Wheel Stud

Has anyone ever replaced a wheel stud before (the bolt that the lug nut screws onto)? I broke one of mine off trying to change a tire because the tire shop that mounted my tires put the lugs on too tight. The stud broke right in half.
It looks like I may have to remove the disc brake assembly to get to it. Is this correct? Could someone give me the basic steps involved in changing one?
Thanks

Front or rear?

Basic idea is the same, but if you choose the "pound it out" approach, I would be more worried about doing that on the front.

Your options are basically to pound it out or drill it out. It's a press fit into the hole in the hub, and the base of the stud (the part that's embedded in the hub) is splined. A machine shop could (and would) press it out if you remove the hub and take it to them, but generally you can do it in place on the vehicle.

It's on the front. What about putting the new one in? Would it just squeze into place as I tightened down the lug nut or do I have to take it to a machine shop with a press?

Osprey413 said:

It's on the front. What about putting the new one in? Would it just squeze into place as I tightened down the lug nut or do I have to take it to a machine shop with a press?

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It's long enough so that you can catch some threads with the lug and just tighten it on. The spline engagement is not all that tight, so you should be able to pound it out with a big hammer if there's enough of a stub sticking out, without needing enough impact to damage the bearing.

If I were doing this, I think I'd rotate the hub so the stud is at the bottom (this is so impact doesn't act on the steering), then take a hand sledge or the biggest ball peen hammer in the collection, stand with back to vehicle, straddling the hub, and swing down between legs. If you connect you'll probably pop it out with a single hit.

To draw the new stud in, don't use a lug nut. Get a standard 1/3x20 nut and a couple of flat washers. As Matthew said, you'll get the threaded portion through enough to engage the nut. Grease the washers so theu can slide, then tightwen the nut to draw the stud into the hole. Jiggle it to align the splines with the splines in the hole before you start tightening.

In the future, don't use an air gun on wheel lugs, and never let a shop work on your tires and wheels. I always use a torque wrench. In fact, I bought a couple of inexpensive ones that I carry in each vehicle for when I need to use the spare. The factory spec for torque has been different in different years (which makes no sense to me, but that's the case). I've been using the FSM that calls for 115 foot-pounds. However, that's for DRY threads, and I use anti-sieze, so I use 80 to 85 foot-pounds and I've never had a lug nut loosen up on me. Using a torque wrench not only prevents shearing off studs, it also helps reduce warping the front rotors.

EDIT: Make that 1/2x20! Sorry for the fumble-fingers typing

Except that I can't mount tires on my rims, so I have to take it to a shop.

I can't mount tires either. I've picked up a couple of extra sets of rims, some when I bought used tires from other Jeepers who went larger, and one set of almost new alloys in boxes. I keep a set of extra tires mounted up so that when I need tiire work done I can run on the "spares" and take the wheels that need work to the shop loose.

Around here, Jeep guys are always going to huge tires on YJs and TJs. The stock wheels for those interchange with XJ rims, so it's generally easy to get a deal on the tires and wheels all mounted and ready to run, often with better than 50% of the tread left. El cheapo stock steel rims and tires make excellent winter shoes in a climate where they use salt on the roads. Salt and alloy rims don't coexist very happily.

I have this same probem but on the rear tire, I've removed them before on other cars, I took the whole thing out and pounded the stud oou, but on my XJ I can;t seem to find a way to remove the whole thing, How do I do this?

stiff said:

I have this same probem but on the rear tire, I've removed them before on other cars, I took the whole thing out and pounded the stud oou, but on my XJ I can;t seem to find a way to remove the whole thing, How do I do this?

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What year is your XJ and what axle does it have? You may have a c-clip axle, which means opening the differential to remove the c-clip before you can pull the shaft out.

It's easier to do it in place.

it's a 94, I've been told to just take out the tire, then hit the cover softly with a hammer and that it'll come right out, then hit the stud with a hammer right there?

stiff said:

it's a 94, I've been told to just take out the tire, then hit the cover softly with a hammer and that it'll come right out, then hit the stud with a hammer right there?

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That's what I did, hit it with a hammer, it came right off very easy, no problems at all, just take the drum out and that's it

cool, thanks a lot

this is a done deal, eazy as pie, thanks all of you

Actually if you put a regular non capped lug nut on then use a dead blow hammer the stud will back right out. One of my dead blows is about the size of a baby sledge and packs a good wallop.
I have also put a socket on the back of the stud and used a heavy C clamp to push it out. The only issue is whether you have enough room between the rear backing plate and the axle flange to finagle the old stud out and the new stud in. I have not had to do it on any of my jeeps *yet* so I'm taking notes here
And next time I have my drums off you can bet I'm going to be eyeballing it.
I too use antiseize and a torque wrench, I think the 1/2" torque wrench cost me $25 or so at a local auto parts store, I also picked up a long 1/2" breaker bar, 3" extension and a socket. All 4 pieces reside under the back seat. I use the breaker bar to loosen and the torque wrench to tighten.

RichP said:

I too use antiseize and a torque wrench, I think the 1/2" torque wrench cost me $25 or so at a local auto parts store, I also picked up a long 1/2" breaker bar, 3" extension and a socket. All 4 pieces reside under the back seat. I use the breaker bar to loosen and the torque wrench to tighten.

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X2.

Kim