Went for my 'free' tire rotation where I bought my tires a year ago.
I removed myself all four wheels in the winter to change my brake fluid -- no power tools were used.

While the shop was removing the wheels they came to get me to warn me that one stud may break. I told them to wait and let me have a look. I asked them to lower the car on the ground so I could give a shot without power tool. I was able to move the nut back and forth but just a bit, it was obviously cross threaded. I gave up and told them to try with their power tool. I should have probably walked away and tried again at home, my mistake, I am biting my fingers, I gave them the green light. Result is that a front wheel stud is now broken on the right side. So I am driving with only four nuts on my front wheel.

(1) Is that OK to drive like that? How critical is it to replace this broken wheel stud and have all 5 in place and not drive on 4 only?

(2) How difficult is it to replace a wheel stud? In Bentley stud replacement calls for caliper and disc brake removal. When I get the caliper out of the way, do I need to disconnect the brake lines from it and hence re-do a brake flush? Parts are cheap, it is only the complexity and true necessity that is keeping me from this fix.
IPD lists the wheel studs at 3 dollars a piece and nuts at 0.95 cents (cheaper at FCP Groton respectively 1.50 and 0.50 cents.

Thanks for your input.
--
'89 244DL M47 162K miles

Samething happened to me. I had a slow leak from a nail in the tire and went to the place I bought my tires from because they would fix it for free. While I was waiting around I noticed that the guy working on my car was spending way too much time trying to get one nut back on. When I brought the car home I saw on the wheel he was working on a stud that looked like it was so mangled I couldn't even image what he was thinking when he did that to the stud.

After a lot of work to get the nut off I drove back down to the shop and put the nut on the counter and told the manager to take a look at it and imagine what the stud looks like. He then went on to tell me that this happens all the time and that he will foot the bill if I take it to his buddy down the street to replace the stud for me. He also told me that happens all the time on old Volvos. As if the steel for the studs or the nuts were inferior or something!

I asked him if "it happens all the time" is an acceptable failure rate? My question is, wouldn't it be cheaper for them if they replaced the nut if they felt like it was cross threading? It is only a dollar and they could charge the customer. I guess not because most people would have never noticed and they wouldn't have to pay for it. Come to think of it, I was lucky to have been watching the guy struggle with it. Otherwise I wouldn't have noticed.

All I have to say is damn Tire Monkeys and their power tools! It still makes me made at how careless they were. Anyway, I didn't have his friend do the repair becuase I had a siezed right rear caliper that had a decapitated bleeder valve from the PO that I was waiting to replace with a rebuilt one from RPR and the Bently suggested the removal of the caliper which means a bleed would be in order. So, I had to do it myself rather than take it and have them get air in the brake line and make it undriveable until my part came in.

Anyway, it was pretty easy to replace. I did wish I had a small sledge hammer though.

How did you drive the old stud out after moving the caliper out of the way? Just with a regular hammer? What about the new one, just push it in by hand as much as possible? Or do you need to hammer it in as well? Any risk of dammaging the thread on the new stud if you hammer it in?

Thanks.
--
'89 244DL M47 162K miles

I actually used a couple C clamps and and the steel handle of a socket wrench across the damaged stud to push it out. It took a lot of force. After I got them as tight as I could I left it just sitting. A few minutes later it popped and the old stud was out.

To put the new stud in, I put it in place and used another C clamp. But I used a deep socket to cover up the threaded side and put the C clamp on the back side of the stud and the deep socket end. Then when it was pushed far enough in for me to put the tire on with enough threads sticking through that I could start torqueing down on it, I was able to pull it the rest of the way through before reaching specified torque on the nut. With a little anti seize grease, I was done.

The hardest part was getting the stud off. It was a horrible balancing act to get the clamps lined up and everything balanced with only 2 hands. Also, I ended up twisting the C clamps I used so those ended up toast. If I had to do it over again I would try the suggestion that I read on this board about hammering it out, and then I would used the C clamp / deep socket combo to press in the new one.

