1997 LX450 Lost a Wheel - Broken studs and ground down bits (1 Viewer)

[DrakeSF2K]

I went out to scout some trails this weekend and blew a tire. No big deal, we got to some flat ground and put on the spare. Spare fit fine. It's an original Toyota 16-in wheel from a Land Cruiser. Tire size was identical. It's Sunday and I'm driving back to Texas from Oklahoma, so there's no tire shops open. It's quite a drive, but the spare is holding air and looks good aside from a few age cracks, so I decided to try driving. About halfway there, my wheel snaps off and I pull over as I watch my it roll down the road on highway 75. Of course, I'm grinding on the brake rotor and some of the other assembly is mangled. Luckily, I was able to pull over in a safe location and I'm waiting for a tow truck to show up to help get me home (2.5 hour estimate!).

In the meantime, it would be awesome if one of you fine folks with more experience could help me with a parts list for what will likely need to be replaced. Obviously, I need to replace the rotor and I might as well do the one on the other side and do a brake job at the same time. I will need to replace the shield that sits behind the rotor and look for anything else that might have been damaged. I will also have four brand new tires mounted on the wheels and transfer one of the best older tires to a new spare wheel. I can handle this kind of repair and I know how and where to source the parts. The parts I'm worried about are what's inside that might have gotten damaged and what it will take to replace those studs. It's been years and years since I last did a stud replacement and it was on a completely different vehicle, so I don't know what's required on mine.

With everything being closed today, of course I can't have a tow truck take the rig to a local shop, so I'm having them bring it to my house. Part of the 153 mile tow is being covered by AAA, but the remainder is going to cost a nice chunk of change and I'd really rather do the rest of the work at home. I'm set up with just about all the tools I would probably need, though I might need to pick up some snap ring pliers or any Toyota specific tools.

It would be really appreciated if any of you could give me a parts list of stuff you think is most likely to be damaged, so I can start ordering now. I have another event on February 5th through 7th and I need this vehicle to be road ready by then.

 

[whaler]

Do you have a picture of the damaged side? Sort of depends how much damage you did. What did you torque the nuts to when mounting the spare?

Just a guess but you could be looking at a new spindle, birf, etc. maybe even a knuckle if the studs completely sheared off it. Rotor, brake shield, studs, nuts are a given but you knew that already.


Glad youre alright, that could have been way way worse! Thats like my worst nightmare after I put a tire back on and double check the studs and torque.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

Do you have a picture of the damaged side? Sort of depends how much damage you did. What did you torque the nuts to when mounting the spare?

Just a guess but you could be looking at a new spindle, birf, etc. maybe even a knuckle if the studs completely sheared off it. Rotor, brake shield, studs, nuts are a given but you knew that already.


Glad youre alright, that could have been way way worse! Thats like my worst nightmare after I put a tire back on and double check the studs and torque.

So it's actually the rear driver. maybe I'll get lucky and that will make it easier. Not sure if you can tell by the pics but it's sitting on the rotor.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

By the way, it doesn't look like anything behind The shield was damaged.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

By the way, it doesn't look like anything behind The shield was damaged.

View attachment 2563776

I just realized you had asked about torque. I torque them by hand using the stock lug wrench. I usually keep a four-way in the truck and I I've torqued lug bolts by hand many times. I realize that's not the same as using a torque wrench, so maybe that was due. I will most definitely keep a torque wrench in the truck going forward.

 

[jonheld]

Possible lug nut seat difference between the spare and the rest. 91-94 used conical lug nuts. 95-97 used flat washer lug nuts.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

Possible lug nut seat difference between the spare and the rest. 91-94 used conical lug nuts. 95-97 used flat washer lug nuts.

View attachment 2563789

 

[DrakeSF2K]

Yeah, that would make sense. I have Procomp steelies on this right now with lug nuts that look similar to the middle style. The spare was on a stock Lexus style aluminum alloy. I guess I'll know for next time.

 

[Godwin]

I have used this to press out broken studs OTC® 6297 - Ball Joint Separator - https://www.carid.com/otc/ball-joint-separator-mpn-6297.html. Not sure where I purchased it, wasn't this site.

For installation I've used Wheel Stud Tool- 12mm Studs - https://absolute-wits-end.com/wheel-stud-tool-12mm-studs/

 

[aclos3]

Based on the pictures, you may get away with just a new rotor and studs if you can straighten out the dust shield.

It certainly seems like the conical lug nuts you used on the stock lexus alloy caused the problem. Are you replacing otherwise good tires just because of this incident? If your tires still have good life left, you could just get a steel wheel for the spare or carry a set of six of the correct washer-style lug nuts in the gloves box.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

Based on the pictures, you may get away with just a new rotor and studs if you can straighten out the dust shield.

It certainly seems like the conical lug nuts you used on the stock lexus alloy caused the problem. Are you replacing otherwise good tires just because of this incident? If your tires still have good life left, you could just get a steel wheel for the spare or carry a set of six of the correct washer-style lug nuts in the gloves box.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

I blew out one of my Goodyear MTRs on the sidewall and they were starting to get a little tired anyway. I think I'm going to replace with Milestar Patagonias. I know they won't last as long, but I like a really solid dual purpose tire and they're half the price of the Goodyears.

