[Mr. SS]

I'm trying to figure out why I,m breaking studs on front wheels.In front I have skinny Weld pro stars with long 7/16 wheel studs.I found one broken wheel stud on both wheels.So I pressed in two new studs.At the time I just rebuilt my front suspension and I drove the car to the shop to get a front end alignment today and the tech called and said there was a broken stud on the left front wheel.Anyone have an idea why I keep breaking studs.thanks
1970 SS396 Chevelle

[AndyP]

What are the lug nuts tightened to?

The spec call for 65 foot/pounds.

Perhaps in an earlier life some one tightened the heck out of them with a pnuematic impact wrench or a 3 foot breaker bar and atigued the metal in the studs?

Also I've heard of cars that had bad brakes or bad wheel bearings causing intensive heating to such a point that it changes the temper of the metal resulting in broken studs.

My .02 cents,

--Andy--

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1970 Chevelle SS Convertible
1937 Master Business Coupe
1996 S-10 Blazer

Yup, I'm Chevy Prejudiced!!!!

[Philip]

Andy has made some good points. Change all 10 of them so you are starting with known good studs.

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Philip Valentine
Gold Member #42
"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another."
philip@chevelles.com

[chev64]

If they are all the original ones, change them all. Safety first.

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Leo Paugh
Maryland Chevelle Club #017
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten.

[mike reeh]

I agree... replace them all and THEN if they break, its time to do some investigating..


It is not uncommon for the original studs to break easily.. in fact if I were you Id replace the rears too.. expensive (considering...) and a pain in the butt, but good insurance... I actually had a wheel fall off once when I was driving because the studs broke.. thankfully I was only going slow and could stop before the wheel actually separated from the hub (however there was nothing holding it on)



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Mike Reeh
Gold #34
San Diego, CA

[vt.69ss]

Mr SS, This Sept. after leaving my buddys shop( checking tire pressure and tightning my headers )I left and like always I got after it, brought it up to about a buck then leveled it out to 60 65, was going to another friends house when this awlful noise was coming from the rear sounded like a flat. So I get out to look no flat thought maybe brakes just did complete brake overhaul. proceded to drive to my friends house about 3 miles away noise is getting worse and it's feeling real good either. Well to put a close to this story when I got to my friends got out and looked under the rear nothing, front nothing,was going toget in and drive home about 5 miles when I looked down at the rear drivers wheel, slotted mags 4 of the 5 lugs and studs were gone completly sheared off one striped stud holding the tire on. Cause probably original studs and mag wheels with holes rounded out. This was on my 69 SS.




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Walter Momaney Jr. ACES # 1898
69SS , 72 Malibu

[Fred Ont canada]

This is where the torque wrench comes in I use an impact to snug the nuts then out comes the torque wrench to finish up...FRED

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[BillK]

SS,
So far, no one has mentioned lug nuts. Are you certain you are using the correct lugs ? The Pro-Stars use a long shank lug that can easily be mixed up with a Crager lug that is not quite right. Make sure the lug is not too long and bottoming out just as it tightens up. Too short will also cause a problem, they have to be just the right length. Make sure you have the Weld nuts and washers. The only other ones I have seen that seem to fit correctly are the McGard lugs.
Hope this helps,

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Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

1971 Heavy Chevy - original owner
Team Chevelle #100



[This message has been edited by BillK (edited 01-17-2000).]

[67 GTO]

Why not get the 1/2" studs? With pizza cutters, you're obviously not worried about maintaining correctness. And the track sure likes them. I've broken several rear 7/16 studs on my GTO(428). They are somewhat of a weak link when pushed hard. Some people describe them as entirely inadequate on a modified car.