How to replace wheel studs in the front passenger side

Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 CHEVROLET COBALT
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 172,000 MILES
I recently was driving on the inner-state and all the sudden my wheel and tire flew off the road. I immediately pulled over and there was two (of the four) studs gone and all four lug nuts. So I got four new studs and lugs took the two left out and replaced them. I put them in and one at a time tried to tighten the lugs on there reg to all four. I got a new wheel/tire and yesterday It happened again three studs broke off and I was only going ten mph so the wheel did not fly off. I need to replace them again and make sure I do it right I guess.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 AT 9:45 AM

19 Replies

Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
Did you just recently put on a different wheel?
They should not be snapping off like that and I suspect the wheel is not sitting up flat and the wheel is wobbling when driving and snapping the lugs.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 AT 10:14 AM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
It does not look like the tire and wheel are messed up.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 AT 12:56 PM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
Cannot tell zoom in the camera. Does the inside circle in the rim fit around that hub or does it hit slightly on the edge?
Is that the correct rim and you never answered my question. Did you just recently put on a different wheel?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 AT 5:28 PM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
Is this better?
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 8:43 AM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
I wanted a closeup inside this red circle.
Is that the correct rim and you never answered my question, Did you just recently put on a different wheel?
Why are you not answering my questions? I am trying to help you.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 9:22 AM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
When I put the studs in does it matter if I use the lug nuts like they normally go on to tighten it or do I need to turn them backwards?
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 9:43 AM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
Why will you not answer these questions?
Is that the correct rim and you never answered my question? Did you just recently put on a different wheel?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 10:57 AM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
Yes, a new one caused the first time my studs broke the tire and wheel came off.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 11:07 AM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
Replace all the studs and swap that rim with the rear on that side, then tell me when the first stud snaps and from which or just see if the wheel fits around that center section or if it hits slightly.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 12:29 PM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
This is the tire and wheel that flew off on interstate you can tell it is messed up
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 1:17 PM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
Look closely at that center circle on those two wheels, that should give you your answer, they are not the same and most likely the wrong wheel.
The first time the studs broke might be because the wheel was not tightened down evenly or the lugs torque or whatever but the second time I suspect from the wrong wheel.
Look at those four high points on that circle, that is where I think it is not fitting over the hub/axle.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 AT 1:44 PM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
This is my back tire that is on my car on the left and the right is that tire and wheel. I just got that the studs broke off. Do you think they are different in the middle? I put the new studs on took me three and half hours because it was raining and I put my little spare tire on it and I made it home last night.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 8:19 AM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
Here is what I think. These humps on this wheel are preventing the wheel from going on flat, because these humps are hitting the center spot where that big nut is. If you look at this picture where I circled those humps and compare it to that wheel that came off, that center hole is perfectly round on the wheel that came off, yet this new wheel has those four humps which leads me to believe this is the wrong wheel. That is why I keep asking you if this is a different wheel.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 9:48 AM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
The only reason I got that wheel was because it was a size 14. Now my 10 cobalt comes with 15 inch rims but when I bought it had 15's on back h 14 on front. Should I take it back and swap it for the 15 inch wheel that I know goes on my car and then try to get another 15 inch as soon as I can to make them all match?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 9:59 AM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
That is odd, the front and rear are usually the same wheel or at least the same size tire so you can rotate the tires front to rear once every 3,000 miles so the tires wear evenly.
I know you are not supposed to swap radial tires left to right after they have some miles on them. Has to do with the belts I believe, but I think you should find a wheel at a salvage yard off a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and use it. If you give me your zip code, I can see if there are any salvage yards near you with a wheel. Or you can look yourself at this nationwide database http://www.car-part.com/
You may need both front wheel too since the back are 15 and the other front is a 14.
Are these not factory wheels?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 10:13 AM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
35004
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 11:03 AM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
I found at least ten at two different yards. One twenty miles away and the other is nineteen miles away.
Looks like $60.00 each.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 11:40 AM
Tiny
DUWHOP31
  • MEMBER
  • 151 POSTS
I traded that other one for this one. I pulled it strait off a Cobalt. Does this look better?
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 8:43 PM
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,853 POSTS
It looks better, but let me see it installed on the vehicle.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, September 28th, 2018 AT 8:48 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Wheel Stud Replace/Remove Content

Wheel Stud Replacement Chevrolet Cavalier
VIDEO
Wheel Stud Replacement Chevrolet Cavalier
In­struc­tional re­pair video
VIEW MORE