Broke a wheel stud today.

[pbm]

I finally got around to changing the 4 mounted snow tires back to the A/S's on my 2014 Focus SE today.
I've tightened many lug nuts in my time but today I broke a wheel stud for the first time (even though I didn't think I was muscling it too much). Here's the catch...these studs aren't available at AA or AZ. Even NAPA or RA don't list it on their websites. I guess I'll have to get it from the dealer on Monday but I'm wondering why this is such a difficult item to find?

 

[Rand]

are you sure? a universal part and you order by size not by car on the website.

What size is your wheel stud?
should read similar to:
m12-1.5 40mm

 

[dbias]

I broke one off my 2012 transit connect taking a wheel off. Had to order from Ford, took forever, had to order a whole 3 pack.

 

[Electromotive]

My local Auto Zone (central GA area) lists several wheel studs (Dorman brand) for the 2014 Focus SE, all in stock and available.

 

[pbm]

Thanks Rand...I was trying to buy one based on the vehicle..It's M12-1.5 but I don't know the exact length until I punch out the piece that remained in the hub.

 

[pbm]

My local Auto Zone (central GA area) lists several wheel studs (Dorman brand) for the 2014 Focus SE, all in stock and available.

AZ show several Dorman studs when I enter my vehicle info but it then says "Does not fit your vehicle" when you click on it. I'm going to follow Rand's advice tomorrow after I remove the broken piece remaining in the hub and measure the total length.

 

[Kestas]

are you sure? a universal part and you order by size not by car on the website.

What size is your wheel stud?
should read similar to:
m12-1.5 40mm

I have a huge collection of wheel studs harvested from the scrap pile at work. Our company makes automotive wheel bearing hub units. There are many different kinds of wheel studs. I kept five of each and have a coffee can full of them.

Besides size, the studs vary by length of knurls, number of knurls, coating, and whether they are round or D-head.

I've also seen metallurgical differences. The good ones are lightly cased and Docromet coated. The cheap ones are through hardened and finished in phos and oil.

 

[skyactiv]

Was you using a four way lug wrench?

 

[skyactiv]

I mentioned the four way lug wrench because I've seen many guys over tighten lug huts because many pull and push at the same time.

 

[pbm]

Apparently the wheel stud I need is M12x1.50 , 40mm long with a 13mm spline (knurls).....not exactly easy to find in stores or online. I'm hoping the dealer has them. It's hard to believe that it's so hard to locate this for an American made car of recent manufacture...

And yes, I was using a 4 way lug wrench and had applied never seize to the stud last fall which probably didn't help...

 

[pbm]

OK...here's an update...NAPA, AZ, AA etc...didn't have one so I went to the Ford dealer parts dept. who happened to be open until 1PM on Saturday. Apparently I have to buy the entire hub because they don't sell the stud separately...unbelievable.
I checked with my closest pick a part place and they have a 2013 Focus so I'll have to bring some tools there on Monday and get the stud that way....

PS: The part seems to be available on EBay but ships from the UK...unbelievable again...

 

[Dave9]

See if anything in the Dorman catalog is close enough.

http://www.billavista.com/tech/pdf_index/files/Wheels%20and%20Tires/Dorman%20Wheel%20Studs%20and%20Nuts%20Catalog.pdf

It's generally better not to reuse junkyard pulled studs, unless you use a press to extract them carefully rather than beating them out which can compress the knurling more so they don't fit as tight. Even then, this is what, a $3 part so I would keep looking. You will find something, close, enough.

 

[Kestas]

I wouldn't hesitate using junkyard studs. They're likely better quality than aftermarket.

True, the knurls may not have as much a bite the second time around. They should be harder than the hub flange. Their main function is to stay on until the wheel is installed. Once it satisfies that function and doesn't flop out, it's okay to use.

 

[Electromotive]

OK...here's an update...NAPA, AZ, AA etc...didn't have one so I went to the Ford dealer parts dept. who happened to be open until 1PM on Saturday. Apparently I have to buy the entire hub because they don't sell the stud separately...unbelievable.
I checked with my closest pick a part place and they have a 2013 Focus so I'll have to bring some tools there on Monday and get the stud that way....

PS: The part seems to be available on EBay but ships from the UK...unbelievable again...

What a fiasco, especially for a very common vehicle sold in the US. Hopefully you can get the wheel stud at the pick a part yard with no issues.

 

[pbm]

What a fiasco, especially for a very common vehicle sold in the US. Hopefully you can get the wheel stud at the pick a part yard with no issues.

Well I got around to pulling the rotor off today and found that there is no way to get the broken stud out without a lot of labor to pull the hub out of the axle etc....You would think they would leave an indent in some part of the axle assembly so that you can punch a broken stud out.
It looks like I'll be driving on 4 lug nuts for a while. I don't know if this DIY unfriendly design is unique to Ford but I'm not impressed.

PS: My neighbor who is a pretty decent mechanic took a look and said he once saw a shade tree mechanic grind part of the housing that the axle and hub connect to...along with grinding part of the head of the stud off in order to knock out and replace the broken stud...a lot of work for something that should be much easier...

 

[PF52]

....You would think they would leave an indent in some part of the axle assembly so that you can punch a broken stud out.

Aye, there's the rub. Some cars have an indent or a notch; many don't.

My Cobalt, for example, has 5-lug hubs and as such there is clearance to remove/install new studs. The base models, though, use 4-lugs and because the bolt circumference is smaller, there isn't enough clearance.

You could always do an Eric The Car Guy grinder modification to the steering knuckle.... But the best way to do it is to pull the bearing. And if you're in the salt belt, that might mean having to buy a new one when the old one comes off in pieces.

 

[14Accent]

Just grind off the broken stud flush with the hub face and punch it out. Then, grind a flat into the new stud to re-install. I do it all the time. It's not a bulletproof solution, but it's worth a shot.

 

[berniedd]

Just grind off the broken stud flush with the hub face and punch it out. Then, grind a flat into the new stud to re-install. I do it all the time. It's not a bulletproof solution, but it's worth a shot.

Yeah a redneck solution but I would do it that way too if pressed for time. FWIW, Honda sells a replacement stud that is slightly shorter than the original. It can be maneuvered into place easily once the bad stud is off. No need to disassembe the hub. Maybe there's something similar for other car makes.

 

[SLJ2137694]

I finally got around to changing the 4 mounted snow tires back to the A/S's on my 2014 Focus SE today.
I've tightened many lug nuts in my time but today I broke a wheel stud for the first time (even though I didn't think I was muscling it too much). Here's the catch...these studs aren't available at AA or AZ. Even NAPA or RA don't list it on their websites. I guess I'll have to get it from the dealer on Monday but I'm wondering why this is such a difficult item to find?

Buy a torque wrench!

 

[pbm]

Buy a torque wrench!

I will now.
I'm just wondering how long I can go on 4 studs without issues.
I see now that it's not a Ford specific issue but I do think it's shameful that something as common as a broken stud requires so much expensive labor and a new hub to fix. I would imagine a wheel alignment will be needed too?