So, I was hearing a rattling noise, and it turned out to be two right rear lugnuts, broken off with the studs, rattling inside the center cap. Well crap, it was raining, and the other three seemed okay, and tight, so I thought it would be okay until the next day. I went to leave for work last night, and POP! I instantly stopped(in my driveway), and put it in park. Yep, the other three snapped off!!! Thank god I didn't let the Jimmy move an inch, after I heard the pop, and the wheel never fell off. I walked back to the garage, and got a floor jack, and jacked it, and the wheel fell free!!!!
So, I guess I oughta be on an Indy pit crew, because in 33 minutes, I:
removed the brake caliper
removed the caliper cage
removed the rotor
drove the studs out
went to the spare rearend I have, from my wrecked 98, and drove those studs out
replaced the studs(although I wasn't sure how to "pull them thru", so I held them in place with Visegrips, and pulled them thru with a 4-way lug wrench).
removed the lugnuts again
replaced caliper cage
replaced shoes and caliper
replaced tire.......
and was only about 15 minutes late to work!!!

So anyway, your thoughts on the lugs breaking?????
Do you think they were loose(tire hasn't been off since last winter, when Sam's Club put new tires on.
Any other thoughts on WHY they'd break?

 

They may have been over torqued or stressed too much. Once one goes you can see how the domino effect takes hold each one has to take more and more load. My sams club is famous for putting on anti-sieze and over torquing not mention blowing tires up to 50psi+ during mounting

 

I would bet on over-torque being the cause as well.

Be careful with those lugs that you reused from the other axle. I would get 5 new lugs in there at the first opportunity you have. Pressing them in and out is not too good.

As for how to press them back in, the best way is with a hydraulic tool specifically made to do it. The way that most people do it is with a spare lug nut and a few washers. Put some grease between the washers and turn the lug nut around so that the flat portion is against the washers. Then just tighten it home making sure that the lug sits flat on the back of the hub flange.

 

You might want to consider the other wheels as well--when Sams replaced the tires they may have over-torqued them all--the others may well be a problem waiting to happen