Wheel stud replacement

[TominMO]

I noticed that my wheel studs on my recently-purchased T4 were on really, really tight (I normally torque them to 80 lbs). About half of the studs seem stretched, so I want to replace them. How do you get old studs out? I'm guessing that for the rears, you can remove the brake drum, squirt some PB Blaster in there and let it soak a day, and just knock them out from the front w/a BFH. Does this seem like a good way?

Other questions:
1. How are front studs removed?
2. Can studs be properly installed by just tightening an open nut onto them? I read that you want to use a washer, and install the nut backwards. What torque do we use to do this?
3. Where can you buy longer studs if desired?
4. Does the brand of stud matter or are they basically all the same, metallurgically?

[marlinh]

I haven't changed studs on these cars yet, but yes that is the procedure for removing them. You don't have to spray the pb blaster and wait, that's what the BFH is for. I would try to support the hub on the front near the studs with a hammer jammed in behind. You can do the same at the back too. Once they start to move, they come out pretty easily.

You may need more than one washer behind the nut to tighten them on. Also, I have always installed studs using an impact gun. I have never done them by hand. You tighten them until the stud is flush to the hub and when you torque your wheels, check them regularly and retorque them several times to make sure they are tight. Usually that first install of the tires I will torque a little higher than 80 to make sure they are seated.

Any auto parts store should supply studs for you.

Just wondering, why do you think the studs are stretched?

[TominMO]

Thanks for the reply.

I think they are stretched because about half of them are hard to put on, but they don't look to be cross-threaded. The stretching would have come about when someone used an impact gun to install the last set of wheels before I got the car. The lug nuts were on ridiculously tight; for a while I thought I was gonna need a cheater bar!

[marlinh]

Sometimes all you need to do is chase the threads and the nuts with a tap and die and you won't have any problems. The threads do get mucked up over the years. The studs are probably ok. If they were overtightened they would have broken already. That would save you a lot of hammering. If you get a thread chaser for the studs, get a hex shaped one and you can use a socket to run it down the stud. Use a bit of lubricant and you'll be set.

[dlb]

ditto on marlinh's suggestion to try chasing the threads first.

[Petros]

I always try and use corrosion resistant spray on the nuts as well, sometimes the allow wheels gets corrosion at the contact points with the nuts (dissimilar metal)and it can be a lot of trouble to break them loose later.

Stud replacement is fairly easy, both tire shops and auto parts stores sell them, but unless they are compromised it is not likely they need to be replaced.

[TominMO]

Thanks for the replies x 3. I will try cleaning up the threads first.

EDIT: Fastenal has the individual hex-shaped die I need for about $5.

[TominMO]

So, a follow-up post:
Cleaned up the stud threads with a die, and it turned out that most of them were fine. The three that I had some difficulty with also turned out OK after a few passes with the die. All the lug nuts were bad, no doubt due to them being hugely overtightened and also being a softer metal than the studs. So I bought new acorn-style nuts, and all is well now.

On the 13 good studs, I used the 12x1.5 hex-shaped die with a 1" socket, on my portable drill (with a socket adaptor). Made it go very quick and easy. On the other three I had to use a ratchet first, then switched to the drill to finish up.