How to Remove the Studs on an Impala

The wheel studs on a Chevy Impala are threaded studs designed to secure the wheels to the brake rotors and the brake drums. Wheel studs can break for various reasons. If the lug nut loosens up from the wheel stud, it can cause slack within the stud and the lug nut. The wheel stud can break due to the pressure and vibrations caused from the slack. Over-tightening a lug nut to a wheel stud can also cause the stud to break. Consistently, check the tightness of the lug nuts to the wheel studs to prevent them from breaking.

Instructions

Park the Chevy Impala on a level surface and set the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts from the wheel that has the wheel stud in need of removal, using a lug wrench.

Jack the the Impala up on the same side as the loosened lug nuts. Place a jack stand under the proper jacking point. Lower the Impala onto the top of the jack stand and leave the jack in the upright position as a secondary safety measure.

Finish removing the lug nuts from the wheel. Pull the wheel off and place it on the ground near the work area. If the wheel stud in need of removal is secured through a brake rotor, remove the brake caliper and the brake rotor from the wheel hub. Hang the brake caliper to one of the steering components behind the wheel hub with a bungee cord. If the wheel stud is secured through a brake drum, pull the brake drum straight off the brake shoes and place it on the ground.

Inspect the backside of the wheel hub for an area that will give the wheel stud enough room to come out. Turn the wheel hub with your hands until the back of the wheel stud is positioned in that area.

Tap the front of the wheel stud with a handheld sledge hammer until the wheel stud is hanging out of the back of the wheel hub. Reach behind the wheel hub and finish pulling the wheel stud out. If the wheel stud is still tight, use the pliers to twist and pull the wheel stud out of the back of the wheel hub.

Continue turning the wheel hub so that the head of each wheel stud is in the same position as the first wheel stud was when it was removed. Use the handheld sledge hammer to tap the front of the studs until all of the studs are out of the rear of the wheel hub.

Push the new wheel studs through the same holes as the old wheel studs were in. Once the wheel stud is inside of the hole, match up the splines on the wheel stud with the splines inside of the wheel hub hole. Tap the head of the wheel stud with the hammer until the wheel stud is completely through the hole. Inspect the head of the wheel stud to ensure that it is flush with the backside of the wheel hub. Continue this process until all of the wheel studs have been replaced. If there is no room to swing a hammer behind the wheel hub, use a lug nut to install the new wheel stud.

Tap the head of the wheel stud until there are enough threads on the wheel stud protruding through the hole to get a lug nut to screw onto. Screw a lug nut onto the threads of the wheel stud. Tighten the lug nut with the lug wrench until the entire threaded portion of the wheel stud is pulled through the hole. Inspect the head of the wheel stud to ensure that it is flush with the back of the wheel hub. Continue this process until all of the wheel studs have been replaced.

Reinstall the brake rotor and the brake caliper or the brake drum, if applicable. Slide the wheel back onto the wheel hub and screw the lug nuts down tight. Jack the Chevy Impala back up and remove the jack stands. Lower the Impala to the ground.

Finish tightening the lug nuts with a lug wrench until each lug nut is tight. Drive the car around for about 10 minutes. Park the Impala and recheck the tightness of the lug nuts to ensure that each lug nut is properly tightened to each wheel stud.