Misc | DIY | Rear Wheel Stud replacement

[Neal376]

Dont be a wise guy...your wheel studs will break eventually. It happens. Anyways, this is what you do when it does.

Read my DIY on brake pads so that you are familiar with the axle before proceeding (http://forum.g35nyc.com/showthread.php?t=831).


Tools Needed

1/2 Inch Drive Ratcheting Socket Wrench and Breaker Bar

-12mm Socket or ratcheting wrench
-19mm Socket
-Open ended wheel lug
-Bungee cord (optional)
-Floor Jack
-Safety Jack Stands
-Hammer
-Rubber Mallet
-Gloves
-Wheel studs. Can be purchased at ANY autostore for about 2 bucks each


On to it.

- Jack up vehicle and remove wheel
- DO NOT set parking brake IF your doing rear wheels

- Remove Caliper

Refer to my brake pad DIY...loosen both brake caliper bolts but remove only one - swing up the caliper and remove the two pads. After the pads are removed, remove the second bolt on the caliper and either hang the caliper or rest it on the A arm where there is no pressure on the brake line.




- Remove Disk Brake Rotor

Removing the rear rotor is difficult:
After you remove the brake caliper, you will need to remove the brake caliper bracket which is secured by two bolts to the axle knuckle and holds the rotor onto the hub. Once these two bolts are removed, you can slide the rotor off the wheel studs. - - you will need a lot of leverage to get those two bracket bolts off. I suggest a long but thin breaker bar and a shallow socket 19mm.





Once the bracket is removed, the rotor should slide off. If the rotor doesnt slide off...tap the rear of it gently.


Alright...your looking at your exposed hub and wheel studs. Inspect them...you can see that the wheel studs are simply pressed into the wheel hub. You must remove the broken studs first




Alright... remove the stud from the hub. You might have some difficulty getting the NEW wheel stud back into the hub...try rotating the axle so that you can get the long stud around the parking brake mechanism. You can do this by raising the opposing axle.


you will now need to press the stud into the hub. Do this with an open ended lug and a good ratchet. just put the open lug on, and tighten as if you are putting on your wheels. this will pull the stud through the hub.





once the stud is all the way in. your finished.

now put everything back where you found it.





I replaced two studs on that wheel for this job. They broke b/c I was using wheel spacers in the rear. Total cost for this job was something like $3.80 for the new wheel studs. Took maybe 30 minutes to perform if not less.

go spend the money you just saved on a tank of gas.

[Neal376]

no responses? I know this DIY isnt as comprehensive as my brake pad thread - but this job is fairly EASY and straight froward as long as you read the brake pad thread or have done your own brakes before.

[Lev04G]

Thanks for the write up Neal.

[MeSince83]

Nice good write up. I replaced my stock rotors about 2 weeks ago, I could've used this.

Removing the rear rotor is difficult:
After you remove the brake caliper, you will need to remove the brake caliper bracket which is secured by two bolts to the axle knuckle and holds the rotor onto the hub.

You are not lying about this, I struggled with this for nearly half hour no lie! I was about to give up and put everything back together again. And for this reason, I'll never do anyones rear rotors.

[STOOF]

great write up once again.

i used your brake pad diy already.

im just having a problem removing the rear rotors. they dont come off.lol

[Neal376]

great write up once again.

i used your brake pad diy already.

im just having a problem removing the rear rotors. they dont come off.lol

your gonna need a nice LONG breaker bar with a SHALLOW 19mm socket


Attach the breaker bar w/socket to the bolt in the wheel well as such



this bar is nearly as long as my shock absorber.

then stick your WHOLE body in the wheel well and push on the bar to loosen the bolt


(im not pushing on the bar - im just pointing to where the bar should be to do the uninstall - i too needed to put myself in the wheel well)

once the bolt is loose, it can then be removed with a ratchet.


some of you may have clearance problems with the breaker bar and the rear trailing arm. I sometimes found it easier to attach the socket to the bolt FIRST then attach the breaker bar to the socket. Try that - it should work.

with the right tools, the bolt will come out EASILY - its all about setting it up properly first. Once again, make sure your using STRONG 1/2 inch drive tools and a nice LONG breaker bar. It should be cake!

it usually takes me longer to get the tool on the bolt properly then it takes me to remove it.

if the bolt is still being stubborn - try a little silicone spray and have it soak there for a good 10 minutes. This was the first time I removed my rear rotors on this car in 30k miles and I had no problems.

[STOOF]

i got the caliper bracket off. after breaking a breaker bar lol

but the damn rotor wont come off.

i think i need a wheel puller.

[Neal376]

i got the caliper bracket off. after breaking a breaker bar lol

but the damn rotor wont come off.

i think i need a wheel puller.

try tapping the rear of the rotor with the rubber mallet. The rotor shouldnt "slide off" - you need to sort of wiggle it off. let me add that in the DIY.

[STOOF]

bro i was hittin it with a rubber mallet and a 3lb sledge hammer and it didnt come off. seriously.

[Neal376]

bro i was hittin it with a rubber mallet and a 3lb sledge hammer and it didnt come off. seriously.

was your parking brake on?

[STOOF]

was your parking brake on?

nope.

[Neal376]

nope.

alright - there are a few things

1) your parking brake shoes are not adjust properly and are touching the hat even while it is off (unlikely...although it has happened to me before)

2) your rotor is uber rusted

alright - so you have removed the caliper bracket. now insert a THINNER bolt through those bracket bolt holes and put a nut behind that bolt on the other side of the knuckle. Tighten this bolt down - as you tighten it- the bolt will push the rotor away from the hub (use a piece of wood on the back of the bolt so you dont crack/"poke a hole" in your rotor)

some silicone spray around the lugs will help. as you tighten that bolt all the rust should escape.

if that doesn't work - than move to California

[STOOF]

yeah i think its just rusted up.

ima bring it to a pro.

[Alex]

Nice write up Neal. Thanks, I'm gunna make it a sticky

[psedog]

Great write up Neal, hope I won't have to use it

[whipyahead]

I see you used spacers and they caused your studs to break.
Wheel spacers combined with longer studs are less prone to breaking right?

[psedog]

I see you used spacers and they caused your studs to break.
Wheel spacers combined with longer studs are less prone to breaking right?

Yes, are you looking at getting the Nismo studs?

[bknewtype]

hey neal. thanks for the write up. im gonna attempt it friday since i broke off my wheel stud.

you brake DIY link is broken though :/ do you still happen to have the write up?

greatly apprecaite it!

oh and also, i dont think i have an open ended lug. is there anything else i can use as a replacement?

[Quimby]

hey neal. thanks for the write up. im gonna attempt it friday since i broke off my wheel stud.

you brake DIY link is broken though :/ do you still happen to have the write up?

greatly apprecaite it!

oh and also, i dont think i have an open ended lug. is there anything else i can use as a replacement?

http://g35nyc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831

[bknewtype]

thanks queenbee