Wheel Stud Replacement

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:01 am

Well last weekend some of us from Minnesota (UN-LOST, see pic in sig) were out wheeling. Good weekend guys. I drove from Gilbert to Ely (40 miles) and back to Gilbert plus another 30 miles of 70 mph interstate driving while the Jeep made a weird thumping sound coming from the rear. I figured it was my rear sway bar (i disconnected it at trail and forget to tightened it and install all of the bolts. I did that on the side of the highway. Hopped in and drove another 10 miles and heard the sound. I knew eveything was bolted up so I figured I'd better stop and check everything out again. I get to the left rear wheel to discover 3 of my lug nuts are only on 2-4 threads on the stud. The other one (yes ONE) is finger tight. The last one was gone and the wheel stud was sheared off at the drum. What would cause this? How hard is it to do? I have rear drum brakes...

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:58 am

The studs are a press fit on the axle flange. Any local tire distributor should be able to fix you up.

One way for lugs to come loose is if they were not tightend down properly last time. Then from the rotation of the tire the lugnuts spin off and the tire will start wobbling on the rim and shear off at least 1 stud. It's a good thing you caught it becuase the whole wheel was about to come off.

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:11 am

If it was loose lugnuts (which make sense) I am to blame and I take full credit for putting my Jeep and myself in such danger. The last time I pulled that wheel was when I did my lift kit...Would it really take a whole month (2000 miles, 50/50 mix of city and highway) of driving to loosen them up this much?

Is this a procedure I can do myself or do I need a special tool? I have done it on a trailer but they just pounded out, then pound new ones in...I'd rather do it myself (I can't sue anybody if I break it but I learn more).

diesel00 · **Joined:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 1:06 pm **Posts:** 40

It can sometimes take a while for them to become loose. One time I was working on my VW bug, I pulled the rims off to paint them the same color as the bug. About a week later I was cruisin down Whittier Blvd and all of a sudden the rear of my car dropped about 4 inches, I looked in my rear view mirror and I saw my driver side rear tire roll right past me. It sucked, luckily I had drum brakes, so all I did was jack it back up and put the tire back on. The only damage was 2 of my lugs sheared off, $5 fix. A month seems like a long time but it is possible.

Calvin56 · **Joined:** Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:59 am **Posts:** 345

I've put on 3 new studs on my rear tire (due to not putting oil/lub on the studs and changing wheels out constantly). I've got an '02 with drums as well. The install was simple:
- Take off the wheel
- Drop the drum off
- Pound out the old studs
- Put the new ones in from the rear

Edit: some kind of tool to pull the studs through the hole would be nice
Edit: Obscene use of commas :-p

CaKJFreedom · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:48 pm

Yeah, um, I've broken two. Thanks Jeff, Clint and Wally for teaching me how to change it myself. Hopefully there won't be a third. The stud is like $1-2 bucks (I have spares now) and it is pretty easy to replace them.

"some kind of tool to pull the studs through the hole would be nice"

I learned that using a nut bigger than the one that goes on the Jeep as a spacer, then a nut that fits (or your KJ nut without that cover on it) after that one, it'll pull the stud through.

I like commas.

grnd93 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:49 pm

Always torque your lugnuts when you put your wheel back on. If they loosen up you not only put yourself in a dangerous situation, but other motorists as well.

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:24 pm

thanks for the advice on torqueing lugnuts...yes this is something we all should do but in reality very few of us do. I am sorry for putting all of you that were on the road for the past month or so in danger.

Calvin56 · **Joined:** Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:59 am **Posts:** 345

CaKJFreedom wrote:

I learned that using a nut bigger than the one that goes on the Jeep as a spacer, then a nut that fits (or your KJ nut without that cover on it) after that one, it'll pull the stud through.

I like commas.

Yeah, that is what I ended up doing-used a spacer not a nut though.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:48 am

I never thought about the spacer / lugnut idea. I'll have to try that the next time I shear off a lug-nut.

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:33 pm

well I am off to the stealership to buy a new wheel stud... wish me luck

Wheel Stud Replacement

Who is online