# Wheel studs coming loose **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 7, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771 "2019-06-07T11:29:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/1 "2019-06-07T11:29:53Z")
Three times when I had my car in for routine service, including tire rotation, the mechanic found 1 or 2 wheel studs bad and had to replace them. Two different shops. What is going on? Bad design, bad mechanics? should I just get 4 steel wheels when I need to replace the tires (but that is not for another 30-40k miles) 2015 Subaru Forester, alloy wheels, 40k miles. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 11:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/2 "2019-06-07T11:41:40Z")
Wheel studs appear to be of standard design. What was wrong with the bad wheel studs? By any chance did he show you the bad studs? The only thing I could think of is the person doing the tire rotation cross threaded the lugnuts. I see no benefit in changing to steel rims. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 12:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/3 "2019-06-07T12:09:43Z")
I’m thinking that somebody has been applying a little too much torque to the lug nuts (or leaving them all loose). I wouldn’t blame stud or wheel design, but would look to human error during rotations. Many folks choose to do their own rotations and oil changes to prevent finding fasteners/plugs missing, loose, or over-tightened. _ **CSA** _ 🌲🕶🌲 ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/4 "2019-06-07T19:39:26Z")
Human error was my guess also. But one mechanic was the dealer, another was a trusted mechanic. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/5 "2019-06-07T19:51:44Z")
The Toyota dealership I bought my car from torques the lugs to at least 3 times the spec even after I complained and the service writer says it can’t be happening because they use a torque stick. Another Toyota dealer torques them right to spec as does my tire dealer. I would rather rotate my own, But to maintain the tire warranty I need to have proof of 6000 mile rotations. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/6 "2019-06-07T20:02:21Z")
> [@BillRussell](#): > > Human error was my guess also. But one mechanic was the dealer, another was a trusted mechanic. Perhaps the trusted mechanic had only received the problem that was created by the other shop (or the other way around). The studs could have had damaged/weakened/stretched threads as a result of previous improper handling. _ **CSA** _ 🌲🕶🌲 ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-studs-coming-loose/141771/7 "2019-06-07T20:29:01Z")
Wheel studs become loose when the lug nuts are over-torqued. Over-torquing the lug nuts causes the wheels studs to stretch. This then causes the stud’s splines to become narrower where they no longer grip splined holes in the hub flange. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/e/cef23607d5c90863ca2e923191bdd1c0cdbb3ed6.jpeg) Tester