93 Protege - Broken Lug Nut Stud & Hub Removal

[txbajabill]

Greetings all!

I own a 1993 Protege 1.8L SOHC. My wife got a flat at work so I replaced the flat front tire and did a tire rotation. It just so happened that I broke a lug nut stud on the front passenger tire. I drove home on three lug nuts, stopped by and purchased a replacement stud from O'Reilly, imagining a short 15 minute repair would shortly ensue.

After removing the disc brake caliper and rotor, I proceeded to lubricate & hammer out the offending stud. There is not enough clearance between the back of the hub and the steering knuckle assembly to remove the stud bolt. No problem, I figure. I got my handy chisel, punch & hammer, went to work on the hub & bearing assembly lock nut rim, then finally got it off with a 32-mm axle nut socket & breaker bar (whew! hardest part over, so I thought).

The Haynes book said the hub & bearing assembly could then be removed. Oops! I was reading the part about the REAR assembly. After further research, I read the part about removing the entire knuckle assembly, taking it to the dealer to have the hub & bearing hydraulically pressed from the knuckle assembly and reinstalled professionally.

This sure seems a bit much for one lousy broken lug nut stud? Does anyone have any advice or has anyone had a similar experience? At this point, I'm considering replacing the bearing, CV joint and all lug nut studs since it seems I'm going to have to remove the steering knuckle entirely, press out the hub & bearing assembly to even get at the lug stud.

Someone please tell me an easier way!

(confused)

[91Protege]

I think on that other stud thread he got a stud with a cut out to clear the knuckle. If you can grind your new stud to clear the knuckle or get a stud that has the cut out you can get it out. And if that doesnt work I wouldnt take it to a dealer caus they will hammer you. Id go to a small ind shop and have it pressed out for ya. Some new bearings come with a new hub with lug nuts and such.

[txbajabill]

Going to cut the broken stud out with a dremel, cut a small access port in the splash shield and take a shot at grinding a flat section in the head of the new lug stud to pass the steering knuckle today. The splines on the lug stud that already has a cut out are visibly larger than my OEM lug stud splines (probably to make up for the loss in body strength from a cut-out portion of the stud head).

Most probable case: will have to remove the knuckle and pay someone to press the hub out, but it's worth a shot!

Thanks!

[91Protege]

Yupp, good luck man.

[txbajabill]

Success!

After cutting a small window in the splash shield, grinding down the head of the lug stud flat on one side (even with the splines nearly) and doing a little grinding to smooth the edge of the steering knuckle (where it met the splash guard) and a bit of the grinding on the hub to allow the tip of the stud to pass through at a 5° to 10° angle, I managed to softly hammer it in.

I pulled it tight and set the splines in the hub assembly by seating it against a CV axle locknut placed on the hub, then tightened it with the lug nut & tire tool.