The loud bang post got me thinking.

My new truck has a couple of lugs in the back that are really hard to tighten up.

I am going to get the rotors cut in the front and I am going to get the shop to press in all new lugs in the front, but I don't feel like dealing with with the rear axles to replace those lugs.

Can I use a tap to clean the threads up a little? They are still functional but I think they could use touching up.

Does any one know the size and pitch of the wheel lugs?

do you have a gen1? they are super easy:

http://danwheeler.gotdns.com/pics/auto/Montero/HowToStudReplacement/default.html

He has a gen2 which requires you to pull the axle shaft OUT of the vehicle!!

I would try the die to see if you could clean them threads up a tad.

This was the one and only negative aspect of the Gen2, or MS rear axle. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Curtis is right, I should have mentioned that I had a genII.

I was hoping that a combination of new lugs nuts, and cleaner threads would fix her up.

My only concern is that I would weaken the studs but I guess that shouldn't be a problem. I was just going to have napa let me look it up in one of their books but if some one else already has the info why bother. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rodent.gif" alt="" />

So any ideas on the tread pitch and size? I am not really sure what lug nuts to order either, I am running steel wagon wheels.

I think they are 12x1.25. I've got some closed end long acorn nuts for mine, and I'll check the thread for sure. You'll need some way of turning the die without a die wrench, like a big deep socket, so you can bottom the socket against the flat axle flange to keep it square. If you have one of those useless 1/2" drive sliding bar tee handles, here's the chance to use it. I'd mail you mine, but it's now a tee jay driver (excessive use of cheater bar), and it'd be sacrilegious to use a Heep tool on a Monty...

Be very careful on those rear studs. I had my lug nuts overtightened at a tire shop (they used a torque wrench, but their spec book had the wrong torque) and they damaged 2 studs. I pulled out the rear axle and brought it and 2 new studs to a machine shop recommended by the Mitsu dealer. The machine shop proceeded to damage the bearing and bearing housing, and break one of his own tools trying to press the retainer off. After waiting 1 1/2 weeks for the replacement parts (and leaving my wife & I sharing one vehicle) they tried to charge me for the parts they had damaged and had to replace. I explained that the FSM procedure is to cut off the retainer rather than try to press it off, and I wasn't going to pay for their mistake, especially since I had already been without a vehicle for 2 weeks because of them. I ended up getting the whole thing for free, but it was a major pain in the ass. Hopefully you don't end up needing to replace the studs, but if you do, pre-order the retainer, then make sure the machine shop is totally clear on what they need to do to replace them.

Also, since then, I've used a small amount of anti-seize on the wheel studs as a precaution, as well as double checking the torque myself.