You can safely drive at legal speeds with a missing lug nut; however, you should head to your nearest tire shop as soon as possible. Car wobble and the additional stresses placed on the vehicle as it turns, brakes, and accelerates can cause other issues: the remaining lug nuts can loose, and the wheel studs can break.
Q. Can you replace a lug stud?
Here’s a step-by-step account of how to replace a broken lug nut stud (also called a lug bolt or wheel stud). Use a wrench to loosen the wheel’s lug bolts while the vehicle remains on the ground. Then jack up the vehicle and support it with jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull off the tire.
Table of Contents
- Q. Can you replace a lug stud?
- Q. Can you drive with a missing wheel stud?
- Q. What can cause a wheel stud to break?
- Q. How much torque does it take to break a wheel stud?
- Q. How do you install new wheel studs?
- Q. Which tool is useful for installing wheel studs?
- Q. Are all wheel studs the same size?
- Q. Can you use OEM lug nuts on aftermarket wheels?
- Q. Does Discount Tire replace studs?
Q. Can you drive with a missing wheel stud?
”It is not safe to drive with a broken wheel stud because once a stud breaks, it puts additional pressure on the remaining wheel studs, causing them to eventually break as well. It is dangerous to drive with a broken wheel stud because the wheel will start to wobble and could fall off and possibly cause an accident.”
Q. What can cause a wheel stud to break?
Improper installation, over torquing of lug nuts, or under tightening of lug nuts can all cause a wheel stud to fail.
Q. How much torque does it take to break a wheel stud?
Stud -piloted wheels should be torqued to 450-500 ft. -lbs. dry; demountable rims require 200-260 ft.
Q. How do you install new wheel studs?
Carrying on, you’ll need to insert your new studs into your hub. Once they are in, place a few grade 8 washers on the studs, then hand tighten the lugs down on the washers. Once you have these hand tight, use your impact to pull the stud into the seat on the back of the hub by tightening the stud down.
Q. Which tool is useful for installing wheel studs?
Use with a ratchet or impact wrench to pull the new stud securely in place. Position the tool over the stud shaft. Tighten the lug nut against the tool to pull the stud in place.
Q. Are all wheel studs the same size?
While there is no universal lug nut size, there are fortunately only about ten or so thread sizes and pitches that make up a lug nut’s size. The most common lug nut sizes are: 10mm x 1.25.
Q. Can you use OEM lug nuts on aftermarket wheels?
Aftermarket wheels, not the original equipment (OE) factory wheels, are designed to upgrade the appearance and even performance of your vehicle. Most OE lug nuts are not designed to fit aftermarket wheels. That’s why we recommend purchasing a wheel installation kit to ensure the lug nuts match your wheels.
Q. Does Discount Tire replace studs?
Depending on the season and your vehicle’s circumstance, Discount Tire is equipped to install these studs for you. Studded tires can damage the road, so some states limit or prohibit their use during non-winter months. Consult the experts at your local Discount Tire to determine if studding is right for your tires.
