13 replies to this topic

[Vinnienova]

Hi there wondering if anyone can help with a simple query. The other day when putting the wheel back on my 1989 mini city e the stud snapped off with not a whole lot of pressure so I replaced the stud by hammering one edge flat and feeding into the back went well tightened up perfect so only when I was tightening the other three when another one snapped putting me back to square one! My question is seeing that two have now snapped relatively easy should I now look at replacing them all and is it known for the wheel studs to weaken and snap over the twenty something years the car has been alive? Many thanks

[Dusky]

How Are you tightening them? Torque wrench?

[slidehammer]

I had the same thing one of mine went whilst undoing it, and I wasn't using much force at all. I only replaced the one that went as I tried all the others and none seemed to want to give. If you have had 2 go, I would change the lot for new they are not much money considering the safety element.

[carbon]

Replace all the wheel studs, and make sure to get good quality studs from a reputable supplier.

[Spider]

 so I replaced the stud by hammering one edge flat and,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

If you can hammer a flat on one side of the head of the stud, then firstly, please replace them by the proper method and secondly, the studs are no good, much too soft.

 

The Studs should be quite high Tensile and very hard as a result, so in trying to hammer them, if they are of the correct grade, they will crack.

 

The correct way to replace them (assuming here you have 8.4" Discs) is to separate the Disc from the Drive Flange. If you rotate the Disc around, there's usually one point where you'll get enough separation between the Disc and the Drive Flange to slip the new one in.

[THE ANORAK]

Im wondering why they are snapping??
Just a thought but could this be a sign that the hub is getting hot due to a failed bearing ?? Would the constant heating and cooling make the studs brittle ??
Im not trying to be a scare monger but im just trying to cover any possible disasters.

Edited by THE ANORAK, 16 August 2016 - 07:46 PM.

[Vinnienova]

Thanks for all your replies to this. I think it's just a case of them being really old and the tension of being tightened so many times over the years hasn't helped. I ordered one from eBay which seems to be of a good standard metal I think replacing them all is a good start and I'm not sure how to test whether the bearings have gone to know whether or not my disc's are heating up dramatically this may be a possible cause

[tiger99]

If they are tightened to the correct torque they will last for ever as the induced tension is below the fatigue limit. It is certain that at some point in the past they have been done up, more than once, by tyre dealers using impact wrenches and no proper torque control, taking them beyond the fatigue threshold. Too many load cyles and they break.

Definitely replace the lot on any kind of car if that happens.

Fortunately the better tyre dealers use a torque wrench nowadays, but reckless overtorquing was normal in the past.

Edited by tiger99, 17 August 2016 - 11:35 AM.

[Tommyboy12]

I snapped one once and just took the flange off and replaced the broken one only. A big lump hammer to knock it out and then tightened in a new one with a piece of drilled box section and an old wheel nut which I tightened up till it was flush with the rest. As said above I wouldnt hammer new ones into place.

[smurfomatic]

Agree that you should change them all, whatever has caused them to weaken you can't trust them any more.

[Dusky]

Get yourself a good torque wrench while at it. 

[carbon]

Thanks for all your replies to this. I think it's just a case of them being really old and the tension of being tightened so many times over the years hasn't helped. I ordered one from eBay which seems to be of a good standard metal I think replacing them all is a good start and I'm not sure how to test whether the bearings have gone to know whether or not my disc's are heating up dramatically this may be a possible cause

Personally I would not trust wheel studs from anyone apart from a reputable supplier, such as Minispares.

 

Too much at stake.

[Mini Manannán]

I hate the phrase but it is a no-brainer.  £20 or £30 for something so critical.

[MikeRotherham]

Looks like Rimmers have a clearance sale on front wheel studs at present