I broke a wheel stud today....

[Bob S.]

Hello - This morning I broke a wheel stud in trying to loosen a lug nut for the 1st time on my '67. Wondering what the recommended source(s) are for replacements. I decided it would be prudent to replace all 20 based on the corrosion I see.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers,
Bob S.

[Mike B.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Bob,

I believe that a good local auto parts store such as a NAPA will carry the studs as they are fairly standard and not reserved to Corvettes. You may as well get new lug nuts while you are at it. If you can get one out intact bring that along just in case the counter "man" is under 40.

Another source would be a swap meet event where there are at least a few sellers who offer studs and nuts as standard fare.

Note that if they were corroded enough to snap, then expect them to be seriously corroded on the hubs. The studs are pressed in and held in place by an interference fit and have a splined mounting points. That provides a lot of surface area to fuse together after all of these years. You better start soaking and resoaking everything with a good penetrant such as PB Blaster.

Good luck!
Mike

[Ken A.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

NAPA & I would clean & lube the other 19 using NeverSieze. Take the old 1 with you to compare length.

[Joe L.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Hello - This morning I broke a wheel stud in trying to loosen a lug nut for the 1st time on my '67. Wondering what the recommended source(s) are for replacements. I decided it would be prudent to replace all 20 based on the corrosion I see.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers,
Bob S.

Bob-----

I DEFINITELY agree that if your wheel studs suffer from significant corrosion, it's an EXCELLENT idea to replace them all.

The wheel studs used for 1967-82 Corvettes, GM #3910340, were pretty much unique to the Corvette application, although they were used for a few other minor applications. They have been GM-discontinued now for a few years.

However, replacements are easily available. Dorman #610259, Wagner #BD 61366, or NAPA #BK 6411267. These may not be configured exactly like the originals since these are, I believe, designed to include more applications than just Corvette, but they should be 100% functional. I don't think the difference will be very discernable when mounted on the car.

The original studs were black phosphate or black oxide-finished. Also, the manufacturer's ID mark of "TR" is often seen on the outer end of the stud. I don't think you'll find any "TR"-marked replacements. However, I believe the Wagner and NAPA studs are black phosphate or black oxide-finished. I'm not sure about the Dorman product's finish.

Some replacements are zinc plated. I don't think that zinc plated studs were ever used in PRODUCTION. However, zinc plated studs are EXCELLENT for minimizing corrosion damage to the studs and making for smoother installation and removal of the lug nuts.

[Don W.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Dr Rebuild has them; pg 149
Paragon has them with same GM part number Joe references above

Don

[Bob S.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Thanks for the help guys!! Now here's the rest of the 'story':

The 1st lug nut I put a socket / breaker bar on snapped. After applying some "Deep Creep" to the remaining nuts at the thread interfaces and where the nut seats against the wheels, I examined the failed stud closer and discovered the nut rotated freely on the stud!!!! Friction from thread corrosion had not caused the problem.

At first I wondered if some bending moment may have been applied to the stud while trying to loosen the nut with the wrench, but then recalled the previous owner redid the brakes last November before putting the car on the market. I got out my compressor and impact wrench. Although supposedly capable of 350 lbs-ft. at the maximum setting, it wouldn't budge any of the 9 other lugnuts I tried.

I could be wrong, but I tend to discount the possibility that nut/wheel seizing is the cause.......just like thread corrosion wasn't the problem. Instead I suspect the P.O. may have unwittingly overtightened them with his impact wrench.

Am now looking into renting a 'beefier' impact wrench.....AND then replacing all 20 studs/nuts.


Bob....

[Jim T.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

I bought new tires many years ago for my 68 and knew the lug nuts were tightened with an impact gun. About year or so later I went to remove the lug nuts and they were very tight, did not want to break any, so just went back to where I bought the tires and had them brake all lug nuts loose with their impact tool and then tightened them on the spot with my torque wrench. Never again any impact guns used on my cars to tighten lug nuts.

[Joe L.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

I bought new tires many years ago for my 68 and knew the lug nuts were tightened with an impact gun. About year or so later I went to remove the lug nuts and they were very tight, did not want to break any, so just went back to where I bought the tires and had them brake all lug nuts loose with their impact tool and then tightened them on the spot with my torque wrench. Never again any impact guns used on my cars to tighten lug nuts.

Jim-----


The ONLY way that a wheel lug nut should be installed with an impact tool is if the tool is equipped with a TORQUE-LIMITING SOCKET. With such a device, an impact tool is approved for use on lug nuts by most manufacturers, including GM.

Pictured below are 65 lb/ft and 80 lb/ft Kent-Moore "Torque Sticks" in 19 mm/ 3/4" size. These are fully approved by GM for Corvette wheel studs.

[Bob S.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

I bought new tires many years ago for my 68 and knew the lug nuts were tightened with an impact gun. About year or so later I went to remove the lug nuts and they were very tight, did not want to break any, so just went back to where I bought the tires and had them brake all lug nuts loose with their impact tool and then tightened them on the spot with my torque wrench. Never again any impact guns used on my cars to tighten lug nuts.

I hear you, Jim. Unfortunately, I wouldn't go back to the P.O. to ask for the time of day.......enough said.

Bob

[Gary C.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Use a breakover with a piece of fence pipe post over the breakover handle as an extension. Might also soak with Kroil oil overnight. Gary....

[Tyler T.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

If your rear is like my 66 replaciing the studs on the back is not an easy job.

Tyler

[Gary S.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Jim-----


The ONLY way that a wheel lug nut should be installed with an impact tool is if the tool is equipped with a TORQUE-LIMITING SOCKET. With such a device, an impact tool is approved for use on lug nuts by most manufacturers, including GM.

Joe, since you showed the picture of these torque limiting sockets, I need to ask how they work. I have seen them before but have no clue as to what makes them tick.

Thank you,
Gary

[Terry M.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

They are designed to be used with an impact wrench. The physical size and metallurgy of the stick limits the torque to a fixed amount.

[Duke W.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Smear a small amount of anti-seize compound along the length of the threads, then spin the nut on and off several times to spread it evenly. Also smear a thin film on the bottom of the nut - the area that contacts the wheel.

This will last for years and allows the nuts to be easily spun off and on by hand or with a speed handle. Then always use a torque wrench to tighten the nuts to spec. If you have to take the car to a shop bring your own torque wrench and insist that it be used for final torquing. Better shops use torque wrenches to tighten wheel nuts as matter of course, nowadays.

Squeaking when you torque or loosen the threads are crys of agony from the dry threads that they are in need of help!

Duke

[Gary S.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

They are designed to be used with an impact wrench. The physical size and metallurgy of the stick limits the torque to a fixed amount.

Thank you, Terry. But what I don't understand is how you take a metal socket, put a torque on it and somehow it limits the torque? Does the torque limiting socket twist or what to limit the torque? No matter how it works, I need one.