Missing wheel stud

[rikguy33]

I had a flat tire the other day on the back passenger wheel. I pulled off the flat and replaced with the spare and when I was tightening up the lug nuts, one got cross threaded. I pulled the wheel back off and tried to re-thread the lug back on. It got stuck part way one and I ended up cutting the stud with a sawzall and removing it. I have a replacement stud but I can find a way to fish it thru the whole with the e-brake still installed. Will it hurt to drive around with only 4 studs and lugs? Does anyone have a secret to get the new stud in place?

Thanks -Rick-

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Rick, you have to remove the brake rotor ('03+) or drum ('02) to remove or install studs.

 

[osufans]

I knew a guy who drove his jeep around with only 3 studs on the wheel.....would i do it, no, but will it hurt you in the short time until you can get it fixed? probably not.

 

[rikguy33]

TBJ - I have read disk brakes. I removed the caliper & rotor & there was not enough room behind the hub to get the new stud in.
I have about a 400 mile round trip tomorrow & I'm debating whether to take the KJ or the Dodge Spirit.

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Four lugs won't kill you, presuming you didn't overtorque anything.

But, Dodge Spirit? K car roadtrip! C'moooooooooooooooon man! Put your foot into that big bad 2.2 (or 2.5) and ROLL ON

 

[rikguy33]

TBJ - it's a 94 with the V6 3.0 ! That's how I roll
I stopped at Sears & they wanted $55 to put in the stud and they wouldn't use the one I had bought. The guy stood at the counter & called autozone in front of me and said that the part was $2. I told the guy that's what I paid at the same place but he still wouldn't use my part. I told him to forget it

 

[J-Thompson]

I have been driving on 4 lugs for 5+ years
now I am on spacers with only 4 lugs
I wheel my TJ fairly hard and run 32's w/lockers
so far no issues
I can not remember about the KJ but the rear of a TJ is hubcentric
which means that the weight of the rig rests on the hub center
and not on the lugs
yes they do see weight but nothing like the older studcentric wheels do

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

$55 sounds reasonable TBH. Half hour of labor+part.

Don't blame them for not using your part, either, since they can't know for absolute sure where the part came from and if anything were to happen, parts replacement for them would be a giant clusterf&

And get on with your Spirit and lay the skinny pedal to the floor

 

[desertkj]

$55 doesn't sound bad. I've had mine in three times for broken studs (Discount Tire has issues operating airtools). I made them pay for it each time though.

 

[rikguy33]

OK. I'll run the Dodge tomorrow and get the boys at Sears to pop in the new stud. I understand about them not using outside parts. I just found it funny that he was talking to the same guy that I bought the part from and paid the same amount for. I think the guy was a little put out that he was paying retail prices for the part.
Thanks for the input. And as far as my Spirit ....

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[yellocoyote]

$55 doesn't sound bad. I've had mine in three times for broken studs (Discount Tire has issues operating airtools). I made them pay for it each time though.

Yes... yes they do.

My spare is currently on with 2 lugs only.

 

[jeepchic79]

Four lugs won't kill you, presuming you didn't overtorque anything.

But, Dodge Spirit? K car roadtrip! C'moooooooooooooooon man! Put your foot into that big bad 2.2 (or 2.5) and ROLL ON

Don`t think you would roll too far in the 2.2 or a 2.5 lol