same. Whew, I remember now its a floating axle Taking the hub off was deja vu all over again. Just like a D 44 only different.

 

[Andy D]

updated