Wheel studs sheared off

[renodaytona]

So two days ago I had a friend that had her tire fall off of her Tundra, all the studs were sheared off. Later that day there was a kid in a 240Z that had all of his studs sheared off of his rear drivers side sitting by UNR.

Yesterday I get a call from my GF's son, he was walking around his Ranger on his lunch break and three of the 5 wheel studs were sheared off, the passenger front.

Any of the mechanics or tire guys on here have any insight on this?

I checked the F350 and F150 last night just for peace of mind.

 

[mjc]

Somebody is out loosening lugnuts.

 

[Waterjunky]

Tire shops using impact guns to do final tightning.......

 

[Waterjunky]

They should get them close and use a torque wrench for the last turn or so.

 

[renodaytona]

Tire shops using impact guns to do final tightning.......

That was my guess as well, I asked the GF's son if he saw how they did the install/lug tightening when he had the new tires put on, he said no.

 

[renodaytona]

Somebody is out loosening lugnuts.

Studs were sheared off, not loose lug nuts. The other two that didn't break were still tight on the Ranger.

 

[evantwheeler]

Loose lugnuts allows shear loading of the studs and then they.....shear off.

Torqueing lug nuts provides the proper clamping force such that the friction between the face of the hub/rotor and the face of the wheel is sufficient to support the weight of the vehicle and the dynamic loads the wheel sees.

 

[renodaytona]

Checked all of the other lugs studs on the Ranger, nothing loose/broken but I'm skeptical that there isn't damaged lugs so we will be replacing all of them this weekend,.

 

[evantwheeler]

Studs were sheared off, not loose lug nuts. The other two that didn't break were still tight on the Ranger.

When I was younger, I lost a wheel twice on my old squarebody. Both times, some lugs sheared, and some did not. Both time, it was my fault for not checking the torque of the lug nuts periodically and having non-balanced wheel assemblies and maybe some non-ideal lug seats in the rims.....

 

[retaocleg]

just saw a small car on kiowa north with front driver side wheel missing, sitting on a flat sided rotor, hazzards on........weird

 

[RitcheyRch]

Would sure hope someone not going around and loosening lug nuts

 

[pwerwagn]

Do they have aftermarket wheels? Ive seen this happen (a lot on toyotas) if the lugnuts used are not the "ET" (extended thread) style. The nuts will reach torque typically, but with 2-3 threads engaged the threads will start to roll over time, then preload is lost, and voila...your tire/wheel is passing you.

 

[SBMech]

Fasteners do not last forever. After a few million heat cycles, the metal fatigue kills them. I see it constantly with Subaru and Toyota.

Don't rotate every 5k like tire stores suggest unless you are truly needing it from abnormal wear to get more life. There is a finite amount of times the lugs can go on and come off before they fatigue these days.

Nothing lasts forever. Think about that the next time you redline your hotrod past 150 on the freeway...how old are those wheel studs?

Interestingly enough, I rarely see vintage hardware fail as much as newer does, like 2000's and up seem to be fairly weak comparatively as a retrospective from working in the trenches for the last 35 years of automotive history.

If ALL the studs were loosened they would make a HORRIBLE noise while they were popping and grinding their way to failure. Trust me, I've seen plenty of that shit living next to a tire shop! Poor guys.

If only a few were tight, there is no load on the loose ones....the wheel is not moving while there are a few tight lugs still on.

Personally I'm going with over tightening or some idiot using lube on the threads. By decreasing the surface and clamping tension applied with lubricant, you can snap them off easily at a quarter of their expected load capability.

 

[ka0tyk]

there a local tire shop running a special on lugnuts or something?

 

[monkeyswrench]

Trump's fault?
J/K

Weird to see so many. Usually when I've seen it, someone has new tires. The tire shop kids will run the impact like Compton on New Years. Studs stretch and stuff breaks eventually. When loose, as pointed out, it'll make a hell of a noise and shake before touchdown...did it once, 2am after swapping my axle. Haven't forgotten to double check since then.

