**** happens, very dangerous. Very lucky not on the highway at speed but driving slowly and turning into the Mitre 10 carpark, just out of Port Elliot. Back-end grinding clunking, wobbling, pulled slowly out of the way in the car park, stopped. Rear drivers side wheel on an angle, about to come off completely. Holding on by one stud still tight, one stud loose but jammed out of 8 studs! Yes, that's right, (6 out of 8), six out of eight studs snapped, with lug nuts still attached to their ends.

Most importantly, they would not have likely snapped all at once more likely one or two then putting further pressure on the others which then snapped. So, why didn’t they shoot off and become visible as they snapped? Because of the False Plastic Wheel Hub that covers them and it’s plastic screws which screw into the head of the lug nuts, thereby holding them in when broken and of course not visible.

Lesson learnt, might look nice but potentially dangerous to travel with the false plastic hub over the top of wheel studs and lug nuts.



With great trepidation, made up some temporary studs from threaded rod, washers, nuts and lock tight, then slowly and carefully limped back to my mates place.

Why did it happen! Back in 2019, when I had actually broken my back along with its other decay problems, once I got some mobility back I spent many hours in my mates shed with sockets, a long bar and bashing it with a small sledge hammer to undo the lug nuts on the tyres. Why, because the damn tyre shop last used a full powered, air powered rattle gun to finally tighten/over tighten the lug nuts when fitting the new tyres, (fortunately most tyre shops and mechanics don’t, but watch out for new reckless and inexperienced young bucks). That and time with a little rust and corrosion helping to bind. At the time of new tyre fitment, I forgot to re-check them myself as I normally do.

Anyway, what happens is that over tensioned lug nuts, highway speed with a 4 tonne Chevy and 3.5 tonne caravan, on hitting those hidden little humps in the bitumen (like miniature speed humps), both Chevy and caravan leave the road surface completely, then pound down on the bitumen again. Can cause fractures in wheel studs, and I have had it happen with a caravan axle before. Sometimes they may snap at the time, other times, they will as in this case continue to hold sometimes for many thousands of kilometres gradually tearing and weakening until they one by one theystart giving up, putting additional pressure on the other’s until they can all snap. Had it before on my caravan and a government 4WD but normally it’s only one or two that snap initially at a time. But 6 out 8 is almost unheard of! But as I say hidden all the while, even more of a worry you may only have 5 studs on other makes of 4WD. Just lucky I guess and I mean very bloody lucky I was not at highway speed, and I’m not dead, and I haven’t killed anybody else.

Lastly for info believed original 2004 studs having now done around 230 K’s, and yes, it has had a reasonably hard life towing and 4WD-ing, but not unreasonably pushed, but I’m slowing down and easing up as I get older.



Forwarded just in case it helps someone else suffering the same fate. Safe and happy driving.

Cheers

Japar

 

I ALWAYS torque lug nuts after removing wheels. When I have tires rotated I retorque them when I get home. Overtorqued lug nuts are a disaster looking for a place to happen. Also check tire pressure after having new tires installed. Evidently they put 50 psi in them to seat the bead. Don't like bouncing down the road like a basketball!
O