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Breaking Tire Lug Studs. (and other tire issues)


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#1 wicked1

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Posted 05 January 2022 - 05:31 AM

On my last trip I had a tire issue, and was very lucky about how it happened.
I had stopped for lunch in a small town.  Walked around to check on things before getting back on the road.  And, my tire valve stem was puffed up like a balloon.  I sent a pic to a friend who had never seen it, then was writing a text to a mechanic I know.. and while doing it, PPFFFFFFSSSSSSsssssss  it ruptured and let the air out of my tire. 
I'm well prepared.. Have a good jack, tools, spare.  Start taking the lugs off.. Tight.  I have to stand on the tire wrench.  It finally starts turning, and.. the lug stud spins off.  Try the next, and it happens again.
I gave up, looked up a local tire shop, and they came and got my remaining lugs off w/ an impact wrench so we could get the spare on and drive to the shop. 
They fixed the studs, valve stem, and loosened and re-torqued all my lug nuts.   (Total cost....  $60!)

 

What could I do if this happened 100 miles out in the desert or something?  I'm prepared for a lot of things, but don't know what I could have done in this situation.  I found emergency valve stems you can install from the outside.  But what about the lug studs?  Being able to change a tire is a basic task everyone needs to be able to do out on the trail.  And I couldn't do it.


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#2 Beach

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Posted 05 January 2022 - 03:24 PM

" the lug stud spins off", I'm guessing you mean the lugs broke off. Before heading off into the back country, I suggest retorquing all lugs to OEM specs anytime the tire shops worked on the vehicle to prevent the same situation occurring. Discount tires in my area always uses a torque wrench during installation.  Also, If the lugs haven't been off in years and looked rusted, loosen and retorque, maybe add a some never seize if rusting persists due to road salt or many water crossings.. In the event that it happens out in the sticks, you'll need replacement parts and the tools to remove your hubs and/or drums and a sizeable hammer and punch to drive out the old broken lugs.


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#3 fish more

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Posted 05 January 2022 - 03:49 PM

I would suggest to have all the valve stems replaced if they are old, also loosen and retorque all the wheel studs.


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#4 JaSAn

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Posted 05 January 2022 - 06:08 PM

 . . . What could I do if this happened 100 miles out in the desert or something?  I'm prepared for a lot of things, but don't know what I could have done in this situation . . .

 

Being from salt-esota I always put anti-seize on all my lug studs.  And I do my own tire rotations, so I am removing and retightening the lugs a couple of times a year.

 

What to do?

If I sheared less than half of the studs on one tire AND I will not have to put a lot of torque or lateral force on the wheel to drive out, I would drive out very carefully.    Otherwise I would steal lugs from the other wheels (and drive out very carefully).


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#5 JHanson

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Posted 06 January 2022 - 12:48 AM

It sounds to me like whoever installed your tires last did so with an impact wrench and just let it hammer on, over-torquing them. Properly torqued lug nuts shouldn't cause this issue. With that said, the advice about anti-seize is good anywhere.

 

I also did not understand if you meant the studs unscrewed or snapped off?


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#6 craig333

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Posted 06 January 2022 - 01:03 AM

I haven't tried it personally but using a flare to heat the lugs may work in this case.


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#7 pvstoy

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Posted 06 January 2022 - 02:51 AM

I haven't tried it personally but using a flare to heat the lugs may work in this case.


I remember on the show Big Bang Theory the guys used a flare and they burned down a van trying to remove the lug nuts.
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#8 pvstoy

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Posted 06 January 2022 - 03:00 AM

I'm wrong, not flare....
https://www.google.c...gL9r-enugNyQaJR
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#9 wicked1

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Posted 06 January 2022 - 03:06 AM

To clarify, the studs broke off..   I said 'spun off' because that's how it happened.. It felt like the lug was loosening, but it was actually the stud metal twisting and breaking. 

 

In this situation, w/ the tools I had, I think I would have broken all of them if I kept trying.  The tacoma tire wrench has an unfortunate angle which puts a LOT of down force, rather than twisting force, on the lugs.  My socket wrench I keep in the truck wasn't strong enough. 

 

So I guess to fix this on the trail, as Beach said, I'd need extra studs, and the tools to take off the brake drum and punch out the old studs..  I guess a more realistic option is to preemptively check them before each trip as a few others have said..


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#10 wicked1

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Posted 06 January 2022 - 03:09 AM

I'm wrong, not flare....
https://www.google.c...gL9r-enugNyQaJR

Hah, thanks for that. 

 

(I'll add, it was a little alarming how easily they broke.. I saw the super long breaker bar they used in the video you posted.. and while that's not real, if it were.. at least on my truck, those studs would have easily twisted and broken off w/ that much torque)


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