Why am I breaking wheel studs?
05-30-2005, 12:26 PM
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Why am I breaking wheel studs? Sorry for the double post on this, but I need an answer ASAP...
I just got home from driving across the state for a weekend road trip. I made the 6 hour drive to my destination without any issues.
On the way back, after about two hours, the car developed a sudden serious vibration, and upon pulling over, I had three broken wheel studs in my driver's side rear wheel. The lugs were pretty loose, so I figure that must be my problem.
After a tow and a very stressful ordeal in getting that taken care of, I was on the road again. About three hours later, only 30 miles or so from home, the car develops another sudden serious vibration. Pull over, and this time I have three broken studs on the passenger front wheel. I know that these were tight because I had the shop that took care of the rear wheel check them all. An abnormally expensive tow later, and I'm back home.
These are (I'm fairly certain) the stock wheel studs, with my 17x9.5 AT Italia Riva wheels. They've been on the car for a good two months now, with no prior problems. What caused this? More importantly, how can I keep it from happening again?
Thanks...
I just got home from driving across the state for a weekend road trip. I made the 6 hour drive to my destination without any issues.
On the way back, after about two hours, the car developed a sudden serious vibration, and upon pulling over, I had three broken wheel studs in my driver's side rear wheel. The lugs were pretty loose, so I figure that must be my problem.
After a tow and a very stressful ordeal in getting that taken care of, I was on the road again. About three hours later, only 30 miles or so from home, the car develops another sudden serious vibration. Pull over, and this time I have three broken studs on the passenger front wheel. I know that these were tight because I had the shop that took care of the rear wheel check them all. An abnormally expensive tow later, and I'm back home.
These are (I'm fairly certain) the stock wheel studs, with my 17x9.5 AT Italia Riva wheels. They've been on the car for a good two months now, with no prior problems. What caused this? More importantly, how can I keep it from happening again?
Thanks...
05-30-2005, 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Tally TransAm
were the wheels torqued or just tightened down
also are your wheels 5-120 or 5-4.75
also are you using the right style lugnuts
also are your wheels 5-120 or 5-4.75
also are you using the right style lugnuts
I really don't know, I presume (at least, I would hope) that the Firestone that mounted the wheels torqued them.
I don't know that information about the wheels, as I bought them second-hand...where would I be able to find that out?
The lugnuts are the proper style for the wheel (rounded end)
As said before, I bought these wheels second-hand from a good friend of mine. He had them on a '02 SS for several months using these same lugnuts, and never had a problem like this.
05-31-2005, 12:57 PM
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Mcgard says "DO NOT USE ANTI_SEIZE".
Our biggest problem at the shop is aluminum/alloy wheels that do not have steel inserts for the lug nut seats. All of our techs advise customers with these wheels to return to have us re-torque the wheels in no more than 100 miles. We print that out on their receipt and have them sign our copy.
The wheels with the inserts act like regular 'steel' wheels. That is to say, basically, torque 'em once and they're fine.
Because alloy wheels expand and contract so much during regular driving, it is their tendancy to loosen. They almost always are loose (that is, 5 - 10 lbs less than specs.) when the customer brings them back. I have seldom seen them loosen a second time but have heard some say they have.
As for the lug nuts, make sure they are not bottoming out on the stud (not deep enough) or, if they are the barrel type (not a tapered seat) that they are not hitting the hub before they are tight (too long).
The other common cause of broken studs is OVERTIGHTENING! You cannot presume anybody did it right. Most of these tire jockeys love their impact wrenches far too much and will really hit the lugnuts hard with them. ALMOST any ½" impact will tighten well over 100 ftlbs. Given the problems you've had, I think this is the most probable cause.
I know it's a pain, but I'd get all 20 studs replaced. If they did use a high powered impact, they are all stressed!
Good luck
Our biggest problem at the shop is aluminum/alloy wheels that do not have steel inserts for the lug nut seats. All of our techs advise customers with these wheels to return to have us re-torque the wheels in no more than 100 miles. We print that out on their receipt and have them sign our copy.
The wheels with the inserts act like regular 'steel' wheels. That is to say, basically, torque 'em once and they're fine.
Because alloy wheels expand and contract so much during regular driving, it is their tendancy to loosen. They almost always are loose (that is, 5 - 10 lbs less than specs.) when the customer brings them back. I have seldom seen them loosen a second time but have heard some say they have.
As for the lug nuts, make sure they are not bottoming out on the stud (not deep enough) or, if they are the barrel type (not a tapered seat) that they are not hitting the hub before they are tight (too long).
The other common cause of broken studs is OVERTIGHTENING! You cannot presume anybody did it right. Most of these tire jockeys love their impact wrenches far too much and will really hit the lugnuts hard with them. ALMOST any ½" impact will tighten well over 100 ftlbs. Given the problems you've had, I think this is the most probable cause.
I know it's a pain, but I'd get all 20 studs replaced. If they did use a high powered impact, they are all stressed!
Good luck
05-31-2005, 07:39 PM
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I'm with A BAD T/A on that one. If any tire tech is running his/her impact wrench too long with too much pressure, and not having their torque wrenches calibrated, you might want to express your concerns.
When I got new tires at one time, the same thing nearly happened to me when the tech ran his wrench and didn't hand torque each lug. Same thing happened and it was a learning experience that I wish on no one.
When I got new tires at one time, the same thing nearly happened to me when the tech ran his wrench and didn't hand torque each lug. Same thing happened and it was a learning experience that I wish on no one.
06-01-2005, 11:14 PM
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Just an FYI
Centerbore is the size of the big hole in the center of the wheel. If your vehicle has hubcentric wheels( which it is suspose to have), this hole is designed to mate precisely with a machined surface on the car's hub. Ours were not designed with strong enough lug studs to carrythe weight on the studs. If this is the case, match the centerbore dimension exactly or be sure that forged (not plastic) centering rings are available.
Centerbore is the size of the big hole in the center of the wheel. If your vehicle has hubcentric wheels( which it is suspose to have), this hole is designed to mate precisely with a machined surface on the car's hub. Ours were not designed with strong enough lug studs to carrythe weight on the studs. If this is the case, match the centerbore dimension exactly or be sure that forged (not plastic) centering rings are available.
