Torquing tire mystery

[am-radio]

I installed my winter tires and rims yesterday. As I tried tightening the nuts, I had a few that tightened up to 100 ft lbs of torque. But I had many that would not "click" my torque wrench. They just seem to tighten and tighten. I even dropped the setting to 90 t lbs. I just left them snug, but not torqued to 100 ft lbs. I will try again today to retorque. My torque wrench works. I changed tires on my other vehicle that has all steel wheels and they torqued up and clicked like you would expect. Has any else experienced this? I don't think it's because they are aluminum rims. All my other cars have aluminum rims and I've never had a problem getting them to torque properly.

 

[The_Roadie]

Sounds like the classic failed stud seat. Your stud is spinning in the hole it's pressed into in the hub. Tough problem to solve on a rear wheel. On fronts you might be able to get at the stud from the back and tack weld it to the hub to keep it from moving as you remove the lug nut.

Probable cause is air tool overtorquing last time they were put on. Did you do it or a shop? If it was a shop you have a lively discussion coming up about liability.

It is hard to see the stud spinning when you have a socket on the nut.

I've read, but not confirmed, that the stud splines are supposed to fail before the serrations in the hub material. That would make for an easier and cheaper repair, but the present situation is not safe to leave there.

 

[am-radio]

I bought it used, so I can't say. But hear you about impacts. Tire shops hated me, they didnt like doing things by hand. I do all mine by hand. I put a mark on the stud, and tried tightening it a bit. The nut moved, not the stud. They are by no means loose. My torque wrench is long. If I was to use a regular 1/2" socket, it would be a struggle to get off. I'll try retorquing and see what happens. I'm sure hoping it's not the stud spinning. I only checked one.

 

[am-radio]

I went to retorque. All tight except for one on the front. Tried to tighten and the stud broke. What's involved with changing studs?

 

[The_Roadie]

If the studs aren't spinning in the seats, they're overtorqued to the point of stretching. Our head bolts are designed for one time use, called TTY (torque to yield). Wheel studs not so much. Sorry I didn't think of this for your problem. If one broke from previous abuse, I (personally) would change every single one.

[video=youtube;gy9t1mU0lG0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy9t1mU0lG0[/video]

 

[am-radio]

Thanks. Can I use a punch to remove the old studs, while leaving everything on the vehicle?

 

[meerschm]

I used a hammer on the back of my 88 astro after i neglected to torque the lug nuts and drove on them for just long enough to mess up the threads. truck was fine for another 80 k miles, so I did not do any damage.


if you are nervous about whacking the front end, this might help:

How To Remove/Install Wheel Studs - Chevrolet Colorado & GMC Canyon Forum

not sure there is enough room behind for a short socket plus c-clamp. but the idea of pre-stress with a clamp and then a light hammer touch sounds pretty good.

The manual says not to hammer, but to use a J43631 Ball Joint Separator

 

[Sparky]

When I got my upgraded rear axle I swapped all the studs with my originals because they were in better shape (the ones on the donor axle were all rusty). I just used a 3 lb sledge and 1-2 hits knocked them free (and I wasn't even hitting it with a lot of force). Then I used a lug nut to draw the replacement stud back into the hub. I would imagine you could do fronts the same way.

I agree with Roadie, I'd be safe and replace all the studs on the offending hub(s), maybe just do them all just to be on the safe side.

 

[am-radio]

I am going to change them all out. Can I do it while everything is on the truck besides the tire, or do I have to take the caliper and rotor off also?

 

[Sparky]

Rears you definitely have to take the rotor off so you can get behind there. Fronts I'm not sure, you might be able to with the rotor still on but I'd take it off anyway. Only a couple of bolts.