Wheel Stud Failure...

Luckily this was on my family's land and I didn't have to get it out immediately. Yesterday morning, I dropped my dad off at his truck way down in the woods, went to pull away and heard a snap in the rear and felt the right rear of the truck drop. I thought it popped an axle shaft and spit the axle out (the rear is welded and I've only put a couple hundred miles on this axle). I got out to find all the studs sheared off. I broke one a week ago in the driveway after checking the rear brakes, but it somehow sheared the other 4.

Before anybody says it, the lugs were tight! I had both rear wheels off two weeks ago, and I had checked them since then because I had a flat on the other side Wednesday.

The rear axle is out of an '01 Sport 2wd that had 170,000 miles on it. I don't know if maybe the studs were defective and just hadn't had much stress on them like they are now? Any ideas?

I was able to get new studs in with the e-brake shoes removed and limped it home. I've got to pull the shafts to change seals and bearings anyway, so I'm thinking about upgrading the shafts and keeping these for spares. What brands and kits are the best?

now for the pictures:

 

[section525]

I have seen four of these failures in four days on the highway! It's something in the air. Looks like everything else held up pretty well.

 

[LBarr2002]

Yeah, it rolled the rear quarter some, but no big deal. It broke in soft dirt, so no rotor damage.

 

[solitary ogre]

is it possible that somebody has overtightened them in the past with an impact wrench and lots of ambition?
if 1 goes then that puts stress on the others until they all let go.
to install new studs, i put 'em in the freezer over night then warm up the backing plate with a heat gun (not a torch) and they go in with much less effort. i also found that if you put a 5/8" nut over the stud first then use the regular 1/2"x20 nut to pull it in straight.

keep smilin.............t

 

[LBarr2002]

So...anybody have suggestions for axle shaft upgrades? Superior? USA Alloy?

 

[dkchrist]

superior super 88 kit

 

[LBarr2002]

I don't want to do the super 88. For one thing, its over $500. Another, the whole cutting off the ends of the axle tube thing scares me a little. I was thinking Alloy USA. They have a kit for about $320. Anybody using it?

 

[IZwack]

I wouldnt upgrade the axle shafts -- I think it would be a waste of $$ with 33-inch tires.

One of the things that might have helped snap the studs is the welded rear axle -- just a thought.

 

[LBarr2002]

Oh, I know IZ. Its got a lot more stress on it now than it ever did in the 2wd sport the axle came out of.

 

[Rick]

I've had good luck with my Moser axles. 10 years and no problems. I think they're $299 with studs. IMO any application that's running a full time locked rear end should have aftermarket axle shafts. Spool manufacturers never recommend running a spool with stock shafts.

 

[SVO]

MAD FLEX

Sorry I had to interject there

I run a fully Lincolin Locked rear axle and 35's and I worry all the time about snapping one, or let alone the studs when ever it's driven on the streets, I did make a run about 150+ miles from the house and backm the only problem that I had was a piece of slag punched through the diff cover about 10 miles from the house causing a pretty bad leak.

I also don't make shap turns on pavement either, nor do I recomend running a fully locked rear on the streets, it's not just the axles that take a beating, bearings, carrier/pinion and the axle housing it's self take a pretty hard beating.



Happy Wheeling!




Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Rick]

Oh one more tip... Wheel studs should protrude through the lug nut at least the diameter of the stud. In other words a 1/2" diameter stud should protrude at least 1/2" through the lug nut.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's a good idea to replace all of the wheel studs at the same time (4 wheels), use grease on the threads, and torque the nuts to 100 Ft/Lbs. Harbor Freight has cheap 1/2" drive torque wrenches which work well for their price range.

 

[Crunchy]

use grease on the threads

Ummm, NO !

 

[BrooklynBay]

What's wrong with a little lubrication? It also helps prevent rust from accumulating.

 

[Crunchy]

Lubrication helps things move. Do you really want your lugs to loosen on you while driving?

Not very often you hear of lug nuts rusting to the point you can't get them off either.

 

[Willard]

Lubrication helps things move. Do you really want your lugs to loosen on you while driving?

Not very often you hear of lug nuts rusting to the point you can't get them off either.

Have you never removed the wheel of an old neglected truck? Those lugs can get pretty badly frozen on there. I've seen it a few times before.

A little anti-seize on the threads won't hurt anything. I've always had some on mine, it helps get the proper torque readings when torquing down the lug nuts, and ensures they come off easily when you remove the wheel. I've also never had a lug nut loosen up or fall of either.

I've also had just about every tire shop I've been to apply it. If they are doing it, than it's not gonna make your wheel fall off.

 

[Crunchy]

The poster was talking about using grease, not anti-seize.

Two different animals.

A little anti-seize on the threads won't hurt anything. I've always had some on mine, it helps get the proper torque readings when torquing down the lug nuts, and ensures they come off easily when you remove the wheel. I've also never had a lug nut loosen up or fall of either.

 

[JDraper]

Grease or anti-sieze on the threads is fine. It won't cause the wheels to fall off if they are properly torqued. It will help get more consistent torquing and keep the lugs from seizing up (especially if you are wheeling and drown the wheels in mud/water).

 

[Dannyboy]

If it were me, I'd head to Napa, get new studs and press them in. Chances are if you don't know the history of this axle something funky has happened in the past that compromised the lug nuts (such as they were not torqued to spec a while ago). It's not too common of a breakage that I would go all out and get new shafts and all...but those are good points about upgrading your shafts if you run a spool.