 

[rolliges]

Two rear rotors (may as well have both the same age) and 24 new studs for piece of mind; and the proper nuts.

And bleed your brake fluid for good measure.

This almost happened to me on the Hwy. I always torque the lug nuts to spec and check again two days later and before any long trip.

You were lucky.

You can install the studs with a handful of very large washers if needed.

 

[cjmoon]

Those studs didn’t shear off. You probably
Only had a turn or 2 on the lugs and they came loose and feel off. Rotor and done. Bend the dust shield back.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

Two rear rotors (may as well have both the same age) and 24 new studs for piece of mind; and the proper nuts.

And bleed your brake fluid for good measure.

This almost happened to me on the Hwy. I always torque the lug nuts to spec and check again two days later and before any long trip.

You were lucky.

You can install the studs with a handful of very large washers if needed.

Good call on the extra studs. I plan to buy all 24. Good tip on getting the new ones in too. I've done that in the past. My biggest concern was that I'd get it all back together and test run down the road and find out the wheel bearings or axle shaft had been damaged or something that requires more tools or experience than I have. I've done them in the past, but it was over 20 years ago and I'm not at all confident in my skills today. It looks to me like the rotor and the axle housing pretty much protected anything inside. Fingers crossed hey?

 

[whaler]

Yeah, It may be good to check out your bearings while youre at it but i agree with the others new rotors, studs. dust shield is thin and bendable with some vice grips. Good thing it wasnt a front wheel.

 

[geologic]

You seem to have all your studs, what you need is a spare that matches your lug nuts, the factory wheels are excellent on an 80, but if for some reason you need to change to something different, make sure your spare is the same type if not same wheel as the other four. Even different years of 80 series wheels used different style/function lug nuts. Your only cause of failure here was using the wrong lug nuts on a wheel that doesn’t tension properly without it’s intended lug nut. Your tried and true hand tensioning technique would have worked fine with the right lug/wheel combination. Get another one of those wheels your running at least and a matching size spare. Full time 4wd land cruisers need the same size spare as others or you can blow your viscous coupler. I’d invest in new complete caliper rotor and pad brake job for both sides. I would change the bearings and seals with Koyo bearings and Toyota seals, easy cause it’s a full floater. I would by a used or new$$ brake backing plate for that side. If your studs aren’t damaged, I would put new lug nuts to match my wheels on them and run them.

 

[flintknapper]

You seem to have all your studs, what you need is a spare that matches your lug nuts, the factory wheels are excellent on an 80, but if for some reason you need to change to something different, make sure your spare is the same type if not same wheel as the other four. Even different years of 80 series wheels used different style/function lug nuts. Your only cause of failure here was using the wrong lug nuts on a wheel that doesn’t tension properly without it’s intended lug nut. Your tried and true hand tensioning technique would have worked fine with the right lug/wheel combination. Get another one of those wheels your running at least and a matching size spare.

^^^^^


This is exactly what happened.

OP has the option of replacing the rotor and dust shield and rolling with it or going deeper and repacking/replacing wheel bearings and doing the brakes while he is there. There shouldn't be any other damage. Had it been the front....yes.

 

[BILT4ME]

You could have gathered your wheel from down the road, pulled a lug nut from each of the the other wheels, installed the wheel, tightened it down and moved on, although slower.

I also believe it was caused by the incorrect lug nuts on the Lexus wheel.

That said, I have put over 50K miles on one wheel on my truck that required the shank style nuts (style 3), but all I have are the conical nuts (style 2) and they were torques to 109 LB-FT for all. I didn't realize one wheel was different, even though I had them off and on many times. My PO had wrecked one corner of the truck, so I was not surprised when I figured it out.

Now I carry both style of spare lug nuts and each wheel has the correct lug nuts on it at the correct torque.

 

[DrakeSF2K]

You could have gathered your wheel from down the road, pulled a lug nut from each of the the other wheels, installed the wheel, tightened it down and moved on, although slower.

I also believe it was caused by the incorrect lug nuts on the Lexus wheel.

That said, I have put over 50K miles on one wheel on my truck that required the shank style nuts (style 3), but all I have are the conical nuts (style 2) and they were torques to 109 LB-FT for all. I didn't realize one wheel was different, even though I had them off and on many times. My PO had wrecked one corner of the truck, so I was not surprised when I figured it out.

Now I carry both style of spare lug nuts and each wheel has the correct lug nuts on it at the correct torque.

It cost me $150 out of pocket to have it towed from Durant, Oklahoma to Joshua, Texas (thanks AAA). I did retrieve my spare. All the lugs were gone, of course. I considered your idea, but I couldn't get my bottle jack under the axle to lift it up and my farm jack, while handy in supporting recovery of other vehicles, is not tall enough to flex out the suspension enough to lift the rear axle on mine. I'm going to invest in a small and low profile floor jack just in case this sort of a thing happens in the future. It's something I've wanted in the truck for a long time, but never really justified needing.