Wheel Stud Replacement: How to Replace Damaged, Stripped, Bent, or Loose Lug Nut Studs

If during a repair you happen to damage a wheel stud or notice one is damaged, there are a few ways you can fix it. Whether the wheel stud has damaged threads or if it’s loose and bent, this guide and video explains how to repair the studs’ threads and how to complete a wheel stud replacement yourself.

How to Fix Damaged Wheel Stud Threads and Replace a Broken Wheel Stud

Stripped and damaged wheel stud

For damaged and stripped lug nut studs, you can file the threads down until they can grip the lug nut again.

For pushed in, loose, broken, or bent lug nut studs, you can remove and replace them.

How to Fix Stripped Lug Nut Stud Threads

Filing a stripped and damaged wheel stud

You may have been trying to loosen the rotor and nicked a lug nut stud with a hammer. This can cause minor damage to the threads. If the wheel stud isn’t bent, you may be able to repair the studs with a file.

File the stripped areas until they are removed and you can see the threads again.

Wheel stud that was successfully filed and will not need a replacement

Then thread a lug nut on and test how well the threads work.

If the lug nut can’t twist on past the damaged wheel stud threads, remove the lug nut and continue to file until the threads are visible and can work.

How to Replace a Loosened, Bent, or Damaged Lug Nut Stud

Wheel Stud Replacement Steps

  1. Remove the Brake Rotor



    You’ll have to remove the rotor to replace a bent or loosened lug nut stud—especially if it has broke off.

  2. Remove the Damaged Wheel Stud and Inspect the Splines



    Look at the lug nut stud and see if it’s reusable. Check the threads for unfixable damage.

  3. See If the Wheel Stud Is Bent



    Check the stud for straightness. You can’t reuse a bent wheel stud. You can roll it and see if it rolls smoothly instead of a bent one that may not roll far.

  4. Clean the Wheel Nut Lug Stud

    Use a wire wheel to clean up the stud, and then double-check how well the lug nut twists on.

  5. Clean the Front and Back of the Wheel Hub



    Remove any debris from the front and the back of the wheel hub with a die grinder and wire brush.

  6. Install the Wheel Lug Nut Stud with Red Thread Locker, a Spacer, and a Socket and Impact Wrench



    Place red thread locker at the top of the lug nut stud splines that will sit in the wheel hub. Tighten the stud with a spacer and socket. Use a spacer with a washer or apply grease to the hub so the spacer can secure. Tighten the wheel stud until the back of it lays against the hub, and install it as straight as possible.

Fix your vehicle yourself with a quality wheel hub replacement from 1aauto.com

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Wheel Stud Replacement - How to Fix Damaged Lug Nut Studs - 1A Auto
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Wheel Stud Replacement - How to Fix Damaged Lug Nut Studs - 1A Auto
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Check out this article and video for wheel stud replacement tips if the lug nut stud on your hub is stripped or loose, bent, or damaged and needs to be repaired.
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1A Auto
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One thought to “Wheel Stud Replacement: How to Replace Damaged, Stripped, Bent, or Loose Lug Nut Studs”

  1. Those wheel studs look like they were pummeled by a hammer. Great tip with rolling the studs to see how far they’ll roll. Also, did you use thread files all the way through with the wheel stud? How long did it take to fix the threads?

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