I put some aftermarket wheels on and had to use some tuner bolts. The size was 12mmx1.25, which is the right size. Anyway I go to take them off today and they start to come off and then stop , I give it a little strength and bam they break the stud right off!! I did this on all my front studs. I don't know what to do here because i had the right size ,but still it doesn't seem to thread right coming off. Going on they go right on, but coming off they get stuck?? Any ideas as to what this is?


BAD day!

 

How many times you taken them off? You might had overtightened them when you put them on and twisted the threads on the nut. And now it cant properly screw off.

 

First time I took them off and another thing this happened to all of them not just one. Maybe a bad batch of bolts????

 

This totally baffels me. It makes absoluely no sense whatsoever???

 

It very well may have to do with the type of lug wrench you were using. If you were using the one that came with the car (or one like it), then this is most likely the cause. The reason? It is VERY easy to crossthread the lug nuts (while loosening them) unless you use a tool which applies equal force to all sides of them (an air tool with socket, for example). If you replace the studs and then use the same tool next time, you'll probably crossthread and break them off again. Trust me...I write from experience.

 

Thanks I'll try that when i get it back. Never really thought of that. It still shouldn't be that easy to bbreak studs off. The car does have 170,000 miles on it so maybe they were weak????

 

Is the wheel seated flat on the hub/rotor?

 

I had a '95 200SX SE-R when this happened. I purchased new wheels/tires and they required new "tuner" lug nuts. The first time I tried to remove the wheels, I used the factory wrench. Baaaaaaaaaaad idea...I snapped or locked-on nearly all of them. Fortunately, I got the tire company to repair them all for free. From then on, I used an air tool with a proper socket...never another problem. This is why I feel it's a likely explanation.

 

Yulp.........

 

That makes enough sense to me. I hope your right.


Thanks guys for the quick responses.

 

It may also be that you had the wrong bolts. For example, stainless steel on stainless steel will weld together if they are the same exact type of steel. No wrench or air tool will solve that. Ditto if they aren't made for corrosion resistance, or are overtightened, or don't have the proper strength, etc.

If you want my opinion, using proper wheel lugs and properly fitting aftermarket wheels is the answer. There are a lot of critical components in a car that you rely on every day, and I rank wheel hardware right up there with brakes.

Dave

 

tuner lugnuts usually have open ends, which allow contaminants in & corrosion to build up easily. with the heat in rotors & wheels you get a formula for trouble. just saw a simular problem on buddy's lexus w/chrome wheels.

 

Well the guy at the shop that I took my car got the rear ones off with no problem, so the guys that are saying taking them off as straight as possible is probably the solution. I'm going to buy a air gun so this doesn't happen again.

 

Now would be a good time tog et some H&R spacers.

 

No more spending money. My wife is about to divorce me already. I got ride around now with gr2's and eibach's for a while until I can find a good time to get my illumina's. That really sucks!

 

What you need is a torque wrench. Problems like this are caused by air impact wrenchs. A basic torque wrench is only $30.

Dave