Technical Studs Keep Shearing Off!

Alright I'm at wits end with this! Early this year I switched to chrome steely rims and I love the way they look. But for some reason I keep having lug nuts/stud and all pop off my front passenger side!
Two on the way to VLV this spring, and one on the way back home. Then popped two more off again on my way back from Santa Maria! I was mad to say the least so I stopped using the Lugnut King kool bullet lug nuts, and went back to stock lug nuts. Also moved that rim to the back of car. Thought that might do the trick and I would just use stock with spiders all around.
NOPE!!
This weekend took a half hour drive and popped off two again! Damn it!
I've replaced all my studs several times now (Napa) and as you can well imagine I'm fed up with this crap! It only happens on front passenger side.
PLEASE! Somebody give me some ideas!
BTW-not over torquing and using 3/8 ratchet to prevent it.

 

Usually these problems come from not tightening the nuts enough, or from having parts that don't fit together properly.

1. Use a torque wrench. If the studs are 7/16", then you should torque the nuts to about 75 ft lbs. You would have to be really strong to get them tight enough with a 3/8" ratchet, I can usually only get about 35-40 ft lbs on a little ratchet.

2. Pictures...you say there's a problem, but you don't let us see what that problem might be. Pictures are how you get folks to help you solve problems over the internet. See if you can get us some pictures.

 

Make sure the rims are properly seated against the brake drum. Maybe something is allowing the wheel to move around a little.

 

See if there's a weight on the brake drum that's interfering w/the wheel sitting flat to the drum face.
dave

 

Good idea! The first picture is of the lug nuts that are not Popping off the rest of the car.
The second picture is of the last two that popped off.

 

Wheels are either lug centric or hub centric. The hole in the wheel center should fit tight around the hub, or axle flange, and the lug nuts just hold the wheel in place on the hub centric type. Wheel centric types use a different raised design around the tapered lug nut to secure the wheel. Maybe you have a combination and they are mismatched on the passenger side. Make sure the taper on your lug nuts matches the tapered seat of the wheel.

 

How about a couple pictures of the hub, and the back of the wheel, when the wheel is off the car?

As Rich mentioned, it could be that something is in the way of the wheel sitting flat on the hub/drum. Also, if the wheel is not seating on the hub fully around the area where the nut is, then the wheel will flex as you tighten the nut, and will never actually get "tight".

Lug nuts need to be tight. Properly tight. I always use a torque wrench nowadays, and haven't had one get loose for a long time.

 

Yah the oem style lug nuts seat real nice.

 

Do a run out test. Jack the pass side up so the tire is just off the ground and see if it spins true. Like others have said maybe some thing is stopping the wheel from sitting flat against the drum.

 

Right on fellas! I work 3rd shift so I'm going try your ideas when wake up in a few ours.
Thanks!

 

I once saw an after market wheel that had the stud holes to big. And the nut ran all the way down, but did not really tighten the wheel. You could tell that, though, by the holes getting all buggered out.

 

Another possibility is studs with too long of a shank, so the nut is bottoming out on the stud, and not the wheel.

 

One of my wheel is like this. They are original wheels and one of the holes is worn bigger. The lug nut bottoms out before the taper fully tightens against the wheel.

Or the drum is bottoming out on the longer knurled area, same idea and wont sit flat.

Let us know what you find, it can be pretty hairy loosing a wheel.

 

I would either not use that wheel, or maybe cut some off the tapered end so that it doesn't bottom out. Paint the lug nut red or something.

 

My guess is that you have a bad wheel with out of position holes. when you tighten the lug nuts, you are forcing the studs sideways and the bending stress over time is causing them to break. I don't know the history of your hubs, but the problem may be there rather than the wheel.

 

You stated you have swapped rims around and the problem remains on RF regardless of which wheel.
That tells me the problem is in the RF hub, not the wheels. And you have used at least 2 different types of lug nuts. With the shiny chrome wheels, it's difficult to see clearly in the posted pics, but it appears that it's always the same 2 studs.
Either you have a weight or something similar interfering with the wheel mounting up properly and seating flat, or either the hub center and the lug studs aren't concentric with each other on that wheel, aqnd maybe the previous wheels were,not as tight on the hub center and the problem never showed up.

 

The answer lies in the "appearance" of the shear point.

 

I think you need to check the center of your hub, I recall (it's been a long time) that those early Chevy's had a slightly larger center hub and the later wheels would fit and seem tight, but wouldn't seat correctly without a little die grinder work on the rim.
I had a problem with a 57 I was flat towing years ago and found this out the hard way.

 

I'll vote for this, with the added comment that the center bullet you're running is probably adding to the problem.

 

The picture of the stock nuts shows one problem. You should have two full threads stick out beyond the nut when tight. This leads one to think like those above, something is holding the wheel out from flat against the hub. I like to put a dab of grease on the threads so they cant rust on. I use a torque wrench on all lug nuts. My fords and the wife's Buick get 100 lbs ft.

 

Got up for a snack, ran to Napa for more studs and a torque wrench, and read further posts.
Have to get back to sleep now but will go further with this tomorrow when I get home from work in the morning.
Thanks guys!
Oh, and Gene the studs are popped off very clean with no rubbing scraping or signs of twisting.

 

How, precisely, are you installing your new studs? Pulling them in with a nut and washer, or pressing them in?

Roger

 

Go to your local craft supply store and get a chunk of modeling clay.

Spread an even coat of it on the drum face, about 1/4" thick, and then put the wheel on.

Torque the studs to the proper torque.

Remove the wheel and look at the clay. If it is not evenly displaced, and completely, where the wheel should touch the drum, then you have your answer.

 

Check your brake drum when you have the wheel off also. Make sure its on properly.

 

I think this is probably what you are going to find. A few threads should be showing with the stock nuts. Your wheel appears to be not seated.

 

oh and oil the back of the wheel first when you're doing the clay thing. So when ya pull it back off the clay don't stick to the wheel.

 

It's not clear if it's the same two studs that break? I would put a daub of paint on the new studs and see if they are the ones that break, or if it's two other ones. Are they always right next to each other? Also a daub of paint on the wheel as an indicator, too.
I used to drill my hubs and axles out on my old Chevys and use bigger studs, too many small studs sheared off over the years.

 

Yeah, that. I forgot that.

 

lots of good info here=do all the wheel studs/lugs have same amt of threads showing? Do the rears have minimal threads as well? Not near enough-I would resist driving it until you solve the problem.

 

Actually three broke-I thought it was just two until one broke off in my hand this afternoon!