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Z31 Wheel Stud Replacement

Broken wheel stud step 1

So, you go to take off your wheel to rotate your tires or change your brakes. You start to loosen the lug nuts and you hear SNAP and the lugnut falls off. You look and the wheel stud just broke off. Here is how you fix this.

*WARNING* - Do this modification at your own risk. We Are not responsable for any issues of your own doing.

Items Needed

Parts & Tools Needed

Rear Replacement

  1. Loosen the wheel lugs. Do not take them off yet.
  2. Jack the car up at the correct jacking point and secure the car on jackstands.
  3. Remove the lug nuts and take off the wheel.
    Remove wheel
  4. Remove the 17mm bolts from the rear brake caliper and hang the caliper with a rope or wire, keeping the weight off the rubber brake line.
  5. Pull off the rear brake rotor. If it is stuck, tap it loose with a rubber mallet.
    Remove rotor
  6. Using a hammer and punch, knock the broken stud out of the stub axle from the front to rear.
    Knock out stud Stud out Punch out stud
  7. Install the new stud from the rear of the stub axle. Use a nut to pull the stud into the stub axle to the correct location.
    Install new stud Pull stud into place
  8. Reinstall the wheel and lower the car.

Front Replacement

The front studs are also fairly easy to replace. To replace them, follow the following steps.

  1. Loosen the wheel lugs. Do not take them off yet.
  2. Jack the car up at the correct jacking point and secure the car on jackstands.
  3. Remove the lug nuts and take off the wheel.
  4. Remove the 17mm bolts from the brake caliper and hang the caliper with a rope or wire, keeping the weight off the rubber brake line.
    Remove caliper
  5. Remove the hub dust cap, cotter pin, and then remove the hub spindle nut.
    Remove dust cap and spindle nut
  6. Remove the hub assembly and take it to a workbench.
    Remove hub assembly
  7. Using a hammer and punch, knock the broken stud out of the hub from the front to rear.
    Knock out stud 1984-1986 style front hub shown
  8. Install the new stud from the rear of the hub. Use a nut to pull the stud into the hub to the correct location.
  9. Check your bearings while you have the hub off and repack with grease if needed.
  10. Reinstall the hub onto the spindle and torque the hub nut to 18 to 22 ft-lbs.
  11. Reinstall the wheel and lower the car.

Sources Used