I've got 96K on a 2010 5 speed Sport and was doing a normal tire rotation. I usually do the lug work with hand tools but this time buzzed everything off with an air wrench. Was I surprised when the outer 1/2" of two front lugs fell to the floor when I removed the wheels! Of course it was one on each front wheel. I always torque the lugs twice to factory specs so I sure didn't expect this.

The fix was a pain as lugs can only be replaced when the hub is pressed out of the knuckle (ruining the bearing seal in the process). So, $124 for bearings, $16 for eight studs (do them all while you're at it), $70 to have a machine shop press the bearings/studs, $20 for an aftermarket ABS sensor to replace one rusted into a hub and 3-4 hours of my time I have it fixed.

Such a deal...

 

That just sucks. My only problem was screwing up and trying to use the wrong size nuts and ruined a rear stud. They replace all 4 and rotated at the dealer for $86.

We now know to check our nuts before using.

 

"I always torque the lugs twice to factory specs so I sure didn't expect this."

When you have tires replaced many tire shops do not torque lug nuts, they just use a impact wrench.

I doubt if removing the lug nuts with a impact broke the studs unless the were too tight. If the above
doesn't apply I would check the torque wrench you are using. I wouldn't replace all the studs unless
using genuine parts. I would rather trust old studs than after market replacements, probably made in
China and may not meet or exceed OE parts.


Clifton

 

yah, i have impact guns but i dont use them for lugs. only hand tools and a cordless driver in low torque clutch setting just to wind/unwind loose lugs from the stud. ive not broken a stud...ever

 

I feel your pain, sir, but I admire the thoroughness of your repair.

Honda is the greatest car manufacturer in the world, but, when it comes to the lugs on our Fit, the f.-ed up big time.

They also didn't do anybody any favors by discontinuing the practice of producing Service Manuals, but that's another matter.

 

Geez Clifton, I've torqued the lugs for the last four years with my trusty Chinese torque wrench which I'm sure is dead accurate! Seriously though, I did consider using OE stud replacements but didn't have the confidence that they would be anything but Chinese. Of course much of the replacement stuff I buy at my local NAPA is from that great country.

Wayne

 

@wh22366: I was thinking the calls for something like ARP.

ARP | The Official Web Site

 

no need for different studs unless going with longer ones to account for wheel spacers.

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.

 

Wayne, I also use a made in China torque wrench. The only studs I have broken were on aoyota Tercel I purchased at auction about 30 years ago. I broke two when I removed the wheels, I'm almost sure they installed with a impact wrench.

Actually I compared the made in China torque wrench to a Snap on I had, they were about equal. I always reset my torque wrenchs to the lowest reading after using.

I changed wheels for many years without owning a torque wrench, still never broke a stud. No need for ARP studs on a street driven vehicle.

Clifton

 

Man. Sucks you had to spend so much money. I guess if your are using a torque wrench, you must know that the nuts must be torqued in a star pattern (or x pattern on a 4 lug wheel). I find that using air tools on a job like that is overkill. I torque my lug nuts 10 ft/lbs over factory recommendation because I find they were just too easy to remove.

 

"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."


That isn't how the Honda shop manual recommends a wheel bolt replacement. It's on page 18-11 in the 2009-2010 Honda shop manual.


Note at the beginning: "Do not use a hammer or impact tools to remove and install the wheel bolts." Are you going to push the studs out with your thumbs?


For both the front and rear the hubs should be removed and the studs removed and replaced with a press.


That sounds about like all shop manuals I have seen call for replacing wheel bolts, (studs).


I just wanted to point out it seems Honda doesn't seem suggest doing things any differently than other manufacturers.


Do what you like, but we should be telling people who ask for help the correct way to do a job.


My 2 cents.


Clifton

 

Of course Honda would recommend removing the hub. They would press it out with a 20ton or 30ton press, or a bottlejack setup.


Smacking it with a hammer and popping it out is what Ive been doing for nearly 15 years.

Its not the most "professional" method, but has proven to work. Some people think it overstresses the wheelbearing, but 1-2 hard taps should have it loosened anyways.

