Oops, it just came off

[v1xz]

Was giving my brakes a fresh bit of health. Went to put my tyre back on, tightened all nuts. Tightened one too much and it snapped the thread off...

How secure is my wheel with just 4 bolts?

[Peter Gidden]

Safe enough until you get the stud replaced.

You should seriously consider either buying the correct tools for the job or stop working on your car before you kill yourself or someone else.

To snap a wheel stud takes at least 2-3 times the required torque.

[v1xz]

Safe enough until you get the stud replaced.

You should seriously consider either buying the correct tools for the job or stop working on your car before you kill yourself or someone else.

To snap a wheel stud takes at least 2-3 times the required torque.

thanks, ill bare that in mind...

[MartinF]

To snap a wheel stud takes at least 2-3 times the required torque.

Which can be regularly applied by visiting the monkeys at Kwik Fit and similar fast tyre facilities.

[v1xz]

Good to know I'm not the only monkey/cowboy in the world...

[shinny]

You snapped a wheel stud by hand?? Eeesh! The nuts are only supposed to be torqued to 104Nm but regularly survive the 300Nm-ish tyre monkeys put on them. Were you jumping on the end of a breaker bar or something!?

(Also, having very tight nut is very bad thing when you get a puncture and need to use the stock toolkit to remove a wheel)

I did 2500 miles around europe with only four nuts on one wheel, after a garage's failure to torque up properly resulting in a nut being lost somewhere on the Stelvio pass. I didn't experience a problem, TBH

[v1xz]

Nope no jumping involved, just sheer hand power...

Will not tighten them so much next time, thought I'd be safe then sorry but in my case I'm just sorry I tried....

[JD]

i'm so glad i have weak flappy girl arms... oh, and a torque wrench.

[apk]

When I bought my car it had a warped brake disk, which made braking a very exciting experience - I found the cause when I tried to remove the left front wheel.
One nut was so tight I had to use 2 pipe extensions on a regular star brace & I bent the brace before the nut cracked. I'd be surprised if you sheared off a good stud, it's more likely it had been weakened & was already 'necking'. I'd get your car into a workshop to check the other studs PDQ If I was you because they may all be weakened.
(actually, pretty damn slow would be better)
I nearly lost a wheel on an old Beemer I had when the brake disc overheated (partially seized caliper) & 3 of the 5 studs snapped off & a fourth stretched visibly.
Overtight nuts is seriously dangerous. I carry a torque wrench set at 80ft/lb in the boot & if I need a monkey to work on the car I insist they use it.

[3sgte]

. I carry a torque wrench set at 80ft/lb in the boot & if I need a monkey to work on the car I insist they use it.

You should always release the tension off the spring of the torque wrench whilst in storage or the spring can weaken over time

[Mullen]

i'm so glad i have weak flappy girl arms... oh, and a torque wrench.

Same

As it turned out 104Nm is about all I was applying even when leaning hard on the old tyre wrench but it's nice to know they're done up properly.

[v1xz]

Any recommendations on a good ratchet torque / torque wrench thingy.....

[fingers99]

To be honest, I'd not bother unless I was either feeling very anal or wanted the torque wrench for other stuff. Just use the tool in the factory supplied kit.

I'm with the pre-weakened school.

If you must have one just to carry about in the boot, Machine Mart will have something cheap and entirely adequate. Just check the range (of the wrench).

[mrturbotom]

Halfords torque wrench is good.

I'd be concerned the other studs are stretched and on the brink of snapping too