But if you do go the route of pressing it out with C clamps, I would suggest using bigger C clamps than you think you will need. It requires quite a bit of force.



--
- Mike

They install 5 lug bolts for a reason..Replace them soon.. It is not a hard job. remove caliper and swing it out of the way carefully..support it with wire and keep hoses from kinking..PBlaster the lugs and then knock them out.. install new ones from rear and its done..

I don't think you need to fool with disconecting the brake lines simply move the caliper out of the way after you unbolt it. I have lubed and pounded mine out, then tapped new ones in from the rear.

Good luck

nathan

AGREED. Just swing the caliper out of the way, and hang it securely with coat-hanger wire. Don't kink or stretch the brake lines, and you will be ok.

I faced a similar problem almost three months ago. There was a tire "sale" at Sears. Half-way thru the job, the mechanics informed me that TWO studs on the rear passenger side were almost stripped, and ONE stud on the rear driver side was stripped. They offered to replaced them ($25 per stud!!!), but I declined. When the repair was done, they said they rebolted only FOUR studs on each rear wheel. I immediately ordered new studs and lug nuts from FCP Groton, but never got around to replacing them. I have been driving this way since the end of May 2004.

This weekend, I plan to replace brake pads. I will replace studs at that time.

NOTE: The only risk is if you have a flat, and you discover that another stud has been stripped. Four out of five lug nuts is marginally safe, but three out of five is risky.

[[ southern fried volvo '91 240 169k mi ]]

Thanks. Now I believe Bentley says that whenever you remove the two bolts that hold the caliper you should disgard them and replace with new. Are you planning to replace these as well?

I am actually annoyed because I was thinking of rotating the wheels myself, but I got lazy and recalled they said it was free, so I called them and checked, sure enough no charge for the rotation, except that they double threaded my nut with their power tool... will teach me not to be lazy ! Although in all honesty they did give me a chance to take my car back without the rotation as they knew it was going to break, it was most likely too late at this stage..
--
'89 244DL M47 162K miles

During the production of the L and LS types, the type reference was changed in 44403, 44404, etc. By introducing this kind of codes, the increasing number of different models could be easier refered to. There has also been a LTL-type for postal services.

All cars of these types that were exported to the USA had the 85 BHP (SAE) B16B-motor with dual SU’s and bars on the bumpers. The 44408 had a 4-speed gearbox, all others a 3-speed.

AGREED. Just swing the caliper out of the way, and hang it securely with coat-hanger wire. Don't kink or stretch the brake lines, and you will be ok.

I faced a similar problem almost three months ago. There was a tire "sale" at Sears. Half-way thru the job, the mechanics informed me that TWO studs on the rear passenger side were almost stripped, and ONE stud on the rear driver side was stripped. They offered to replaced them ($25 per stud!!!), but I declined. When the repair was done, they said they rebolted only FOUR studs on each rear wheel. I immediately ordered new studs and lug nuts from FCP Groton, but never got around to replacing them. I have been driving this way since the end of May 2004.

This weekend, I plan to replace brake pads. I will replace studs at that time.

NOTE: The only risk is if you have a flat, and you discover that another stud has been stripped. Four out of five lug nuts is marginally safe, but three out of five is risky.

[[ southern fried volvo '91 240 169k mi ]]

Thanks. Now I believe Bentley says that whenever you remove the two bolts that hold the caliper you should disgard them and replace with new. Are you planning to replace these as well?

I am actually annoyed because I was thinking of rotating the wheels myself, but I got lazy and recalled they said it was free, so I called them and checked, sure enough no charge for the rotation, except that they double threaded my nut with their power tool... will teach me not to be lazy ! Although in all honesty they did give me a chance to take my car back without the rotation as they knew it was going to break, it was most likely too late at this stage..
--
'89 244DL M47 162K miles