Never Let Anyone Swap Your Wheels

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
03/27/2016 at 15:50 • Filed to: None

I just had my 30k mile service. The dealer rotated my tires, even though they didn’t need rotating and I was about to swap to summers anyway. I attempted that swap today, only to find they’d jammed on a cross threaded lug nut with an impact wrench. The wheel stud broke when I tried to remove it. I am, to use a technical term, pissed.

If parts stores have the part, there’s a chance I could make a miraculous recovery and fix this myself in time for work tomorrow. But I’m inclined to make the dealer do it. Not only is it still under warranty, but they’re the ones who screwed it up in the first place. This is why I never let anyone remove or install my wheels if I can possibly avoid it.

Unfortunately, I’m due back at work tomorrow after two weeks off. I now have two broken cars and I won’t bike in potential freezing rain. It won’t look good to work from home the day after a two week vacation, but I don’t see that I have a choice.

DISCUSSION (28)

Birddog > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 15:58

Bad timing!

If it were me? I’d push the dealer’s face up to it like a puppy that peed in the house.

yitznewton > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 15:58

Bastards, that is awful. Bolts 101 is don’t use a tool until you start it by hand.

crowmolly > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 15:59

I would absolutely call them up, inform them of the problem, and say you want it fixed at no additional cost.

No question.

You could driveway fix this but usually that means drawing in a new stud which is not *exactly* considered the best way.

HammerheadFistpunch > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 16:07

last time I had someone do it they lost 2 of my lugs. I know its stupid but when there are 34 black lugs and 2 chrome ones...I had to replace them and I guess they aren’t easy to find.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 16:09

Honestly its probably fine for a trip to work if the other 4 studs are on properly.

jimz > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 16:15

I feel you. When I had my SRT-4, I went to do my brakes about a month after having my winter tires swapped out. They must have cranked on those lug nuts with an impact. I kid you not; I broke the factory lug wrench, bent both a parts-store lug wrench and a four way. I eventually had to get a heavy-duty breaker bar and a 4-1/2 foot section of steel pipe to break them free.

Justin Hughes > jimz
03/27/2016 at 16:26

You’re lucky the wheel stud didn’t break first like it did with me.

Justin Hughes > Birddog
03/27/2016 at 16:28

I will definitely show them the part of the stud that broke off, where it’s clearly visible the nut and the threads aren’t lined up properly.

Justin Hughes > crowmolly
03/27/2016 at 16:28

That’s my plan!

Hiroku > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 16:28

Some dealers’ inability to perform even the most basic of tasks never fails to impress me.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2016 at 16:52

It’s not stupid. That would drive my OCD up the wall.

LongbowMkII > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 16:54

I just had this type of problem when I changed my front pads. I clarksoned AND worked the HELL out of my impact wrench to get the passenger front off. On a possibly related, probably owner error, I had to have all the driver side studs replaced. Kept re torquing the loose wheel until studs started twisting off at 70ft/lbs. left it to trusted professionals after that.

Justin Hughes > LongbowMkII
03/27/2016 at 16:58

I understand that BRZ wheel studs are not the best quality, and will wear out if you take the wheels on and off frequently. Someday I’ll probably upgrade to ARP studs, since I swap brake pads before and after track events.

1111111111111111111111 > LongbowMkII
03/27/2016 at 16:59

How the hell were you tearing off studs at 70ft lbs?

LongbowMkII > 1111111111111111111111
03/27/2016 at 17:03

I have no clue. Damaged/weakened from the loose wheel? I dismounted and remounted it and didn’t see any cross threading. In the dozens of tire changes I’ve done I just got careless and or unlucky, probably the first.

I imagine that the feeling I got was like losing a tooth as an adult. Part naseous, part confusion.

LongbowMkII > HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2016 at 17:05

9 lug wheels? What is this?

XJDano > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 17:05

4/5 ain't bad.

LongbowMkII > XJDano
03/27/2016 at 17:06

That's a B.

1111111111111111111111 > LongbowMkII
03/27/2016 at 17:08

Yeah. I would have expected you to see damage to the threads. One of the machines ive worked with (alligator shear) had parts that rattled out of nessesity and the 3/4 inch thick grade 8 bolts on it would shear regularly.

XJDano > LongbowMkII
03/27/2016 at 17:21

4 lugs on external rear tire carrier.

HammerheadFistpunch > LongbowMkII
03/27/2016 at 17:23

Bad math, meant 22...got the flu and my brian hasnt been...what that thing? Working.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 17:36

While wheel bolts are a pain in the ass, they pretty effectively avoid this problem. Hopefully everything gets fixed.

jimz > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 18:04

I replaced them all at the next opportunity.

greenagain > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 18:05

Me too. We recently replaced front brakes on my daughter’s Accord and found 2 studs ruined, and one broken. I haven’t dealt with it yet.

NJAnon > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 18:27

May want to consider wheel locks. That custom one (ie., teddy bear, tribal symbol)

JasonStern911 > Justin Hughes
03/27/2016 at 21:21

most non-performance oriented service shops do that as it’s less of a liability on their end to replace the occasional stud than it is to risk a wheel falling off and causing an accident. but more likely than the studs breaking off is that over-torquing the wheel lug nuts will cause the brake rotors to prematurely warp, which they can pass of liability free on you blaming your driving habits.

Justin Hughes > NJAnon
03/27/2016 at 21:23

Got ‘em. Came with the car.I’d already removed it in this pic.

Justin Hughes > JasonStern911
03/27/2016 at 21:25

So true. The AW11 MR2 requires a torque of 76ft/lbs, and the rotors WILL warp if it’s more than that.