Loose front wheel studs.

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red66toy

red66toy

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Hi guys,
So I am sloooowly putting my front end back together and tonight I was out in the garage setting up to do the preload on the wheel bearings and I noticed that the new wheel studs are loose on the front right hub! The left are all firm but the new ones, 4 out of 6, can be wiggled by hand. Not turned but wiggled back and forth and pushed out if you try hard enough. I tried to pound them back in but they are still loose. I did notice that when I pressed out the old ones they came out suspiciously easy so that is why I got new ones. Does this mean the holes in the hub are bad and I need a whole new hub? Thanks for the help.
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NookShneer said:
Chase - have you put a wheel on and tightened the wheel on with lug nuts? I would look to see if that "sets" them in there before thinking about a different hub.
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No not yet. I did think about that but wasn't sure if that was sufficient. I'll give that a try later. I pounded them hard so the heads were flush with the back of the disc.
 
Output Shaft said:
Loose studs could spin when you apply final torque. And if that happens...the fun begins trying to remove the lug nut.
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That is kind of what I was worried about, that and them coming loose while driving down the highway.
 
I just installed new OEM rotors and wheel studs. In the past I've been able to hammer in and seat the wheel studs tight. This time I had difficulty getting the studs to seat solidly.....had to put them on the press...made a world of difference using the press!! You might try re-seating them on a decent press.

So, the newer OEM rotors are not drilled for the two factory retaining bolts. While the retaining bolts are a nice feature I think they give a false sense of the rotor and hub being tight together. I hammered in a couple wheel studs that I thought were tight but could still hear/feel the rotor wobbling on the rotor. If the retaining bolts were there and tight, I may have never noticed the unseated loose studs.

Looks like the OP's new rotors are installed with the retaining bolts.

Also, where did you get the wheel studs?...they look new.
 
Put the wheel on and torque the lugs. If any of the studs spin, then pull the wheel and hub together and weld the head of that stud to the hub so you can get the nut off. Then look for another wheel hub.

Trail gear sells new chromolly units :)
 
Hey guys thanks for the info. These are new OEM wheel studs. I do have access to a press (that was the way I got them out), so maybe I'll try that, then do the lug nut method after. If they are still loose then I'll find a different hub. I don't have a welder so that method is not an option.

The only reason I noticed the loose studs is that I was using the spring gauge to set the bearing preload and they moved when I applied a lateral load on them.
 
red66toy said:
Hey guys thanks for the info. These are new OEM wheel studs. I do have access to a press (that was the way I got them out), so maybe I'll try that, then do the lug nut method after. If they are still loose then I'll find a different hub. I don't have a welder so that method is not an option.

The only reason I noticed the loose studs is that I was using the spring gauge to set the bearing preload and they moved when I applied a lateral load on them.
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I can't believe I have worked on cars my whole life without a press after doing mine recently. Totally paid for itself on one job!

When you press the studs in, remove the two retaining bolts. And back up the hub properly to get a solid press.
Without the bolts in you will know if the hub and rotor are not tight together.
 
Alright guys, so I used a 12ton press today and I can still wiggle a few and push them back out the back with not much effort. :( I did this without the retaining bolts in to avoid that confounder. This all doesn't seem right to me and doesn't inspire much confidence. If a 12 ton press wont make them tight then I doubt tightening the wheel on it will do much extra. I guess its time for a new hub. Thanks for the link @cruisermatt , I'll check that hub out. I was so close to finishing this knuckle rebuild, bummer!

Is trail gear the only maker of a new wheel hub?
 
As far as I know. I can't imagine they are still available new from Toyota, @beno ?
 
Just wanted to give a shout out and big thank you to @torfab for helping me out and having a good used hub in stock! :cheers:Super nice guys and it was a real treat to step foot in that shop. Amazing, and so many awesome cruisers! Just test fitting the wheel studs I can tell they are going to fit much tighter. Time to paint it and reassemble! Also, big thank you to @beno for the chat and the idea to contact Tor. It hadn't crossed my mind and I didn't realize how close they were to my work (15min) :slap:
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