 

[Brokeboatin221]

I’m glad my truck has 8 to break instead of 5

 

[monkeyswrench]

I’m glad my truck has 8 to break instead of 5

Last year I worked on a Kenworth. Put the gun on the lugs to pull off the outer rears...8 of the 20 spun! The previous fuktard broke 8 studs on the hubs, then put the buds back on the outers so it looked passable.

Holy shit! 200lbs at mach 5 could go flying. Owner was pissed. So was I, not easy to pull those lugnuts off spinning inners.

 

[ElAzul]

Impact guns should come with a mandatory competency test. I've worked with several people that didn't know their drill had a clutch or it's basic function

 

[LHC Kirby]

using lube on the threads. By decreasing the surface and clamping tension applied with lubricant, you can snap them off easily at a quarter of their expected load capability.

Lube ? ? I use Anti seize on the studs - LIGHTLY. Have for years, do you consider it lube?

 

[RitcheyRch]

I've seen it happen on Tundras where they aftermarker wheels where not hub centric.

 

[Brokeboatin221]

Call me stupid but I put on my lug nuts by hand and torque with a torque wrench……

 

[PRIMO]

Hand tightened LUG NUTS wih a Breaker Bar /
IMPACT WRENCHES "Stip out the Threads"
PSA.....

 

[liquid addiction]

Maybe something to do with the freezing ass temps we have been having. Never saw snow stick around so long.

 

[racektm]

Shouldn't these limit the damage from impact guns?

 

[renodaytona]

Maybe something to do with the freezing ass temps we have been having. Never saw snow stick around so long.

That and all the DAM pot holes due to the snow plows. There are some MF-ing huge ones on the main street out of my neighborhood. The road out by golden valley is like mine field of pot holes.

 

[fishing fool]

Did a google search of why "wheel studs break"

#1 Improper installation, over torquing of lug nuts, or under tightening of lug nuts can all cause a wheel stud to fail.

#2 Usually, the wheel studs will only break off while driving if you have a loose wheel on your car.

So if the wheels have not been torqed reasently My guess someone was going to rip off the wheels or you have someone loosing them up to cause problems.

 

[rivermobster]

Would sure hope someone not going around and loosening lug nuts

Probably a TicToc deal...

@Outdrive1 should be able to fill us all in with the details.

 

[fast99]

Shouldn't these limit the damage from impact guns?

Yes we use those every time a wheel goes on. They are just short of rated torque. 100 ft lb stick tightens 90-95. Need to do final with torque wrench. If buying just one an 80 ft lb will get nuts close on a majority of vehicles and not overtighten. There are exceptions.

 

[renodaytona]

Did a google search of why "wheel studs break"

#1 Improper installation, over torquing of lug nuts, or under tightening of lug nuts can all cause a wheel stud to fail.

#2 Usually, the wheel studs will only break off while driving if you have a loose wheel on your car.

So if the wheels have not been torqed reasently My guess someone was going to rip off the wheels or you have someone loosing them up to cause problems.

Problem is on the Tacoma in the pic you can see the center cap is still there. If some one was trying to steal the wheels why put the center cap back on?

 

[renodaytona]

Here is a pic of the GF's sons wheel, passenger side front of the Ranger with the three broken studs.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Oddball question, any way water can get inside, and freeze? Until I moved here, I had no idea how strong ice was. Yes, I know freezeplugs in a block and such, but seen some weird stuff here.

 

[fishing fool]

Do you need to take the center cap off to remove the wheel?

Here is a pic of the GF's sons wheel, passenger side front of the Ranger with the three broken studs.

View attachment 1190777

 

[rivermobster]

Here is a pic of the GF's sons wheel, passenger side front of the Ranger with the three broken studs.
View attachment 1190777

Holy shit...

Those studs are Way too short for those wheels!!!

@monkeyswrench

 

[rivermobster]

The nut is on there with Maybe two threads???

I'm afraid to ask who did the install on this? I probably don't want to know...

 

[530RL]

The nut is on there with Maybe two threads???

I'm afraid to ask who did the install on this? I probably don't want to know...

View attachment 1190787

Yep, a couple threads will not hold the recommended torque let alone any over-torquing.

Without proper clamping forces that wheel and stud is constantly moving and like a paper clip that is bent back and forth over and over, it snaps.

