I keep breaking lug studs!!!

[Guff]

Okay guys, so I have a problem and I am trying to see if other people are having this problem too.

I have broken three lug studs thus far.

Now, I have changed a million wheels before, and I have never broken a lug stud.

That being said, I have taken off the tires off my FRS twice now and I broke one stud the first time on the Driver's Front Hub and then again today, I was trying to take off the lugs on the Passenger Rear today and two of the lugs put up a fight that was rather out of the ordinary. They would loosen a bit, then as I turned, they would tighten again and stay tight. Both definitely feel like that they are about to snap off so I left them alone. They are still on the car and I probably moved them maybe a quarter turn before I realized both were effed.

The wheels were torqued last to 89 ft/lbs and they were all put on with the utmost care to ensure the lugs weren't cross threaded.

Am I doing something wrong? Am I being an idiot? Or are these Lug Studs just garbage? I would love to go aftermarket studs, but dropping $200 on a good set is kind of out of the question.

I'm really frustrated, and the fact that I can't even take my wheels off without breaking studs is hugely annoying...

HELP MEEEEEEE!!!!

[fasterthanu]

Your lugnuts are actually welding themselves to the studs.Did you apply never seize to the threads and base of cone? If you are torqueing properly but not using a lubricant,that is what will happen.

As the lugnut is removed,the metal is balling up inside taking up the clearance between the threads.

[FR-S Matt]

Probably garbage stock lugs. I went with Ray's and they come off, go on with ease like it always should. Your lugs sound like the nuts on my stock header.... Plasma cut them off.

[Deep Six]

They are extremely brittle, I have broken two already myself. I wont even touch them with an impact wrench anymore.

[Mikem53]

I've removed my wheels a couple of times so far with no issues..
Also torqued them to 89 ft lbs as stated in the manual.
I used a breaker bar to remove as some felt they were sticking. No problems
So far... Can't say I noticed anything unusual...

[Steve]

I think its the stock bolts imo, had to replace a stud on the very first time taking the wheels off, the muteki's came off easy

[whataboutbob]

I've had my wheels on and off dozens of times on the factory studs for AutoX events. I also use a torque wrench to tighten them to 89 ft/lbs. I coated mine early on with anti-seize. None have broken ... yet.

[Guff]

I'll try out the Never Seize.

My predicament now is that I don't know if I should buy OEM studs and keep replacing them if they break, or if I really need to go with something stronger. I was hoping also to gauge exactly how prevalent this problem is so that I might be able to report it to some higher ups at Toyota or Subaru, should that be necessary.

[whataboutbob]

Originally Posted by Guff

I'll try out the Never Seize.

My predicament now is that I don't know if I should buy OEM studs and keep replacing them if they break, or if I really need to go with something stronger. I was hoping also to gauge exactly how prevalent this problem is so that I might be able to report it to some higher ups at Toyota or Subaru, should that be necessary.

If you are breaking them I'd suggest getting some better/stronger ones and/or lubing the threads.

[Suberman]

Lug nuts should be installed dry. Use of lubricant is dangerous. Specified torque is for dry torque.

If studs are breaking then it is possible the impact wrench torque is too high. Somehow your lug nuts are at too high a torque before you try yo release them.

The dry torque required to break the static friction is higher than the specified torque to tighten them. That is the safety advantage of dry torque.

NEVER use an impact wrench to torque lug nuts. ALWAYS use a hand torque wrench. Even if you have proper calibrated impact wrench stems it is always good practice to hand torque to final value. I use an underpowered lithium ion battery powered impact wrench to spin lug nuts off and on but I use a breaker bar to release them and a hand torque wrench to torque them to final spec.

Finally, make sure your torque wrench is properly calibrated and do so often if you use it frequently. Calibration is expensive but essential. Most cheaper click torque wrenches sold by hardware stores are waaaay off when brand new.

[fasterthanu]

Originally Posted by Suberman

Lug nuts should be installed dry. Use of lubricant is dangerous. Specified torque is for dry torque.

If studs are breaking then it is possible the impact wrench torque is too high. Somehow your lug nuts are at too high a torque before you try yo release them.

The dry torque required to break the static friction is higher than the specified torque to tighten them. That is the safety advantage of dry torque.

NEVER use an impact wrench to torque lug nuts. ALWAYS use a hand torque wrench. Even if you have proper calibrated impact wrench stems it is always good practice to hand torque to final value. I use an underpowered lithium ion battery powered impact wrench to spin lug nuts off and on but I use a breaker bar to release them and a hand torque wrench to torque them to final spec.

Finally, make sure your torque wrench is properly calibrated and do so often if you use it frequently. Calibration is expensive but essential. Most cheaper click torque wrenches sold by hardware stores are waaaay off when brand new.

Don't listen to this guy or you will keep breaking studs.

The lubricant will not allow the lugs to break their specified torque on their own,it will only allow the nut to be successfully removed without damage occurring to the threads.

I work in the industrial field and use never seize on applications to over 2000ft lbs of torque. The only way you can reach that torque is with a lubricant on the threads otherwise the friction and force will literally gore the metal before the specified torque is reached.

Now do you understand the purpose of thread lubricant?Or do you need a more scientific explanation?

[infinite012]

Originally Posted by fasterthanu

Don't listen to this guy or you will keep breaking studs.

The lubricant will not allow the lugs to break their specified torque on their own,it will only allow the nut to be successfully removed without damage occurring to the threads.

I work in the industrial field and use never seize on applications to over 2000ft lbs of torque. The only way you can reach that torque is with a lubricant on the threads otherwise the friction and force will literally gore the metal before the specified torque is reached.

Now do you understand the purpose of thread lubricant?Or do you need a more scientific explanation?

Application of thread lubricants will lower the required torque to securly fasten or clamp whatever needs to be fastened.

If you're tightening to 2000 ft-lbs with lubricant, you'd need way more to achieve the same clamping force if you used no lubricant. You'd also probably destroy everything.

Alternatively, if you tighten the lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs dry and you are breaking the studs, you will be applying more force than that when you lubricate the studs and tighten to 89 ft-lbs. Then you will still break the studs.

[Gary in NJ]

If a manufacturers spec doesn't provide a dry and wet torque spec, then the given spec is a dry spec and never-seize should not be used.

Check the calibration of your torque wrench. If you continue to break the OEM studs, then try aftermarket studs.

[jblmr2]

Originally Posted by Gary in NJ

If a manufacturers spec doesn't provide a dry and torque spec, then the given spec is a dry spec and never-seize should not be used.

Check the calibration of your torque wrench. If you continue to break the OEM studs, then try aftermarket studs.

+1. I have tracked my car several times since I purchased it in June and always change wheels and tires for the event. I've never had an issue.