Catastrophic Failure of ALL wheel studs…

[mattyrides07]

I need some help. I usually can find my answers, but I’m lost at the moment.

Background:
I do 99.9% of the work myself on my rig (and my wife’s 2018 T4R). I rotate my tires every 3K miles. I torque spidertrax 1.25” spacers at 85ft lbs to hubs. Been rocking this set of spacers since NOV 2021.

A couple nights ago I felt some shaking in the front end (normal after our snow fall when the wheels get packed and turns to ice). Drove my family to the skate rink and told my wife I needed to thaw out my rig that night. On the way home we were nearing the end and I felt a weird pop, a mile later made a left turn and my wheel popped off (we were less than 1/2mi from home). All the studs sheared off.

I got towed home and ordered new rotors and trying to find upgraded studs.… also researching fiberglass fenders as mine got mangled.

Questions:
1. Do I need longer studs for these wheels spacers when using slotted rotors?
2. Who makes the studs (dimensions or part numbers appreciated) I should get? I called ARP and they were asking me questions I didn’t have the answer to.

Cost isn’t a factor as I will gladly pay extra for the strength and safety. Thanks in advance for the help.

PS- I tried adding pics but it keeps saying failed.

EDIT:
I’m looking for answers to the questions asked NOT diagnoses. I’m well versed in tire rotations, and torquing and re-torquing. I use a snap on torque wrench.

 

[Jetboy]

The OEM studs should be fine. Yours came loose before they sheared off most likely, they didn't just break all at once unless they were all massively over torqued. More likely they were loose and failed from fatigue due to the wobble. Glad no one was hurt. I would personally replace with OEM studs and double check the torque on them a few times after you install.

 

[honda250xtitan]

assuming you did loctite on the initial install of the spacers? Have you ever given them an additional "click click" with the torque wrench since that install?

(i also run the same spacers and have since 2018 or so)

 

[DougR]

I suggest checking the torque wrench for accuracy.

 

[Symaze]

The OEM studs should be fine. Yours came loose before they sheared off most likely, they didn't just break all at once unless they were all massively over torqued. More likely they were loose and failed from fatigue due to the wobble. Glad no one was hurt. I would personally replace with OEM studs and double check the torque on them a few times after you install.

100% agree here. Sounds like there was a lug torque issue that caused the studs to fail. Also consider a new high quality 1/2inch torque wrench just to be sure. There are even some fancy electronic ones out there these days, but a good click type will still do the job. Be sure to inspect the brake disc/caliper and the rest of the axle/hub/corner that went down for any other damage so you don't get a surprise when you get it back on the road.

Edit: Another thought, I also wonder if there was a seating issue with the spacer. Maybe the wheel was torqued correctly but the spacer wasn't fully seated or the wheel not fully seated on the spacer. After some driving, something changed position/found its seat and the torque spec immediately lost, causing the failure.

 

[honda250xtitan]

100% agree here. Sounds like there was a lug torque issue that caused the studs to fail. Also consider a new high quality 1/2inch torque wrench just to be sure. There are even some fancy electronic ones out there these days, but a good click type will still do the job. Be sure to inspect the brake disc/caliper and the rest of the axle/hub/corner that went down for any other damage so you don't get a surprise when you get it back on the road.

Edit: Another thought, I also wonder if there was a seating issue with the spacer. Maybe the wheel was torqued correctly but the spacer wasn't fully seated or the wheel not fully seated on the spacer. After some driving, something changed position/found its seat and the torque spec immediately lost, causing the failure.

they are hub and lug centric. ALMOST impossible to not get them to seat flush. almost. i've seen it not flush if you go ugga dugga on the first lug nut and havent even started the other ones lol.

 

[wcjeep]

Torque wrenches wear out. Unless it's been calibrated, time for a new one.

 

[chuckies76ta]

Hi: Well it's good that no one got hurt in this. Sorry this happened to you. I'm curious. Are you running stock rims and tires? And if not what size have you upgraded too? Differences in weight and spacers. Thanks

 

[fkheath]

Torque wrenches wear out. Unless it's been calibrated, time for a new one.

Cheap torque wrenches (Harbor Freight) may wear out, but good, high quality, torque wrenches never wear out if they are cared for properly. But I agree that they should be calibrated from time to time.

My 50 year old Sears Craftsman torque wrench shows no signs of wearing out.

Of course, today, Craftsman tools are not what they once were.

 

[wcjeep]

Cheap torque wrenches (Harbor Freight) may wear out, but good, high quality, torque wrenches never wear out if they are cared for properly. But I agree that they should be calibrated from time to time.

My 50 year old Sears Craftsman torque wrench shows no signs of wearing out.

Of course, today, Craftsman tools are not what they once were.

