Help needed installing wheel spacers

[llbaker]

I just picked up a set of rear snow chains and Kubota wheel spacers for my 2012 L3400DT. Thought I would save a couple bucks and install spacers myself. Didn't get very far. Cant break lugs loose. First tried using 1/2" impact driver with no luck. Then tried 1/2" breaker bar. Then tried using breaker bar with 3 ft pipe. Bent one of my 1/2" drive 6" extensions. Still no luck. How do you break the lugs loose? Should I try heating lugs with propane torch? Should I try PB Blaster (no apparent rust involved). Will heating mess up the paint on wheels? Should I look into getting heavier tools (3/4 or 1 inch sockets). So much for saving a few bucks. Can you rent 1" socket sets? I live 100 miles from the big city, not many rental places around. L3400 has 4? bolts and 2 studs per wheel. Will need to replace with longer studs which means will have to remove 2 existing studs. I assume they will be extremely tight as well. May wind up hauling tractor the 80 miles round trip to the dealer rather than screw up the paint on the wheels or spending a ton on special tools that I may never use again.

 

[number9]

What wheel spacers did you buy? I've had 2 sets of the Motorsports Tech spacers and didn't have to replace the studs or use longer bolts.

I used a 6" and a 3" (I think) 1/2" drive extensions to allow the breaker bar to be outside the wheel. Then used a jack stand beside the tire to support the end of the extensions (near the breaker bar). Doing this way, with the extensions supported, you can really get some torque on the breaker bar. I also used a 3' pipe on mine and they came loose fine. Key was the jack stand supporting the extensions, so you aren't trying to put a lot of torque on the breaker bar and hold it level at the same time.

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[llbaker]

What wheel spacers did you buy? I've had 2 sets of the Motorsports Tech spacers and didn't have to replace the studs or use longer bolts.

I used a 6" and a 3" (I think) 1/2" drive extensions to allow the breaker bar to be outside the wheel. Then used a jack stand beside the tire to support the end of the extensions (near the breaker bar). Doing this way, with the extensions supported, you can really get some torque on the breaker bar. I also used a 3' pipe on mine and they came loose fine. Key was the jack stand supporting the extensions, so you aren't trying to put a lot of torque on the breaker bar and hold it level at the same time.

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I bought the Kubota spacers which do require longer studs. I started out with one 6" extension and then added a second 6" after I noticed that I had slightly bent the first one. I like the idea of the jack stand for support. Will give that a shot. Think I'll give it a squirt or two of PB Blaster along with a few taps of a ball peen, let it soak overnight and give the jack stand thing a try in the morning. Not sure if PB Blaster will help since rust is not an issue. Don't know if thread lock was used on lugs or if PB Blaster will help with thread lock but worth a shot. Thanks for your reply

 

[llbaker]

I just picked up a set of rear snow chains and Kubota wheel spacers for my 2012 L3400DT. Thought I would save a couple bucks and install spacers myself. Didn't get very far. Cant break lugs loose. First tried using 1/2" impact driver with no luck. Then tried 1/2" breaker bar. Then tried using breaker bar with 3 ft pipe. Bent one of my 1/2" drive 6" extensions. Still no luck. How do you break the lugs loose? Should I try heating lugs with propane torch? Should I try PB Blaster (no apparent rust involved). Will heating mess up the paint on wheels? Should I look into getting heavier tools (3/4 or 1 inch sockets). So much for saving a few bucks. Can you rent 1" socket sets? I live 100 miles from the big city, not many rental places around. L3400 has 4? bolts and 2 studs per wheel. Will need to replace with longer studs which means will have to remove 2 existing studs. I assume they will be extremely tight as well. May wind up hauling tractor the 80 miles round trip to the dealer rather than screw up the paint on the wheels or spending a ton on special tools that I may never use again.

Put PB Blaster on lugs and let soak for couple hrs. Hammered away with 1/2" air impact and they finally broke loose but not without problems. Stripped one of two studs on the right side. Not sure how I managed to do that. I like to think the factory cross threaded or something when they installed lug nut. Surely it wasn't my fault! Gonna try welding a nut onto stud. Wish me luck I fear I'm gonna need a little. I'm new to welding.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Gonna try welding a nut onto stud. Wish me luck I fear I'm gonna need a little. I'm new to welding.

Don't bother with that, either put a pipe wrench on it if room enables or get a stud puller, trying to weld a nut on a stud usually has minimal success.