Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've got a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic. I went to get new tires a few days ago and the place I went to said they wouldn't put new ones on because three of my lug nuts are cross threaded. I took one of the bad ones off and showed the nut and stud to someone else and they said it was just over torqued. I don't know what either of these things would look like because I'm a total car noob so I need some other opinions.
This is one of the lug nuts
This is one of the studs
I've got three that I assume look like this out of five total on my front passenger tire. I intend on getting them fixed in a few days (going to a different tire place). I would still like to be able to drive to work, which is a 10min journey where the speed limit doesn't go higher than 40mph.
So what actually is the issue with my studs and nuts, and will I be okay driving for a few days until I can get them fixed?
I've got a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic. I went to get new tires a few days ago and the place I went to said they wouldn't put new ones on because three of my lug nuts are cross threaded. I took one of the bad ones off and showed the nut and stud to someone else and they said it was just over torqued. I don't know what either of these things would look like because I'm a total car noob so I need some other opinions.
This is one of the lug nuts
This is one of the studs
I've got three that I assume look like this out of five total on my front passenger tire. I intend on getting them fixed in a few days (going to a different tire place). I would still like to be able to drive to work, which is a 10min journey where the speed limit doesn't go higher than 40mph.
So what actually is the issue with my studs and nuts, and will I be okay driving for a few days until I can get them fixed?
Can't tell by just looking what the issue is. But certainly they are damaged and need to be replaced. Will you be okay? That really depends. You're certainly more vulnerable to damaging your car more or even risk your own safety by driving it in that state. But there is no guarantee that you'll crash (but the same goes the other way).
If possible, drop it off at a place while you're at work. Getting lug nuts replaced isn't hard, just a bit labor intensive. So you'll likely be playing at least an hour of labor with maybe $15-$20 in parts. And by the way, you might as well have all lugs on that wheel replaced. It is a wear and tear item. It's not that much more effort to replace all vs. just a few on the same wheel.
Those are cross-threaded - whomever had the wheel off last did the deed. With over-torquing, the "seat" (beveled area) on the lug nut would have dug into the wheel.
The studs and nuts need to be replaced. As a temporary fix, I'd replace all five nuts carefully to get you through until you can replace the studs. Take a wrench & verify the nuts stay tight after a couple miles, then check them again when you get to work. If they won't tighten initially, or if they loosen up, park it and get it towed.
How would they know that they were cross threaded unless they took them off? If they took them off, did they put them back on again? If so, that doesn't seem right.
I would think just about any tire shop should be able to deal with bad lug nuts and/or studs. It's usually not that big of a job to fix them. It's surprising to me that they didnt just fix them for you at the same time as installing your tires. Unless they offered to, but you refused to let them because you couldn't afford the extra charges or something, then I guess I could understand.
Either way, it might not be safe to drive the vehicle. You could be taking a pretty big chance by doing so.
How would they know that they were cross threaded unless they took them off? If they took them off, did they put them back on again? If so, that doesn't seem right.
I would think just about any tire shop should be able to deal with bad lug nuts and/or studs. It's usually not that big of a job to fix them. It's surprising to me that they didnt just fix them for you at the same time as installing your tires. Unless they offered to, but you refused to let them because you couldn't afford the extra charges or something, then I guess I could understand.
Either way, it might not be safe to drive the vehicle. You could be taking a pretty big chance by doing so.
I suppose they took them off, then put them back on. When I went to pick up my car they told me why they couldn't put the tires on, and said it was against their policy because they could break one of the studs. I assumed they didn't have the parts to fix a broken stud, because they told me to go to a mechanic to get it fixed, then come back and get the tires. So I decided I'd try a different tire place and see if I can't get new studs, nuts, and tires all in the same day.
Studs take about 5 minutes each - if there were a provision in the hub for removal. You simply sledge one out, take new one,stick it in, put lug nut with through hole onto it and pul stud in with that nut. Easy. Now, if you do not have provision, you can cut a hole in the dust shield for that.
Or, you will have to replace hub bearing, as some have studs installed so that they can't be replaced.
I suppose they took them off, then put them back on. When I went to pick up my car they told me why they couldn't put the tires on, and said it was against their policy because they could break one of the studs. I assumed they didn't have the parts to fix a broken stud, because they told me to go to a mechanic to get it fixed, then come back and get the tires. So I decided I'd try a different tire place and see if I can't get new studs, nuts, and tires all in the same day.
You probably went to a place like Discount Tire where all they do are tire replacements. They don't even do alignments there.
If they break a stud, they have to replace it and they don't perform that work there so they'd have to pay another shop to do it.
This is what happens when someone forces a lug on with an impact wrench.
That's the difference between a mechanic and a caveman. Whoever put your tires on last time was a freaking caveman.
I always watch as my tires are installed. I tell the counter guy none of the studs are cross threaded. I want the lugs finger tightened and then torqued with a torque wrench.
I usually throw a $10 at the tire guy and tell them to make sure they do it right. Some if these guys think theire in a NASCAR pit crew and try to slam the lugs on.
You can tell if the nut is being cross threaded by the sound the gun makes. I have stopped people before and chewed their asses out.
I don't care about the stud. I can fix that. It's hard to fix it in the dark on some lonely interstate 400 miles from anywhere.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
