Hey guys, i am having a nightmare replacing two studs on my rear right (passenger) side. I took the wheel off, unbolted the lug nuts, tapped the wheel stud out already, but would not come out the other way. So I figured, I would have to take the rotor off. So now, I have to remove that 1.25" in bolt in the middle and that will not budge. I am using a torque wrench with the highest ft lbs it will go. I did loosen that little nudge that is bent from that bolt down to the middle circle type thing.... I also put the wheel back on, put it in 1st gear with the ebrake up and dropped the car. STILL WONT BUDGE. And that is as far as I have gotten. Any ideas?

 

You don't need to undo that nut to get the rotor off, it's not some POS setup where the hub and rotor are intergral. Just take the caliper and bracket off, take out the little screws on the rotor face and remove the rotor.

 

There are only the lug nuts, the 2 phillip screws, and thats it?

 

I've changed all front and rear on mine. The rear can be a PITA. Jack up the car, take the wheel off, take the caliper off, take the rotor off then the big nut (32mm IIRC) w/ an impact wrench. Then get a puller like the one below (free rental from most big chain auto stores) and pull the hub. Now, you can change the studs w/ a press or carefully with a hammer. You'll want an impact to put the axle nut back on.

http://www.lx.net/jlynch/pullerbare.JPG

 

For long studs you have to take the hub off, but I think you can do stock ones with the hub on, so there's no need to take it off. You can pull the new studs through with a nut and maybe some wahsers or a socket as a spacer. Don't use your lugs though, don't want to risk damaging them. M12x1.5 is what the studs are in case you need to buy some nuts.

 

I am only having a problem removing the rotor now? What am I missing? Just the lug nuts, and the 2 phillip screws, right????

 

You have to pull the caliper in order to get the rotor off. The caliper is held on by 2 bolts, do that and then undo the 2 screws on the rotor hat. THEN, the rotor will come off.

 

Yeah, I removed the caliper as well, along with the 2 bolts behind it. Then the 2 screws on the rotor... Should that do it then? Its gotta be stuck then, right?

 

Sounds like you've removed all the relevant fasteners. Discs can be really stuck sometimes - moisture plus hot/cold cycling can make a pretty good "corrosion weld". Now is the time for some violence. Get a short length of wood to protect the rotor, place it on the back side of the rotor and whack it with a hammer. Rotate the rotor between whacks, so you don't overstress any one spot, but that will usually do the trick.

 

I do have stock studs. So I dont have to remove the hub? 100% sure? That would make life easier...

Now I am gonna try TURBOERIC's idea... Hopefully that does the trick. Thanks by the way.

 

One other question. If the studs were stock, would you be able to pull them out without removing the rotor? I already hammered the studs out, but won't squeeze out from behind the rotor?

 

im in the process of doing the same thing..rear stud replacment..wouldnt budge so i heated them with torch and soaked in pb blast.. im using longer studs that are actually gm studs. . anyway good thread hope it helps me out through next step

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I recall reading about it here, something about a notch that allows just enough room to get it out or something like that, a quick search should find an answer. I looked it up in the FSM, but they went over how to do it with a press after taking the hub off. Take the rotor off, it'll make it easier.

 

There is just enough room to pop the studs in and out of the hub on the lower leading (front facing) edge. It is a tight fit however. You do need the rotors off for the extra clearance of sneaking the studs back in. If your rotors are a bit stuck, just give them a few good raps with a hammer on the hat between the studs. Go around the face in a circle pattern a couple of times, hitting between all studs. That will free them up, guaranteed.

For the studs themselves:
It is not necessary to use a press for their removal. Once again, a few good raps with a hammer should be all you need to unseat them from the hub flange. For reinstalation, you either need to tap them in from behind or (as previously mentioned) draw them in with a nut and washers untill completly seated against the hub flange. Personally, I like to tap them in. There is less chance of the stud spinning in the flange, thus stripping the "teeth" of the stud or the hole in the flange itself.

If you are going for oversized studs, you will have to remove the hub assemblies.

 

Hey man, i appreciate the help. Will do that! Appreciate it once again.

 

[QUOTE=lov-2-rev;7605464]There is just enough room to pop the studs in and out of the hub on the lower leading (front facing) edge. [QUOTE]

What do you mean, by the lower leading edge? The low/bottom part of the rotor?

 

Since no one has mentioned this; It's not a good idea to use a torque wrench to remove a stuck nut. Doing this can at least wreck the calibration on your wrench, if not wreck it completely. Invest in a good wrench handle and a long piece of pipe.

I've replaced my studs. It's a PITA, but not the hardest thing I've done to my car. It's easiest with the hub off though, so you'll have to remove the wheel nut. It's a good idea to use a new wheel nut when you put the whole thing back together.

 

Good advice about the torque wrench. Invest in a long 1/2" or even better 3/4" breaker bar.

The nut holding the hub to the rear suspension should not be re-used. Make sure you torque the new one when putting it in and then 'stake' it (push the edge back into the groove in the axle).

The space referred to regarding the stud coming out from: If you look at the whole assembly behind the rotor, as you turn the hub, one stud at a time will align with the space just enough to come completely out.

 

You can re-use them, just swap sides so that they're staked in different places.

 

You could... Then again, you could just use a nut you found at Home Depot too. I wouldn't recommend either course of action though.

 

There's nothing wrong with it, that part of the nut isn't structural. Obviously if it's corroded or damaged then replace it.

 

FSM says replace the nut. It's a couple bucks for both.

 

Do I have to remove the metal shield behind the rotor as well? It does leave a gap just for the caliper, which I would imagine is the spot where I would be able to slide the wheel stud out through, when I remove the rotor. Correct?

 

^You don't need to remove the aluminum rotor shield. As for the rest of your asumption, you are correct.

 

I want to thank everyone for their help. It definitely helped me out. I didnt have to remove the hub, which saved me some trouble. Thank you!!! The PB blast helped out greatly. Soaked it in that, and right off it came after a couple knocks.