Broken front wheel stud - advice needed

[Boanerges]

Driving my wife's 05 (80,000 miles) 1.4 Jazz on a 50mph limit dual carriageway today, I noticed vibration through the steering wheel as if the road surface were corrugated. As the car was due for a couple of new rear tyres, I took it to the local tyre depot and asked them to fit two new tyres and check the front balance for me.

A few minutes later, the fitter called me into the workshop and showed me that one of the O/S front studs had sheared off immediately he'd put the windy gun on it but the nut was not tight and could easily be turned off the broken stud with the fingers. When he checked the other nuts, all three were only finger tight and turned off without using tools. 'That's the cause of the vibration,' he said.

I can't remember the last time that the front wheels were removed.  It was more than likely when we had new front tyres fitted quite some time ago. The fitter checked the N/S front nuts and all were tight.

We were able to drive the car home with three nuts holding the front O/S wheel on but, obviously, replacing the broken stud is now a priority.

The Haynes manual doesn't mention stud replacement but, so far as I'm aware, the studs are splined into the hub so should simply drive out towards the centre of the car.

Question: is it possible to remove and replace a front wheel stud without major dismantling and if not, what do I need to do to gain access to do the job?

I'd appreciate advice with this.

[Eddie Honda]

Stud should just tap out. Depending on length of it, the hub may/may not need to come off first.

Studs from Honda are about a fiver a piece.

[Boanerges]

Thanks, Eddie, but can anyone clarify exactly what dismantling (if any - fingers crossed!) will be needed?

[culzean]

if you have been driving with loose wheelnuts the stud holes in the wheel may be damaged as well. 

[Eddie Honda]

Paranoia would drive me to change 4 studs and 4 nuts.

[Ozzie]

I'm in agreement with Eddie , its probably cheaper and safer just to buy a new hub, rather than try tap out a stud.

[bill ericay]

Have a look here  http://www.fitfreak.net/forums/tags/stud.html

[Boanerges]

Thanks, guys, and particularly to Bill for the link which turned up this comment from a Fit owner in the USA:

"Next time you have a stud break on the fronts, remove the brake caliper and bracket. There is a spot there to pop a stud out.

Same with rear drum. Remove drum, there should be a hole for popping a stud out.

Honda thinks about things like this, and considering the brakes are 90% right off the 01-05 civics, those tricks follow.

Come to think of it, I have never had to remove a bearing on any Honda to change a stud."

I'll get a replacement stud and see if the above advice is kosher. By the way, I've checked the wheel and there is no visible damage to it, the remaining three studs or the wheel nuts.

I'll report back when the job is done.

 

[Boanerges]

(Reporting back as promised.)

When I called at our local Honda dealer to get a replacement stud, the very helpful parts guy quizzed me about exactly what I required as they are not a stock item and he had never previously had to order one! It arrived the following morning, total cost £4.25.

I removed the road wheel, took off the brake caliper and hung it from the spring with a bungee and then removed the caliper bracket and with it the brake pads.  Behind the bracket is an opening in the thin metal dust shield which I suppose is what the American chap meant by 'a hole for popping a stud out'.

The broken stud was easy to drift through the hub but fouled the inner lip of the dust shield.  I tapped this out of the way as best I could and then easily knocked the old stud out. (Here's where the tale will become unpalatable to some - but needs must.)

The new stud, being longer than the broken one that I'd removed, would not line up with the hole in the hub due to its mushroom head binding against the rim of the hub. In the end I simply filed a flat off the mushroom which then allowed me to tap the new stud into place. Using washers under a wheel nut I pulled the splined part of the stud into the hub. Before replacing the brake parts, I bent the dust shield back to its original profile with pliers. Total time, about an hour.

So, in conclusion I would have to say that, yes, it is possible to replace a front wheel stud without removing the hub but to do it requires a bit of a bodge, however, filing the flat on the mushroom head was surprisingly easy as the stud is only mild steel.

[Eddie Honda]

Thanks for taking the time to report back. Always helpful for someone else doing a search later not to find the last page of the book torn out!

In the past I did do some studs on a car which was easy to remove (short), but impossible to refit (longer). The front hubs were easy to remove (RWD), but the rears were a nightmare being a taper fit. Had to borrow a man enough puller from an ex-dealer to get them off.