Lug Stud Replacement Subaru

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HowAboutThis

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Prepping an emergency kit for a Subaru. Which means I bought a tie rod tool to press the old studs out (instead of a hammer) and one of those fancy bearing washers for the install. I need to pick up some bolts in case the rotor struggles to come off. I've gathered they're M8 1.25's. Is this correct? It's a 2017 Forester.

And one last question: when I take the caliper off, will the pads/piston push in and make it impossible to get the caliper back on? Or will they stay where they were when I took it off? What tool do I need if this is a concern?

Last thing I want is a flat tire and the usual seized, thus broken, stud on a Subaru during a road trip this summer with no way to even attempt fixing it.

Thanks!
 
best advice with calipers is to spread the pads... doesn't take any special tools if you have a large screwdriver, you can stick it between the pads and rotor with caliper still mounted and push the pad back into the caliper towards the piston. you can also stick a wood block between the pads to keep em from oozing back once caliper is removed if that is a problem..

FWIW I question your need for wheel stud emergency equipment. that particular item isn't known to fail, not without other causes..
maybe just remove the lug nuts one at a time, put a drop of oil on the threads and retorque them if you are worried about it
 
MSCH said:
FWIW I question your need for wheel stud emergency equipment. that particular item isn't known to fail, not without other causes..
maybe just remove the lug nuts one at a time, put a drop of oil on the threads and retorque them if you are worried about it
Click to expand...
studs can break and its known that it happens more on subaru than some others esp. after dealer visits.. perhaps a combo of weak studs + too much ugga dugga?

What I would be questioning is how much of an emergency a stud breaking is.

if its one.. you just limp on to the next town with 4 studs.

At any given time I could probably find half a dozen cars in a parking lot missing 1 or 2 studs.. its not an "emergency" issue. I wouldnt want to go auto-rx though.

If I was the last guy to put my lugnuts on I can tell if the threads were stretched and their general condition long before I would need to remove the wheel again.
 
I find it hard to believe that Subaru has lug nut issues different than any other car. You're going to R&R broken studs on the roadside? Why not just maintain your wheels to avoid the problem. Looks like a solution looking for a problem type of thing.
 
Chris142 said:
If you hand torque the lug nuts instead of gunning them down till they stop with an impact set on kill you won't have to worry about breaking a stud.
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Yeah, they are either 75 or 90 ft/lbs depending on the model... It seems the guys at my dealer know enough not to go too much over as they come off easily enough.
 
Last edited:
atikovi said:
Of the thousands of parts that can fail on a road trip, you hone in on the wheel studs? Seriously?
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Three have broken in the last year or so. At the dealer and at a tire shop and myself. One of them was after I did the rotation, hand threaded the nuts, torqued to 88, etc. I have never ever ever ever ever had a wheel stud break on a car in 25 years of driving. Except this Subaru. My Toyota goes to the same dealer and/or tire shop and hasn't had an issue.
 
doitmyself said:
I find it hard to believe that Subaru has lug nut issues different than any other car. You're going to R&R broken studs on the roadside? Why not just maintain your wheels to avoid the problem. Looks like a solution looking for a problem type of thing.
Click to expand...
Define "maintain my wheels"? Three have broken in the last year or so. At the dealer and at a tire shop and myself. One of them was after I did the rotation, hand threaded the nuts, torqued to 88, etc. I have never ever ever ever ever had a wheel stud break on a car in 25 years of driving. Except this Subaru. My Toyota goes to the same dealer and/or tire shop and hasn't had an issue.
 
doitmyself said:
I find it hard to believe that Subaru has lug nut issues different than any other car. You're going to R&R broken studs on the roadside? Why not just maintain your wheels to avoid the problem. Looks like a solution looking for a problem type of thing.
Click to expand...
And yeah, if I get a flat and it breaks a couple and I don't have cell signal (given we go a cross country road trip) I would R&R on the side or an exit ramp. Would probably take me 30 minutes.
 
Chris142 said:
If you hand torque the lug nuts instead of gunning them down till they stop with an impact set on kill you won't have to worry about breaking a stud.
Click to expand...
The dealer had previously installed one that broke and a local tire shop that I watch install and asked about the process they use. They all say it's not uncommon. Just called Subaru parts and he said they have plenty on hand because they're often being replaced any given day. So...
 
Hmm... I wonder what's going on with the studs then? I notice on my car the nuts are a bit "sticky" as I torque them, but no problems yet. Normally I would drive around on 4 out 5 for quite a while without worry unless I was doing rallycross or lots of washboard roads. I'd probably check those wheel lugs at every fill up and finish my trip.
 
IndyIan said:
Hmm... I wonder what's going on with the studs then? I notice on my car the nuts are a bit "sticky" as I torque them, but no problems yet. Normally I would drive around on 4 out 5 for quite a while without worry unless I was doing rallycross or lots of washboard roads. I'd probably check those wheel lugs at every fill up and finish my trip.
Click to expand...
I always throw in my mechanics tool set of basic stuff, extra water for a blown coolant hose, extra oil, bulbs, fuses, etc. Never added lug nuts and bolts until this car 🤣🤣🤣
 
Kestas said:
What is the failure mode of these studs that break? Is it high cycle fatigue, or do they neck and break?
Click to expand...
And yeah, if I had 4 I'd drive to the next town if it was a sketchy place to replace quickly. And if I have cell signal I'd AAA it. But if it's a Saturday or Sunday and near a small town, I could fix in a gas station or hotel parking lot, too. Instead of wasting days waiting for a slot.
 
Kestas said:
What is the failure mode of these studs that break? Is it high cycle fatigue, or do they neck and break?
Click to expand...
I don't know. Somewhere laying around I have three lug nuts with 30% of a stud stuck inside that was sheared off with a breaker bar when doing a rotation. There's a Subaru TSB for new nuts that they put some oil in. Don't know if that's the issue or what. After thinking it was Discount tire I've physically watched them remove and install and they aren't doing anything weird. They spin the nuts by hand a few turns, torque stick with a 65 stick (I think is that they said) then hand torque wrench them. It's exactly what I'd do (minus impact gun but I've had them break after I did a rotation without impact tools). All on different wheels. It's going to the dealer next weekend for some maintenance and I'm going to probably have them do the rotation while it's there. I'm also going to ask about replacing all the studs or nuts or what's going on if another one breaks next weekend. Maybe I'll never have another break and I just had a year of horrendous luck. I'd accept that 🤣
 
IndyIan said:
Hmm... I wonder what's going on with the studs then? I notice on my car the nuts are a bit "sticky" as I torque them, but no problems yet. Normally I would drive around on 4 out 5 for quite a while without worry unless I was doing rallycross or lots of washboard roads. I'd probably check those wheel lugs at every fill up and finish my trip.
Click to expand...
Discount Tire doesn't repair anything, so when they've broken there I take it to a local shop to have the stud replaced. They have said things similar to, "it's common with Subarus. If it's a wheel stud my first guess would be Subaru."
 
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