Pull the stud and send it to a bolt lab and they can tell you how the bolt broke by looking at the metal under a high power microscope like they do with airplane parts when they fail.

 

[RitcheyRch]

The nut is on there with Maybe two threads???

I'm afraid to ask who did the install on this? I probably don't want to know...

View attachment 1190787

Good catch, minimum 2-3 full threads should be sticking out

 

[dribble]

Shouldn't these limit the damage from impact guns?

America"s Tire uses those then checks torque with a torque wrench.

 

[Nordie]

The nut is on there with Maybe two threads???

I'm afraid to ask who did the install on this? I probably don't want to know...

View attachment 1190787

Unless those were loose too, but hadn't sheared off yet. If not the case then yes not enough thread.

 

[retaocleg]

"mass conspiracy to bolster the rotor industry" -yuma not

 

[rivermobster]

Unless those were loose too, but hadn't sheared off yet. If not the case then yes not enough thread.

Doesn't look that way in the pic. In fact, going by how clean and shiny the studs and nuts are, I'm going guess there is some kinna funky adapter behind the wheel?

 

[rivermobster]

Studs were sheared off, not loose lug nuts. The other two that didn't break were still tight on the Ranger.

Unless those were loose too, but hadn't sheared off yet. If not the case then yes not enough thread.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

Here is a pic of the GF's sons wheel, passenger side front of the Ranger with the three broken studs.
View attachment 1190777

Those are not "twisted" from an impact or over tightening. Those are sheared from not being tight, not enough threads. But I'm going to venture to say those are not the correct lug nuts for that wheel. Wrong taper JMO

Pull one of the other lugs off and look at the wear, lug nut to wheel. I bet it is not even.

 

[Nordie]

You had to quote me twice to prove your point?

 

[gottaminute?]

Did a google search of why "wheel studs break"

#1 Improper installation, over torquing of lug nuts, or under tightening of lug nuts can all cause a wheel stud to fail.

#2 Usually, the wheel studs will only break off while driving if you have a loose wheel on your car.

So if the wheels have not been torqed reasently My guess someone was going to rip off the wheels or you have someone loosing them up to cause problems.

you mean to tell me that 3 or 4 ugga uggas with the impact isnt how it is done.


seriously, when we were supplying trailers to the towable genset world, if a wheel fell of within the first year, the trailer mfg was blamed due to "improper mounting procedures". ALWAYS snug them up and torque to proper spec.
standard tire shop proceedure is a few ugga uggas (typicaly over tightening) then grab the torque wrench and go clickity click around the circle to show off how great of a job they are doing for you.. in reality, the lug nuts never budged with the torque wrench. IF THEY DIDNT MOVE, THE NUTS WERE OVER TORQUED. THIS puts the stud past it's yield strength and LOOSENING IT BACK UP DOES NOT FIX IT.

looking at the nuts/studs in the pic.... i would go with that being the issue.

 

[rivermobster]

You had to quote me twice to prove your point?

Lol...

Not my point, the OP's!

(mine was just a guess)

 

[badgas]

Tire shops using impact guns to do final tightning.......

This

They also strip them because they use the impact at the start as well and cross thread them.

I watched a guy at tire shop take my buddies 1 day old 4runner and snap a stud off with an impact.

Lazy !!

 

[76 Hondo]

Happened to me 75 mph on I-5 in San Clemente, the rim rotated around the the brake rotor until I got stopped, then came off when the tow truck lifted it!

 

[TimeBandit]

Pretty much why I bring my wheels in loose to have new tires mounted.

I tighten them first with a M12 1/4" hex impact that maxes out at 40 foot pounds.

Then I get out the torque wrench and torque to specs.

Torque sticks are fine, but the gun must be adjusted a notch or two below it's max power setting (It's in the instructions nobody reads)

I don't use them because they scratch the skinny lug nut holes in alloy rims, fine to use on steel wheels tho.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Most recent set of tires on My F one fitty they overtightend the lugs causing pedal pulsation on high speed braking Thanks "Big Brand tires "

 

[lbhsbz]

Studs were sheared off, not loose lug nuts. The other two that didn't break were still tight on the Ranger.

Loose lug nuts is what causes studs to break...not overtightening.