Broke a wheel stud on work car-what to do???

SMHimrod · Jul 27, 2012

Trying to do a good thing, rotate tires on work car... And dang, twisted a rear stud off. Was even using torque wrench at the time. Thinking this sure is taking time to get tight. Then the feeling of ohhh nooooo... its starting to move easier! To late. Swear a couple a times... It is a 2004 chevy malibu, 5 studs. Has drum brakes on rear not rotors. Just drive it? Or should one replace it? If so, how hard are they to replace? Thanks for any advice-SHON

NCWayne · Jul 27, 2012

Not sure how hard it is to change on your specific car but typically wheel studs are as easy as knocking the broken one out and driving a new one back in, or using a lug nut and spacers to pull the new one in. If there is not clearance behind the hub to get the new stud in and it's going to be a royal PITA to do it, personally I'd drive it like it is. The fronts on my PT Criuser are a royal PITA to change and she's been driving it with one broken stud for nearly 5 years now.

wilder11354 · Jul 27, 2012

not to bad to replace, get new stud and nut fromNAPA, remove tore, brake drum, hit broken stud with hammer few times it will drive out. Clearing brake hardware and shoe might be problem, but turn hub to where theres the least amount of interference before driving out. place new stud in hole, put a few washers that fit over stud, and its shoulder. leave bottom one dry, others put light coating grease on them and put on, then put lug nut on upside down, and tigteh it till stud shoulders into hub flange(checking vasckside of hub). Grease is so washers can rotate, eliminate rotational torque on stud let it pull straight in.

wisbaker · Jul 27, 2012

rear hub on a front drive car- it's not that hard to pull the hub if you have to. I had one that twisted and was spinning in it's hole on the hub. I had to break the stud to get the wheel off. No welder here so I went and got a new hub with sealed bearing for $50. The car has 275,000 mile on it and this was the first wheel bearing it's needed.

RodinNS · Jul 27, 2012

You should change it.... but I'd not worry about going to work with it until you get a chance to change it.
I've never had much luck drawing studs through axle flanges. Mabey this one will be easy... but I always end up removing the axle shaft or hub to drive the stud in from the back. Whatever you do, make sure the stud is fully seated. Don't get it half way in and call it good when it fetches up...

Rod

El Toro · Jul 27, 2012

I would make sure the other 4 are tight and run it. Some car rims only had 4 from the factory. Hal

Kirk Grau · Jul 27, 2012

I have done this repair on a front of my 4wd truck. As others stated probably as simple as driving the broken one out (4-5 hits with the BFH) and drawing the new one in with a lug nut. Hardest part also as stated is making sure you have clearances required.

I picked up the nut and stud at NAPA, seems like cost was on order of $2-3.

Good Luck,

Kirk

504 · Jul 27, 2012

What Wilder said!

Stephen Newell · Jul 27, 2012

If it were me I would change all of the studs on that wheel. If metal fatigue has gotten one, I bet the rest are weakened. It's a little time consuming but it's not that big of a job to pull the hub and replace the studs.

MarkB_MI · Jul 28, 2012

I agree with Stephen. If you broke that stud using a torque wrench, it means the monkeys at the tire shop overtorqued it with an impact wrench. Which means every stud on that vehicle is now suspect. At the very least, replace the stud you broke; at least you'll have one good stud on one wheel.

cannonball · Jul 28, 2012

make sure your torque wrench is right also

Anonymous-0 · Jul 28, 2012

Here it won't pass inspction with a broken stud. People put it back on with super glue. IIRC 4 cylinder cars had 4 studs, 6s had 5. Junkyard owner was looking for something for me off a 4 and I couldn't figure out how he knew without lifting the hood.

jose bagge · Jul 28, 2012

That's a 10 minute job and about 10 bucks in parts. When you buy the new stud/ nut get an extra standard lug nut. Pull the wheel ang pull the drum off Then wack the broke stud out with a hammer Use the spare nut along with a stack of washers to pull the new stud in. Then toss that nut DO NOT Be tempted to use it it will cross thread 9 times out of 10. Pop the drum back on reinstall the wheel with the new nut and you're good

Broke a wheel stud on work car-what to do???

SMHimrod

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NCWayne

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wilder11354

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wisbaker

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RodinNS

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El Toro

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Kirk Grau

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504

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Stephen Newell

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MarkB_MI

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cannonball

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Anonymous-0

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jose bagge

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