In the Navy, not allowed to use any torque wrench unless it had a valid calibration sticker.

What's odd about the 4runner scenario here is the owner rotates every 3k miles. Meaning the required torque should be fairly close before using the torque wrench. Stock wheels? Stock lug nuts? Were the lug nuts proper style for the wheels? I've also reached the age its easier to pay a shop to rotate tires instead of me. I can do it. I posses the tools to do it. Prefer to spend my time doing other things.

 

[bamlin54]

Sounds like you are doing everything correctly. Is it possible that someone loosened the lug nuts without your knowledge or if you had recently been working on that wheel maybe you got distracted and forgot.

 

[mattyrides07]

In the Navy, not allowed to use any torque wrench unless it had a valid calibration sticker.

What's odd about the 4runner scenario here is the owner rotates every 3k miles. Meaning the required torque should be fairly close before using the torque wrench. Stock wheels? Stock lug nuts? Were the lug nuts proper style for the wheels? I've also reached the age its easier to pay a shop to rotate tires instead of me. I can do it. I posses the tools to do it. Prefer to spend my time doing other things.

I wish I could post pics. My rig is super modified and I drive it hard. I also rotate my five wheels out in the fields behind our house on varying terrain. This allows me to practice with my high lift in a real world scenario. Anywho, there’s three possibilities that caused this and I’m addressing ALL three during the fix:

1. Snapon torque wrench needs recalibration (and I ALWAYS back it out to zero after use; it’s never been dropped).

2. I didn’t have wheels properly set during install and torqued while it was off centered.

3. A wheel stud fatigued and when I kept driving on it the rest went.

Snapon getting sent out of state for recalibration, I have ARP studs inbound, and getting new wheels with -35/-44 off set ordered tomorrow.

 

[seatia]

Smart move getting new wheels, dumping the spacers and hopefully getting the proper hubcentric ID.
ARP studs are the best
I still use a 40 year old beam torque wrench, they never go out of calibration.

I would post more pics too, if they didn't make it so much of a PITA. :crazy:

 

[TRDHULK]

Smart move getting new wheels, dumping the spacers and hopefully getting the proper hubcentric ID.
ARP studs are the best
I still use a 40 year old beam torque wrench, they never go out of calibration.

I would post more pics too, if they didn't make it so much of a PITA. :crazy:

Anyone know the part # for ARP studs for the 4Runners? And what lug nuts would work? Wouldn't hurt to upgrade to these. I use nothing but ARP on my other cars

 

[fourrunnerbill]

I've tried like three different brands of mechanical torque wrenches and they all seemed flawed. I finally got an electric one and it's been perfect.

 

[mattyrides07]

Anyone know the part # for ARP studs for the 4Runners? And what lug nuts would work? Wouldn't hurt to upgrade to these. I use nothing but ARP on my other cars

From what I found searching: ARP #100-715 Lexus IS300. They say they're a little longer... ordered 25 so I can do all four corners. I'll report back after I have them in hand and can compare to the removed OEM studs.

 

[Jeremy556]

From what I found searching: ARP #100-715 Lexus IS300. They say they're a little longer... ordered 25 so I can do all four corners. I'll report back after I have them in hand and can compare to the removed OEM studs.

FWIW, I ordered these as well back in 2014 and they were far too long to use without open ended lug nuts, and I returned them.

What I have been using is gorilla's extended thread lug nuts, and using the rear stud part number in front, which are 10 or 15mm longer and offer much more thread engagement.

As far as torque wrenches go, lug nut torque accuracy isn't terrible important, what's more important is consistency so they are all at similar torque.

 

[mattyrides07]

UPDATE:

• ARP doesn’t make anything that’ll fit without cutting them down and the knurl offering is a tad shorter than OEM

• The Napa ones suck. Not sure if it’s because I was working on the rig below freezing and the heat made from impacting the lugs in, but I snapped three while installing.

• My glass arrived from the port yesterday. Installing tomorrow.

 

[Too Stroked]

I've tried like three different brands of mechanical torque wrenches and they all seemed flawed. I finally got an electric one and it's been perfect.

How do you know that? Just because a digital readout says something doesn't mean that's the actual value. Without calibration against a known reference, you never know for sure.

 

[YotaFam]

You should be using red loctite on the oem studs. Spidertrax recommends coating the mating surfaces between the spacer and hub/brake rotor with antiseize, torque to 90 ftlbs then rechecked after a drive at 85 ftlbs. If any are loose, to completely start from scratch.

Its also good practice after having a wheel off to recheck torque after 50 miles. That way even if you missed a wheel, it will be found after a day or two.

Also good practice to do your star pattern, and then make another clockwise pass a second time just to be sure.

These methods are what I've done and I have yet to have a wheel fall off anything I work on.... and I work on semi trucks...