 

Wow, it's been long time since I visited this site! I just reviewed the comments I got over my broken front stud(s) issue and just have to respond to a misconception.

As I said initially the Fit front hub is pressed into the front wheel bearing and the factory leaves insufficient clearance behind the pressed-in studs to get them out or new ones in. There is no magic hole through the backing plate and knuckle through which to pass a stud. The shop manual page 18-11, step#2 says Remove the front hub and refers to page 18-15+ for that exercise. Removing the hub requires removing the knuckle and pressing the hub out of the wheel bearing. Ain't no other choice to get to the point where you can replace wheel studs in the hub.

I've fixed a car or two over the last fifty years and try not to do any more work than needed to effect a repair.

 

Yeah, me too. Manufacturer's service manuals are not the end all for DIY repairs and a good mechanic has his own short cuts that don't compromise safety or mechanical integrity. I've fixed my own cars, boats, and motorcycles since 1970 and I care about my safety and the safety of others. The most precious gift my aircraft mechanic father gave me at age 8 or 10 was to make me hold a flashlight for him or go and get a particular tool he needed when repairing something out in the garage.

It's likely that this guy will never see this reply but it might help someone else out and save the cost all the associated parts required to remove the knuckle and hub. A dealer quoted my son $500 this morning to replace a snapped off front wheel stud but of course at 112,000 miles they included a new hub and bearing in that estimate. Another stud was 90% broken off but the tech doing the tire rotation stopped before snapping it completely off. He left it there so there were two studs holding the wheel on and watched my son drive away. That tech is a stand up guy.

It is indeed possible to replace a snapped off lug nut stud for about $5 a stud. I did two studs today on my son's 2008 Sport. Remove the wheel, brake caliper, and rotor. Spray some penetrating oil on the hub where the stud exits and on the back side where it sits against the hub. Tap on the end of the stud a few times with a pretty good rap from a hammer like you are tapping it out towards the hub. Leave that to soak and go to a hardware store and get a 12 mm x 1.5 hardened nut (10.9 will do) and four or five 12 mm washers. That will set you back about $2. On the way home stop and get the studs you need. Get a Honda one if you must but Honda specs a lot of stuff like this from China these days. I went to Autozone and antied up about $3 a stud. If you know of a machine shop that turns brake rotors and does light shop work then head over there but it's not strictly necessary but it will make insertion of the new stud(s) quicker. Have the shop grind off a flat spot on the circumference of the base of the stud so that ground-off flat part slides right by the hub. If you are lucky or they know you they probably won't even charge you. It takes only a minute on a grinder to do two studs. If you have a bench grinder at home do it yourself. Back at the house rotate the hub so the broken stud is at the 3 o'clock position. Take the hammer and tap tap tap the splash guard directly behind the stud flat against the hub.The splash guard there is only about 1/4" high and it will flatten out and mold to the curved surface of the hub. Now start tapping on the end of the stud to drive it out towards the hub. It won't take a lot of effort as these things go. The studs aren't pressed in terrifically tight and moderate rapping will drive it out. Eventually the base of the stud will contact the hub. Up the force applied with the hammer a little and keep going. Right about here, depending on where the stud snapped off, the stud might come flush with the flange of the hub. Take a 1/4" or so pin punch and keep going. The stud will start to slide or move off of the side of the hub and look like it's jammed and you are screwed. No worries, you are almost done. Keep going until the stud is indeed jammed against the hub. Now take the 1/4" pin punch and center it on the shaft of the stud and give it a good rap at an angle like you are knocking it past the hub. If you get the angle right the stud drops out onto the floor with one rap. Now insert the new stud past the hub until the splined part fits up against the hub flange. You will see that grinding that flat spot on the base of the stud makes insertion easy. Slide the washers over the stud and thread the 12 mm nut on and use the nut to pull the new stud through the flange. With the wheel, caliper, and rotor off it then took about as long to type this as it took me to drive out the old stud and fit the new one. Well, maybe a little longer than typing this but not much. To finish up I took a small pair of pliers and worked the splash guard back to the way it was. Only you will know you bent it to get the stud past it.