GSV8

Ok I was rotating my front passenger tire with my rear and was just tightening up the very last nut and to my suprise off snapped the lug. I do not have a torque wrench that allows you to set the torque. I have always done it by feel. I know this is probably dumb, but it has never been a problem over the last 15years I been rotating my own wheels.

1) Is this common?
2) Who should a call on for replacement parts (best prices)?
3) How long will this job take?

I quiver to think what this is going to cost me. Please offer your suggestions.

Many thanks
Gerard

LXMN

Some years ago, I took my car to Les Schwab in Seattle. Two of my lug nuts broke off as they were changing my tires. I cost me a little over $3.00 apiece for the new threads to be replaced and installed. Hope that gives you some idea on expenses.

GSV8

Maybe I am just dumb...but...the 5 lugs are attached to the hub and the nuts spin onto the lug. Maybe you are referring to when the nuts contain the threaded lug as well and the hub just has the hole with threads inside.
I am thinking I need to replace the entire hub....no?

Lexizm

iTrader: (2)

Well, I have to have two of mine removed. One of my lug nuts is stripped and that usually means the stud is stripped and needs to be replaced. The other stud turns when I try to get the lug nut off, so that needs to be replaced too. I called the dealer and they said at least $95 plus the cost of the new studs (Lexus pricing) and also it might take longer depending if it's hard to get off so that means another hour of labor. So for you whatever the labor is plus the cost of the stud so count on $110 bills.

I don't know if you have a NTB in your area but I called them and they told me it would be $65 plus the cost of the studs. I also called Kuaffman Tire and they said $55 total. Mine is on the rear which I assume will cost more than if it was on the front. If you have a Kuaffman Tire near you, I would go to them, or if you don't want to pay Lexus dealer prices, go to a Toyota dealer it should be a little less. Me, I'm going with Kuaffman Tire.

GSV8

Ok so the broken lug can be removed and replaced. I thought for some reason that all the lugs were attached to the hub and I would need to replace the entire hub. I will not have Lexus dealer rape my on this one but I am leary of the "tire places". The care factor is usually pretty low. You need to know someone who works at a tire place to feel somewhat at ease they are not going to do something stupid.

e-man

Hey GSV8. Can I ask a dumb question? How much force were you applying to the lug nut wrench? The reason I ask is because I'm the same as you when it comes to rotating the tires or changing out the summer set for the winter set. I hand tighten all the nuts, and then I use the wrench to tighten them until I would have to apply force to tighten them further. I then lower the car and, with about 18 inches of steel pipe over the stock lug nut wrench, give it a couple of short "umphs" and I'm done. I figure I'm torquing it about 75 ft-lbs, but I'm not really sure.

varcity64

iTrader: (2)

this happened to me once before and i took it somewhere and got it done (forget how much it cost, but NOT CHEAP... like $80) and now that i look back at it, i shoulda done it myself since its not that hard... u need to remove the brake caliper, brake pads, the bracket that holds the top part of the caliper and then remove the rotor... once that is all off, u see the hub that holds the 5 studs in place. if u broke far enough down, then u can bang out the old one and just put the new one in and use a lug to tighten the new stud into place by placing the lug on the stud and tighening it as much as possible. like i said before, i never did this, so this is just my guess, but i dont see why it wouldnt work good luck and let us know how it goes

benzo555

iTrader: (11)

You guys need to invest in some anti-seize compound. Its very useful in wheel applications, spark plugs etc..

Lexizm

iTrader: (2)

What is that like 'plumber's tape', you put it on before you put the lug nut on?

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I use to hand tighten my lug nuts until one day something bad almost happened

anyways, I bought myself a torque wrench and I was surprised that after tightening the lug nuts, there wasn't much force required to break loose the bolt! I guess ~76ish ftlb isn't really that tight. No wonder some people are breaking lugs left and right.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

anti-seize compound is a type of grease in layman's term.

Lexizm

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info G.

e-man

My Lexus tech showed me what 76 ft-lbs felt like, and you're right, it doesn't take very much to break the bolts loose.

salimshah

As a rule, it is a bad idea to add additional leverage on a wrench.

Salim

LexFather

It happened to me once on my ES, not sure how but a lug broke off, I was all worried but it was $35 to fix at some shop.