wheel stud

[thatbigbody]

anyone know how difficult it would be to change out a wheel stud? I have a frozen lugnut on the rear right wheel. It's been like that since I got the car. I need to change my brake pads, not to mention if I happen to get a flat. Once I break the lug off, is it going to be painful to get the old stud out and a new stud in there?

[LM13]

i think it is just a screw that you can insert from behinnd the brake disk, or if you take it off.

[reverendstu]

Just did it, piece of cake. They're pressed in. You might need to remove the e-brake shoe, just slide it straight up, then wiggle. Bang out the old lug with a hammer, unless you actually have a press. Put the new one in and if you don't have a press, use a lug nut with the flat side in, to draw the new lug into it's seat. I tried using a good carpenter's c-clamp but it didn't have enough stregnth, the lug nut worked really well and quick too. Dive in, the water's great!

[Incitatus]

The only drawback with pulling the stud in with a lugnut is the possibility of stripping the stud.
<Just be careful>
Getting them out is a piece of cake (not to mention "good therapy")
-Big Hammer- Arr, Arr, Arr
Use a punch or slightly smaller bolt held with pliers if it has broken off flush (or is too short to be driven all the way through).

[thatbigbody]

ok thanks guys. Seems as simple as I hoped it would be. I'll give it a go soon as the weather stops acting up. If I can't unscrew that lug, which I should be able to given the right amount of leverage, what would be the best way to break it off.

[eat_world]

take your rachet and put a long freakin pipe on the end. if the leverage is not enough it should just snap off.

[thatbigbody]

I put a long ass pipe on the end of my ratchet and the thing snapped off just as you said. Didnt leave much stud to work with though. After some hammerin and swearin finally got the damn thing out. Seating the new stud was cake long as you take it easy. Worked out perfectly.

The freakin brakes were another story I could not get the freakin piston to go back into the freakin caliper in order to accomodate the new brake pads. We had to give up and my friends were like to break down and take it to midas. I refuse. I was using a C-clamp. I will attack them again once I find some big vice grips. I figure what can those idiots at midas do that I can't? Anymore good advice?

[Incitatus]

Two things may be keeping the piston from going back in.
The first is brake fluid pressure. Loosen the bleeder screw, snug it back, then when you get everything ready to put pressure on the piston -whether it's a c-clamp or vise grips- loosen the bleeder screw again. (In other words, don't leave the screw open any longer than necessary).

The other cause is the most likely - the piston got a little cocked in the cylinder. That happens a lot, escpecially when they get hyper-extended. Apply c-clamp pressure to the high side -if you can determine which side that is. Then try to keep the pressure level when it starts to go in.

[thatbigbody]

where is the bleeder screw?

[Incitatus]

On drum brakes it's directly behind the wheel cylinder on the other side of the backing plate (or what some people call the spider).

On disc brakes, it's on the caliper close to where the line is attached.

In both instances it looks kind of like a grease fitting.

I think it takes a 10mm wrench. -It used to be a 3/8".