Weak studs?
 

I can't find the thread where I first read this. A couple of posters talked of broken studs and one said he has broken six. Are the OEM studs inherently weak? If so I sure want to change mine.

If you’re changing your wheels relatively often due to track use most would recommend changing out for stronger ARP studs, especially if you’re running a spacer. I always hand thread my lugnuts to start, hit it with the impact and then tighten with a torque wrench to OEM specs. Doing the opposite of a using a torque wrench/breaker bar to take them off as well before using the impact. The two times I’ve had broken OEM studs in the 5 years of ownership are when I was taking off lugs after a tire shop over impacted the lugs on there.

Replacing the fronts are relatively easy but the rears are a PITA that involves taking off the wheel hub.

I took my wheels on and off numerous times and never had any issue. I only changed my studs because I wanted extended studs for a spacer. Don't overtorque them or cross thread them and you won't have a problem. Find a trusted tire shop and guy, don't let just anybody touch your car and you'll pretty much never have issues. If you want to roll the dice, swapping in ARP studs will help survive clueless teenagers with impact guns.

I broke a stud when swapping wheels last week. Last time the lugs were tightened it was by a shop that uses impact guns. I think swapping the OEM studs for stronger ones is probably a good move if you're planning on swapping wheels a lot for track or AutoX or something.

I autoX regularly and ended up stripping 1 stud. I am generally very careful with them but since i was replacing them i went with ARPs and steel lugs never had another problem.

I've changed my wheels several times with my own battery powered impact. I have never broken a stud, I change my wheels at least 3 times a year. I also don't ream them on with the impact though, I still finish them by hand with a breaker bar.

All good info and thank you all. I'll keep the current studs unless I have a problem. I've been using a battery-powered impact that has no torque adjustment, but I know pretty well how long to let it pound to reach 90+ pounds. I've been using 96 for a long time but will start using the manual-recommended 90 henceforth.


Changing the rear studs does look like a major PIA.

Fairly common if you change wheels frequently.

If you only take the wheels off to change tires, <1x per year you won't notice.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106898

I once completed a track day at Mosport, Canada, and at day's end every nut on my left-front was finger tight! Another guy had the same experience. For those who don't know, it's a high-speed track with lots of sweepers. Some old hands up there told me they've seen that happen before. I checked after every run after that.

I used stock studs for 4 years of auto-x track. I have 3 sets of wheels and rotate tires around at auto-x and track events during the day. Never broke a a stud, even use impacts.

Thread you lugs first by hand vs buzzing on with an impact, inspect your threads every so often, and don't use the stock lugs. My moms Forester broke a bunch of studs in the past too, I started working on it vs dealer and never broke one, other than the first time I took lugs off.

I have a feeling its related to using shitty lug nuts vs studs. I found the stock lugs to be very soft, so over torquing and damaging the threads is very possible

I think it was me. I've broken about 4 studs. I don't use power tools, only hand. I would loosen my lugs (star formation) and one of them wouldn't turn anymore or would seize. If you force it by turning it'll snap off. I'm using dorman steel lugs.



I replaced the broken ones with the dorman automotive grade (yellow/brass looking) ones from auto parts store as the ARP ones are expensive and stick out further. Haven't had a problem with the replacements.



Take off my tires once or twice a year.

Interesting. I also use non factory lugs. Let's start a J02 Recall Failure - Broken Wheel Stud Registry Thread

I agree with this -- I think the combination of the very soft OEM lugs and the kind of weak OEM studs leads to the galling, maybe even melting, of the lugs onto the studs, especially when you get heat into the hubs/wheels. Like at a trackday or auto-x.


I snapped 8 OEM studs, and every time it was using hand tools to loosen an OEM lug. It would turn several turns and then completely seize on the stud. It didn't make a difference whether I waited for the wheels to cool down completely or not.


I eventually gave up replacing OEM studs and lugs and swapped out all of them for OEM-length ARP ones, and hardened steel lug nuts. They might be my favorite mods on my car -- an inexperienced tire tech once over-torqued them to around 150 lb-ft, and they weren't damaged.



And you don't have to remove the rear hubs to install the OEM-length studs. These tools are helpful, though, to pop out the old ones and to pull in the new:


https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qu...tor-99849.html


https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-22800-W...dp/B000ETUD22/


I got my ARP's here; they had the best price I could find:


https://horsepowerdirect.com/product...ne-wheel-studs

If you are using close to stock length you can do it in minutes with a tool like this.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/w...QaAkdLEALw_wcB