Lug bolt broken?

I removed my rear tire yesterday to do some suspension checking. Upon replacing the wheel, one of the lug bolts was free in the brake drum. All others were fine. I managed finally to get the bolt on by keeping tension on the nut to start the threads, but the back of the bolt spun, so I could not tighten the nut.

How are these bolts fixed to the brake drum? I did a forum search and did not find anything of this nature. Is this an anomaly? Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

 

I broke one. I simply pulled the new one in using a lot of washers. It will scare you as you do it, but it will eventually pull all the way in. You need a really stout bar to turn the socket.

 

Thanks PSU Taco. For now, it is okay, but will have to deal with it. Thanks for the illustration and help. Appreciate it much.

 

If I were you, I'd do it very soon, before the nut you just put
back on rusts a little to the bolt, and you're unable to get it off
because it's spinning in the hole.

 

Its splined. To get it to stay, remove the wheel, but keep the drum on. Get a lug nut and a couple of thick washers.

Put the washers on, then the lug nut.

Apply your parking brake so the axle will not turn.

Tighten the lug nut, so it "sucks" the stud in.

Remove, and you are set!

 

That sounds like a great method for getting the splined bolts back into place. Thanks for your input. I wonder why the bolt backed out in the first place. I use my Taco for very rough mountain exploration geology work, but I just do not see why the bolt became "unsplined". I certainly did not tap it inward. Oh well. Thanks for your help and all in the forum.

 

That's what we are here for

It might not have been fully seated from the factory for whatever reason.

I was always interested in geology, it sounds fun. Good luck!