Help, Lug nuts keep breaking off!! Studs actually.

So ever since I bought some rims for my car, 2yrs ago. I have been having problems where the studs keep breaking off. I tried not tightening them too much but still they break after a while. Today 3 broke off and the tire started coming off while I was driving to work. Rim was barely on with on lug nut almost completely off.

Talked to a buddy and he said I might need spacers for the hub? But the shop I took it to said that shouldnt matter.

Anyone else having the same issues with aftermarket rims? Thanks.

btw, I went from 17"s to 18"s. I think its a wider rim, maybe thats putting inward pressure on the studs?? Does it matter if its a wider rim?? Thanks.:thinkin:

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Originally Posted by Toneloc71sr

So ever since I bought some rims for my car, 2yrs ago. I have been having problems where the studs keep breaking off. I tried not tightening them too much but still they break after a while. Today 3 broke off and the tire started coming off while I was driving to work. Rim was barely on with on lug nut almost completely off.

Talked to a buddy and he said I might need spacers for the hub? But the shop I took it to said that shouldnt matter.

Anyone else having the same issues with aftermarket rims? Thanks.

btw, I went from 17"s to 18"s. I think its a wider rim, maybe thats putting inward pressure on the studs?? Does it matter if its a wider rim?? Thanks.:thinkin:

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Go get it aligned and get a good torque wrench and make sure all lug nuts are torqued to 100ft lbs.. Only thing I can tell you

Have you had this problem before? They are after market aluminum rims. 100ft lbs? Its not just the front tires, all 4 are doing it. Today it was the rear that was hang on a thread.

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Originally Posted by Toneloc71sr

Have you had this problem before? They are after market aluminum rims. 100ft lbs? Its not just the front tires, all 4 are doing it. Today it was the rear that was hang on a thread.

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Never had this problem.. Just switch from 16x8's to TTII's 17x9.5, 17x11.. No rubbing, no other issues, runs and drives perfect. So I would say your problem is out of the ordinary.

Have you looked to see if the rim is sitting tight on the brake hub?

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Originally Posted by Toneloc71sr

Have you had this problem before? They are after market aluminum rims. 100ft lbs? Its not just the front tires, all 4 are doing it. Today it was the rear that was hang on a thread.

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Also make sure your bolt pattern is right.. Might be skewed a little making it rub the lug studs, eventually rubbing them into two separate pieces..

Yeah the rim sits up against the hub tight all around. When I put the wheels on, I always put one and snug it, then do opposite sides and snug those. Then I tighten all around bouncing in a cross pattern. I owned 4 cars, never had this issue and I removed those wheels more often than in my current one. Just was hoping someone had the same issue and what their solution was.

100 ft/lbs, holy shit!!! :eeek:

i only do 80 ft/lbs since the wheels are aluminum, and so are the lugnuts...

if you over-tighten, you can strip and that could lead to lugnuts backing out and wheel studs busting...


OP, take some pics and post them so we can see exactly what your issue is. take them of the hub and of the wheel...

the wheel should sit around the hub, not up against it...

Well its at the shop now. Lets see what they come up with. I took it to one place and the guy was quoting me like $174 per axle to replace like 2 stud on each axle!! I can do it myself, even tried on the side of the road but the darn rear rotor wouldnt come off the hub!!!! Didnt have anything to bang it with anyway. So I figured I'd tow it and let them do it since I have AAA. Hopefully the second place isnt as bad, I know the economy is bad but jeeeeezzzzzzz!!! $174??? I can go buy a good puller for $80 and do it myself.

Not a normal problem, since you upgraded rims and you didnt have the problem befor the rims the problem lies within the rims.
Bent, warped, wrong bolt pattern, wrong lugs for the rims, over torqued lugs or under torqued.
Like said above, pics of the rims, studs, lugs etc would help us figure out whats going on with it. Becareful with shops, they may say they "fixed" it and a few days later your in the same boat.
J

Just an idea; the studs are failing due to a history of being over torqued. Happened to me tightening lug nuts on my old pos blaser with a 4 way lug wrench. Now I use a torque wrench.

Well, the shop just called $375 to replace All the studs for all four axles. They said someone ( Discount Tire?Thats where I get my tires ) hit them with an impact wrench and they can see cracks on some studs. :(

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Originally Posted by Toneloc71sr

Well, the shop just called $375 to replace All the studs for all four axles. They said someone ( Discount Tire?Thats where I get my tires ) hit them with an impact wrench and they can see cracks on some studs. :(

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id see if you could get some of that back from discount tire. sucks man.

i just about mentioned impart wrench in my earlier post when i said over TQ'd lugnuts.

sorry for the expensive lesson learned, but now is a great time to get a floor jack and jack stands and do what you can yourself. hell i only take tires and wheels to any tire mounting place because i dont want them to f*ck my car...

Dude wheels studs are only a couple of dollars a piece. The rear rotors won't come off if you have the E brake set btw.

I'll pitch in my 2 cents here. :D I could see an over torque problem maybe happening once. I just have a hard time seeing it happen this much. My vote is that something is up with those rims and they're the root cause of your problem. Bolt pattern or something isn't right there. I mean I know guys that have put lug nuts on with an impact wrench for years with zero issues ( I use a torque wrench myself). I could see maybe you having 1 issue but 3 on one wheel and having this happen more than once?? I just don't see it.

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Originally Posted by SSwt00SS

100 ft/lbs, holy shit!!! :eeek:

i only do 80 ft/lbs since the wheels are aluminum, and so are the lugnuts...

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OMG! The Lug Nuts are NOT aluminum!!

100 ft.lbs. is correct torque

Well got back from the shop a few hrs ago. I asked the guy what I should torque them to in the future and he said what Steelman said, 100ft. :) I do have a torque wrench and Im definitely gonna use it from now on. This has been such a big headache for me. But if they do pop again, Im gonna take it back to them and say they didnt fix the problem for sure. Anyways thanks for all the help everyone, all suggestions were good things to look for and to know. Thanks again.

100ft lbs :right:

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Originally Posted by rbob93

OMG! The Lug Nuts are NOT aluminum!!

100 ft.lbs. is correct torque

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true that! 100ft lbs, like all GM passenger cars. and aftermarket rims suggest that you re-torque after 50 miles and every 500 i believe. read the warranty from the shop, should say that.

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Originally Posted by INMY01TA

Dude wheels studs are only a couple of dollars a piece. The rear rotors won't come off if you have the E brake set btw.

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when you get the rotor off, clean the hub with a die grinder and put some synthetic brake grease on there. shouldnt happen again.