Broken Wheel Stud

[alex11]

I own Lexus 250 IS RWD, MT, model 2008. I normally do wheel replacement by myself. During the installation of the wheels with summer tires, which is quite a routine work, I applied, as I always do, a torque of 80 ft_lb to tight the wheel lugs. I was greatly surprised that during this routine work one wheel stud on the rear right wheel broke off before I got even close to the 80 ft_lb torque..

f this did not happen to me I would not believe that it would be possible.

Had any one got similar problem in the past?

I am now a bit concern that wheel hubs with the wheel studs may have a quality issue which would make my car to be unsafe. The last thing I want is that a wheel comes off while I am driving on a highway with 120 km/h.

Any suggestion/comment from the respective Lexus Forum members would be greatly appreciated.

[lenore]

Maybe the last time tires were changed the torque wrench was set too high at the tire shop and weakened the stud....Was there corrosion.?

[LEX-SV]

Never experienced this on my IS350, and my wheels have been off and on car several times.

Since your location is not updated in your profile, I cannot tell what part of the country you are in. Are you in snowbelt region?

[alex11]

Thanks for your reply.

I went to the local Kingston, Ontario Lexus Dealer. They inspected the bolts. They did not have much to comment other than saying that all others look good. The fix was quite simple. They hummered out the brocken bolt, replaced the new one and charged me for 1 hour work + $1.80 for the bolt. Total with the tax $122.92.

I am sure that the bolt was never over torqued.

[LEX-SV]

Sounds like a isolated or random defect, maybe a defective bolt from supplier. Or maybe previous abuse with air wrench earlier at servie/tire rotation that weakened it.