Wheel Stud Removal

Hey guys, anyone ever remove and replace a wheel stud on a 97-03 Grand Prix?

I have one that the lug-nut goes on really really hard. Its been like that for a long time. I think maybe someone overtightened it. Everytime I torque the wheel down I think it gets streched more and more. One of these times its going to snap off.

I would like to get it replaced before I put my new lug-nuts on. Is it just as simple as tapping the old one out and pressing the new one in? Does the old one have enough room to slip out between the wheel bearing?

BTW, I went with the chrome lug-nuts. I will post pictures as soon as they arrive. I ordered them from Ebay.

And just for anyone who is wondering, I am torquing my wheels on to 105 ft/lbs with a snap-on 1/2 inch drive torque wrench.

The front or rear hubs Tim?

I was lucky and was able to borrow the GM J Tool wheel stud removal tool from my brother and on another hub the hub needed replacement so by virtue of the new hub new wheel studs.

Some people bang on with them with a sledgehammer since they are a pressed fit but that may be a good way to damage the hub bearings and wheel sensor.

its a front. The opposite side of the hub I just replaced, I think maybe I should just buy the second wheel bearing and relace the stud that way.

Have you tried a die and try to rethread the stud. I had one that was hard to get off and get is back on. Until I used the die on the stud.

nope, I havn't tried it. Its in need of replacement, when I was tightening on the lug nut last time I changed the oil, I saw it sort of wobbeling when I was turning it on. It will break off pretty quick. Probabbly the next time I go to torque the wheel.

Does Advance or Autozone rent out any sort of tool to remove wheel studs?

well if it is wobbling, then it needs to be replaced .

That is a good question, just guessing I would think they would.

i just took and made me a pig punch on grinder to get studs out works everytime. then get new stud and a bigger nut with grease on the tip of so cald teeth that goes in stud hole and use the regular size nut and pull it threw witch impack.

Hey guys, I replaced the wheel stud. I used an old wheel lug nut and took a few hard whacks with a 3lb hammer. The stud came out of the hub no problem, but I did have to take a hack saw and cut it in half to get it completly out the back.

The newer lug nut I purchased is a little shorter than the rest in order to have room to get it in without removing the hub. I think it will work ok.

Here are a few pictures. The new one is the lug nut at the top.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3276/img1320sf5.jpg

Another image.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6702/img1322lx9.jpg

Picture of the old streched wheel stud that had been cut in half in order to remove it completly. Also with the new wheel stud I used.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9275/img1321xf6.jpg

Looks like it should work with no problems.

yep, its about a half inch shorter than the rest, but I was able to screw the lug nut on about 10 turns and was able to torque it to 105 ft/lbs.

you went long way's but it could have been semppler but main thing you got it done.

How did I go the long way? How could it have been simpler?

because i think you would've loosen those 5 bolts i belive at back of roter like taking it apart but not all the way and the new ne woul've sliped right in there. anyway you got it done is main thing.

HA HA, you mean three bolts behind the hub? Yeah, but I live in MN, and all the years of rust make taking wheel bearings off more of a chore than just hacking a stud in half with a hack saw (took 5 minutes).

Problem now is I think my bearing is going out. Bob was right. No noise prior to smacking the stud out, and now sometimes I get that distinct wheel bearing failure growl. I was going to replace it anways since I already replaced the other side. I just thought I would ride this one out and see how long it lasts. I'm not too mad since this one is over 10 years old.

Let that be a lesson to anyone who doesnt tighten the axel nut correcty or beats on a good bearing to replace a wheel stud. It doesnt take much to damage them. I just took three good hard swings and directly hit the stud every time. Now have some bearing noise.

i guess you did do it fast and never you was in mn so you took the easy way and your going to get new bearing.

I know, how ironic, I replaced the stud to not have to replace the bearing, and ended up needing to in the end.

I just changed my wheel stud today...upon switching from my rims to my stockers w/winters a stud happened to strip...probably from the dumbass that IMPACTED the lug nuts on there.....

I couldn't get the old stud out and I didn't think I could get the new one in easily so I ended up backing off the hub bolts about 1/2 an inch to give the clearance to get the stud out and the new stud in...but that's my story.

not a bad idea. The parts counter girl asked me if I was going to remove the hub to replace the bearing and I said no. So she gave me a stud that was a little shorter than the rest. It just made it in. Thats why I had to cut mine, I didnt remove the hub.