Easy REAR Wheel Stud replacement - Shade Tree Mechanic Style
 

I made the idiotic mistake of cross-threading a lug nut one day and ruining a stud. I ran a die around the bolt which worked temporarily, but there wasn't much meat left for the nut to grab, so I knew I had to replace it.

All the tutorials I read or watched suggested the only way to replace the stud required pulling the hub off, but I'm here to tell you IT AINT TRUE! Assuming you are replacing the stud with OEM (or only slightly longer) hardware, it's a thirty minute job and that includes putting your tools away.

Step 1: Remove wheel

Step 2: Remove brake caliper (do not let hang from brake line)

Step 3: Remove brake disk/drum

-Steps one through three are pretty simple, but if you haven't done it before, there are other tutorials you can reference. It took me longer to get the disk/drum off thanks to rust around the hub than to do the rest of the job. I little soak with some PB Blaster, and wacks with a rubber hammer and we were in business.

Step 4: remove the RIGHT emergency brake shoe. There are three springs and a clip, all very easy to manage. I took pics of all the components for easy reassembly (but you seriously shouldn't mess this up).

http://i.imgur.com/FidXnox.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XKplOs4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uIDGFN4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9p8209d.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Vw0Ifrg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4kWtEps.jpg

-Here's everything removed and placed to the side for reattachment.

http://i.imgur.com/R66jeiI.jpg

Step 5: Position the offending wheel stud at the one to two o'clock position. This gives plenty of room for the stud to pop out of the back of the hub.

Step 6: Whack the stripped stud with a hammer - a couple good shots and it should pop right out the back, bounce off the floor, and roll under some shelves in your garage for you to forget about until you move three years from now.

-Congratulations, you now have an empty hole!

http://i.imgur.com/n0hWBmF.jpg

Step 7: Put your shiny new stud in said hole, throw a stack of washers on the lug, put the lug nut on (don't cross-thread it!), and tighten it down. This will draw the knurled section of the wheel stud into the hub. If you don't have open-ended lug nuts you may need to back the nut off and add an extra washer or two to get the stud fully seated.

http://i.imgur.com/oyvjwcM.jpg

Step 8: Put everything back together and make it look pretty like the first pics up top. Put the disk back on. Put the brake caliper back on. Put your wheel back on. Torque everything to manufacturer recommended specifications, etc.

Step 9: You're done. Why are you still here?

I have no idea if this will work on the front because I haven't been dumb enough to strip a front bolt... yet. Good luck, don't break yourself or your car.

UPDATE (over two years later): After posting this, I stripped a couple more of the OEM butter lugs, so I just replaced them all with this method.

It's even easier on the front wheels. Same basic premise but with fewer small springs and bits to lose.

I also stripped one of my studs in the rear and didn't feel like removing the whole hub assembly.
I was able to replace it without having to remove the brake shoe though. I just had to play with the stud a little bit and I was able to squeeze the new stud in.

This method won't work if you're replacing your OEM wheel studs with extended ones like from ARP; the wheel hub needs to be removed.

I'm not a fan of hammering anywhere that sends a shock through the wheel bearings. This may be a relatively light tap but I'll leave this result of a pothole strike here. YMMV.

I understand that certain ball joint separation tools can be used as a wheel stud press but I've never had to replace a wheel stud. I've been lucky.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...tor-99849.html

Yeah, I mentioned that it needs to be OEM or only slightly longer.

The forces involved in dropping a nearly 3000 lb car into a pothole at even parking lot speeds are many orders of magnitude greater than what can be delivered by a couple hammer blows.

Not peak forces, unless you're using a rubber mallet. That sharp impact is what ...maybe... does the damage.

edit: ...maybe...

Same here. I just pulled the rotor off and then rotated the hub til I got the new stud in. No need to remove the brake shoe.

What kind of **** claims this is half an hour.

If just doing one it basically is. Maybe 1 hour tops?

this is a case of beer, 2 friend, full saturday job for me!

Well, it's what it took me back when I did it - and I'm nigh on incompetent! :D

And since this has been resurrected, I'll add that the front wheels can be accomplished in much the same way (if not easier thanks to not needing to remove as much stuff).

It goes much more quickly if the parts aren't cleaned or lubed before reassembly. I take my sweet time. :thumbsup:

I just bought the $20 bearing press tool from harbor freight.



Took off wheel, caliper, rotor. Then use the tool to push it out, rotate the hub to push the next one out. There is a small gap without having to remove anything extra on the rear.

So, replacing a stud is the same on front and rear?
No weird parking brake issues?
Just remove rotor and pop off the studs?