post pandemic tire troubles

It's not over tightening that broke the stud off. Probably rusted as hell, since you live in Ohio.

 

I’m not sure, might have the wrong end of the stick, but would rusty studs bring the lug nut to spec torque SOONER, due to more friction, and accordingly impart LESS tension, but maybe more torsion on the stud?

and the other side of the coin: oiled stud threads allow the nut to turn further, tension more, albeit maybe with less torsion?

maybe torsion and tension balance out, lol.

 

The part is easy to replace since all you need to do is take out the wheel and punch it out with a screw driver and hammer. If a good amount of it is sticking out, you should be able to just hit it out. The lug nut is the only thing tightening that screw down. You can remove the rotor for a better view and not wanting to damage it. Considering you may have rust problems, hopefully you know the screw trick on removing rotors. You can examine the other screws.

 

Doesn't look rusty at all to me. (Chicago boy - I know rust!)

Takes a fair amount of torque to break off a wheel stud. (Don't ask me how I know - or - "Who knew that cars in 1964 had left hand threads on one side of the car!?")

Owner's manual calls for 76FtLb torque - but I suppose I'm one of the few guys who would actually use a torque wrench when tightening lug nuts.

 

I find that pretty much every shop (dealer, Jiffy Lube, independent, etc) install wheels with air impact wrenches and the lugs are invariably WAY too tight. In addition to making lug nuts hard to get off (and snapped studs) on some cars you can warp a brake rotor or deform a wheel with too much torque.

I drove a friend's Lexus once and needed to change a tire that had been put on by a shop. The "lug wrench" supplied with that vehicle is a joke - handle much too short and the offset was large. Had I NOT had my 24" 1/2" breaker bar available, I'd have been stranded.

My other half drives the vehicles often, and she's likely not be able to remove an overtight lug nut. So I always remove and re-install the wheels with a torque wrench when it has been in for new tires or rotation. If I struggle to get it off, I know that a 120 pound woman will have difficulty.

Impact wrenches CAN be "dialed down", but I haven't seen one yet that will accurately torque a bolt since it will vary with the power source and the number of "impacts" the operator allows it to make before he says "tight enough".

Any auto parts store will have a torque wrench for sale. You'll need the proper size socket as well if you don't have one. Click-type or dial indicator wrenches are the better ones. "Bending Beam" are cheaper, "old technology" but still better than nothing.

BTW - torque wrenches need to be checked and calibrated occasionally as well.

Another BTW - even with a short-handled lug wrench, at 165 pounds, you could easily put 100+ FtLbs on a fastener, even more if you really leaned on it, and longer handled wrenches will multiply your body weight. I could manage 300FtLbs with my big breaker bar - and I'm a skinny dude.

 

Still another BTW - even with working on rusty, old Chicago vehicles, I've never seen a wheel stud break off due to rust. Broke off a couple myself from turning the wrong way on a LH thread, and seen many a wheel "frozen" to the hub and studs damaged by hammering on them.

Beating the broken studs out is pretty easy with a punch and a heavy ball peen hammer. Pulling them back in is easy as well, just screw the lug not on (without the wheel) "backwards" (with the flat side against the hub). Tighten until the stud is pulled into the hub with the "head" of the stud tight against the back of the hub.

Depending on which wheel hub you're doing this one (front or rear) you'll want to make sure you're not putting a lot of force on the transaxle. Use the parking brake and/or a second bar to hold the hub from turning.

 

Yep you were wrong. Good shops will use an air gun to remove lugnuts and a torque wrench for finally tightening. But crappy shops tighten the lugs with the air gun which can be done, if you have some idea what you are doing. But many shop's have no clue. And just hammer the lug nuts down with the air gun. That is why you had to go to insane lengths to break them loose.

Just use a Torque wrench in the future for awhile and you'll get a "feel," for how tight is tight, going forward. Just be glad you weren't, changing spark plugs!

 

Also, at least for the final torque wrench go-round, I’ve seen Costco just go round the pattern sequentially, as opposed to star-pattern.

 

I don't know think I know anybody except auto geeks that use the "star pattern".

That said, Yes - I'm am auto geek...

I typically "snug 'em up" with a Cross style lug wrench, then lower the vehicle and go around the star pattern twice with the torque wrench.

 

Hmm...I live in Minnesota..and I've never had a stud break off...or know anyone who has.

 

You need new glasses.
Do you SEE even a hint of rust on the broken stud ??

 

Glad it's not just me. (Who can't see any rust)

Sadly, I know all too well what rust looks like....