'03 4WD w/ a 4.7 in it. Last year I found that one of the right front wheel studs was broken. I chalked it up to an overzealous tire rotation with alchohol involved. (beer muscles!) Simple job to replace the stud.
Ok, fast forward 2 months and I find that TWO other studs broke on the same wheel. Knowing that I'm not *that* strong (or stupid, but my wife may differ in opinion) I removed ALL of the studs on that side and replaced them. While I was at it I put a dial indicator to the mating side of of the rotor and checked for runout when I rotated it. It was just about perfect (10 thousanths or so, but no worse than the other side.) I put the rim back on, torqued it appropriately and called it a day.

Have had 2 wheel rotations / tire changes since then, no problems, and no impact wrenches used. Yesterday I walk outside and see that one of the studs is broken off again. It's just proud of the hub, maybe 1/8" inch or so showing. Checking all of the others on the truck shows no problem.

Ideas? I'm going to push it out and change it again, but this is getting annoying. Studs came from NAPA, I wouldn't think that there's anything special about them? Removal was with a hammer & punch, installation was to tap them in with a hammer, put a small sleeve on the bolt and then tighten up a nut / washer to draw the head up to the surface. They pulled in easily. Anti-sieze always applied to the lug when it's put back on.

Thanks,
Bob

 

this is very unusual.
are you doing the tire rotations yourself, or is a tire shop involved with a big *** wrench?

are you torquing them to about 100 pounds, or have you been eating steroids and don't know your own strength...

could the wifey being getting brake jobs, or service somewhere that you're not remembering?

i've never seen wheel studs just break off at the rate you are experiencing...
maybe your dog is pissing acid rain.

 

you don't have any enemies or weird neighbors, do you?

 

Nope, I'm the nicest guy in the world, just ask my ex-wife!

Seriously. I know it's a weird problem, that's why I'm posting it here. I do my own service other than when I don't have time. Rotations in the past have been done by others so I'm sure that impact wrenches have been use, but since I replaced the studs I've done 100% of the work. What bothers me most is that it's ONLY the right front that's broken.

I even started using a torque wrench on them, set to 95 ft lbs.

And we have Newfies, they usually miss the wheels and hit the side mirrors!

Thanks,
Bob

 

I sounds like your doing it all the right way?


What about your shocks or how much air is in the tires? I always used to keep my tire psi at 37 front and 35 rear with 31 X 10.5 X 15's.

It's not strange at all to see lugs broken on Durangos in particular......IMHO.......But what is strange is to have the same wheel doing it all the time I agree.