**Rear Wheel Stud Snapped**

[Tango T5]

My OH just came home and said somebody had pointed out to her that there was a wheel nut missing on the N/S/R wheel. 

I've just took a closer look, and it's the stud that has snapped. Is this gonna be a new hub job ?? Or can the studs be replaced ?? 

BTW the car is a 2022, with only 8400 miles on the clock.

[Bper]

Hi David,yes the studs can be replaced, there's a number of videos on YouTube and if you type in broken wheel stud this will bring them up.

It depends if you are used to DIY on cars as it can be tricky if not i would take it to a garage to be done.😄

[Tango T5]

@Bper I could probably do it myself, and may do if they are not willing to look at it under warranty. My worry is that with such a new car/low milage should I really be DIYing it.

[Bper]

Hi David, how did this happen did you have a wheel changed lately or did you just notice this. If the later then i think you have a good chance of the repair being done under warranty. Unless there is an obvious sign that the wheel nut was forced then it is a defect.

I don't think considering how new the vehicle is that they would refuse. Whilst it doesn't state wheel nuts or studs in the warranty this would be covered under discs/ hubs etc I suspect. Hope this helps .😄

[Tango T5]

The only time the wheel would have been off the car is for it's 1st service, done last June at 5140 miles. 

My missus took the car out today, and a friend of mine spotted it and told her about it. The nut is obviously now missing, with the rest of the broken stud.

I'll have to give them a ring, and see what they have to say.

[Bper]

6 minutes ago, Tango T5 said:

The only time the wheel would have been off the car is for it's 1st service, done last June at 5140 miles. 

My missus took the car out today, and a friend of mine spotted it and told her about it. The nut is obviously now missing, with the rest of the broken stud.

I'll have to give them a ring, and see what they have to say.

Did you not notice it when you checked the tyre pressures or washed the car wheels.? Its a question they may ask.👍

[Tango T5]

It's only happened very recently, it's something I would have noticed. My missus wouldn't notice if there was a wheel missing. Haha

[Haliotis]

I would think the studs are manufactured to a safety factor of five, meaning that the studs are capable of withstanding five times the stresses they are likely to suffer in service.  Torque-wrenched to the correct load, they should not fracture.  Most of today’s garages use impact wrenches, but these should only be used to UNDO the studs, and NEVER for retightening them. Use of an impact wrench to retighten wheel studs can definitely produce fractures that will weaken the studs.

[Chas G]

8 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

I would think the studs are manufactured to a safety factor of five, meaning that the studs are capable of withstanding five times the stresses they are likely to suffer in service.  Torque-wrenched to the correct load, they should not fracture.  Most of today’s garages use impact wrenches, but these should only be used to UNDO the studs, and NEVER for retightening them. Use of an impact wrench to retighten wheel studs can definitely produce fractures that will weaken the studs.

I always wondered whether the recommended torque settings factored in the use of "copper slip" grease on wheel studs.

[TonyHSD]

Here very likely we see a typical example of over tightening of a wheel studs, this is what exactly happens. That’s why we have a torque settings on these and it’s so important the correct procedures been followed when do or undo wheels studs. If the garage where the car was serviced been taking off the wheels for inspection or service then it is very likely they had messed up your torque settings and you got this as a result. If you can argue in that and ask for warranty replacement, or just buy a new stud and replace by yourself, it’s all down to your personal choice and circumstances. 

[flash22]

if it was over-torqued with an impact gun it stretches the threads weakening the stud, personally I would get all 4 wheels off and inspect the studs where there is 1 there may be others - yes it's a safety issue get the dealer to sort it ASAP

 

PS. Wheels don't come off the car during service unless they have to, it would have been done at PDI tbh

[APS]

This ^^ - what Bob said is spot on. 

Unless you know you've had that particular wheel off for a repair, all studs need inspecting/replacing. As this is a matter of safety, let the dealer handle it. 

 

[Haliotis]

7 hours ago, Chas G said:

I always wondered whether the recommended torque settings factored in the use of "copper slip" grease on wheel studs.

 

[Haliotis]

No lubricant, including copper grease, should be used on the thread of wheel studs.  To do so increases the stresses in the threads in order to reach the specified torque.  This in turn increases the amount of “stretch“ in the studs which can take them beyond the limit of their ultimate tensile strength.  Fractures are then generated in the studs, which may eventually snap under the loads produced during normal driving.

In the past, when having new tyres fitted, I have stopped a tyre fitter from replacing the wheels, and taken over (using my own torque wrench) because he wasn’t doing the work correctly.

Also, when using my own torque wrenches, I always wind them back to zero load immediately after finishing with them.