How to prevent broken wheel stud
 

Iv changed my FRS wheels constantly every time the weather changes and there's snow on the ground to my stock rims into my winter wheels for almost two years now, BUT this past 2 months Iv broken and snapped 2 wheel studs and seized 1 lug nut on 3 sides(only the passenger rear wheel stud are perfect).
I got so pissed off and decided to change all 20 of them for new ones. Something bad happened to the wheel stud whenever I would swap them when it was 20-36 degrees outside. Any idea why my wheel studs just recently started braking down? I torque them to 85 just like what the manual says.

1. Does the climate temperature have any play in this?
2. Are my stock lug nuts just worn out from all the constant swapping? (I swap tires every time the roads here turn into Ice, I'm stationed in MT it snows a lot)
3. Am I not suppose to Torque it to 85? Are they bottoming out?
4. Should I start using anti seize on my threads?
5. When I put on my wheels while jacked up, I tightnen my lug nuts hand tight(star), then lower the car and torque them. Am I doing this the wrong way?

I don't want to break my new set of wheel studs.

Yes the climate has a lot to do with expansion contraction. Constantly removing wheels and over tightening all contribute. Even if your not over tightening them, the other two play in.

Maybe after market studs built for racing.

What you described is pretty similar to what @Guff experienced before:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51038

The consensus is that the OEM lug studs are garbage, and that ARP studs are recommended.

dont over torque them and put some lube/anti-seize on nuts/studs and the tapered mating surface between nut and wheel, if they salt the roads it will make everything seize up if its not got lube/anti-seize on it.

I change wheels on my cars 2-4 times a year. I use a pneumatic impact wrench and tighten hard. Never bothered to check the torque, probably way over spec every time...
I've never broken a stud or a nut. It's nearly always cold when I change wheels.

So it sounds like you are way more cautious than I am, and yet you have these problems. It's definitely weird.

When you're not on stock wheels and lug nuts, do you have good quality lug nuts that fits with the wheels?

I use the factory lug nuts

Shot in the dark..

My factory lug nuts are solid cap-style nuts. When I bought my winter steelies, they came with their own nuts that weren't caps. Are you using steel wheels w/ your winter tires? If so, it might be possible that the bolts protrude through the steel wheels a slight bit more than they do the stock wheels, and your cap-style oem nuts are deforming them when you tighten them down. Just an idea.. I have no idea how valid it is. I offer it because I was curious as to why they bothered to include a set of lugnuts w/ my steel wheels, and why those weren't cap nuts; this was my guess as to the reason. Anyone else know for sure?

AND.. to the OP.. why are you swapping your tires so frequently? If it's cold, just leave your winter tires on for the season. Snow tires CAN be driven when it's not CURRENTLY snowing...

Barry

This is a valid theory. I had to get new nuts for my steel rims since the stock ones were not extending far enough to tighten properly.


Changing them that often he would probably be a good candidate for a pit crew!


https://media.giphy.com/media/d382uVfLgvEcg/giphy.gif

Sorry this is off topic but WTF does the guy in the bottom middle do?? Is he moral support for the driver or something??

Back in the day it was instructions, tactics or issues. Today maybe the same thing they just don't want to say on the radio?

I changed them at lest 3 times a month.... Yes I use stock lug nuts with my steel winter tires BUT figured out that I should use OPEN end lug nuts with my winter set, to play it safe so thats what I have on now....

And yea I know you can use them when not snowing, but I have roads that I take to work that's hard to resist not to DRIFT and slide around on =) my snow tires will have to get replaced often! N they're kind of pricy lol. Oh the struggle.......... Lol

When I got my wheels put on at discount tire yesterday they torqued them all to 80lbs.

Anti seize lube will help you, if not, just go for upgraded lugs. Most people are switching to APR. Think they're common and easy enough to find too at your local shop. Found some at my local muscle car shop.
The the anti seize is good for wheel to wheel hubs too.
And don't do open open end nuts, rust will be evil.
EDIT: nvm, someone said something about not using anti seize.

I would go for a set of good racing lugs if you change that often. The stock ones are simply not designed with that frequent of change in mind and you are simply fatiguing them. They are a hardened steel and get even harder when it is cold so that increases the risk of breaking them.
Also make sure you if you are using a baron them to keep the pressure centered(you probably know this but will throw it in anyway) since lateral pressure and lugs don't play well together. I cringe every time I see some guy throw a T baron a lug nut and then use their foot on one side to get enough torque.