Wheel studs are simple but critical for your vehicle’s operation. These threaded fasteners work together with the lug nuts to keep your wheels attached to your vehicle. Some drivers replace their wheel studs when they get new wheels, or the studs may need to be replaced due to damage or wear.
The average cost for a Wheel Lug Stud Replacement is between $76 and $276. The price is based on 1-2 hours of labor at $100 per hour plus parts. A luxury vehicle like a BMW may cost around $200, while a more common vehicle may cost closer to $80. If you choose to DIY yourself, new wheel lug studs cost around $10 per stud.
DIY Replacement Cost
On carparts.com, you can find single studs priced at around $5 or $6. They’re also sold in packs of 10, which are priced anywhere from $18 to $40. At a retailer like Advance Auto Parts, you can find replacement wheel studs for as cheap as $2 or $3.
Wheel Stud Replacement Cost by Make and Model
| Parts Cost Estimate | Labor Cost Estimate | |
| Subaru Outback | $10 – $45 | $90 – $105 |
| Jeep Wrangler | $12 – $20 | $70 – $90 |
| Honda Accord | $15 – $55 | $85 – $105 |
| Acura RDX | $40 – $60 | $85 – $110 |
| Dodge Ram | $10 – $15 | $80 – $115 |
If you’re going to do the work yourself, you’ll need a lug wrench and a tire rod end remover. You can purchase these tools for a reasonable price or you can even rent a tire rod end remover from some auto parts stores.
If you don’t have a lug wrench, you can use a socket and ratchet set. You can purchase a lug wrench for $25 or less. The tire rod end remover may cost anywhere from $17 – $30. If you don’t already own a socket and ratchet set, you can usually buy one for under $30.
All in all, you can buy all the parts you need for this project for around $50 or less. Of course, the cost of the parts from a garage will vary. However, it should be much less since they won’t be charging you to purchase the tools.
It’s also a good idea to purchase new lug nuts for each stud that you replace. Often the process of installing the new wheel stud will cause damage to the lug nut.
Labor Costs for Replacing Wheel Studs
Most people will pay between $90 and $120 for labor to replace wheel studs. The labor to replace wheel studs is minimal and can usually be done in under an hour. However, the labor costs can vary quite a bit based on where you take the car to do the work.
If you take it to the dealership, you can expect the price estimate to go up by about $15-$25 per hour. So, it may cost anywhere from $95-$125 for one hour of labor.
If you’re already having tires replaced or other repairs are done on your vehicle, you can probably add on the wheel stud replacement without increasing the labor costs too much.
The cost will mainly be determined by the garage’s hourly rate. If you take the car to a chain repair shop or tire shop, it will probably be far cheaper than taking it to a dealership. On the other hand, you may find a better deal at a local garage.
Cost to Have Your Wheel Studs Replaced Professionally
| Dealership | $150 – $250 |
| Firestone | $25 – $40 (each stud) |
| Pep Boys | $35 – $75 (each stud) |
| Walmart | N/A |
| Your Mechanic | $80 – $150 |
Does Walmart Replace Wheel Studs?
Some Walmart locations have auto care centers that provide basic auto services like oil changes and tire rotations. So, what about replacing wheel studs?
Walmart does not replace wheel studs. They can replace lug nuts, but these are not the same thing as wheel studs. Lug nuts are what bolt onto wheel studs to keep the wheel mounted onto the car.
If you have a broken or lost lug nut, Walmart will replace it for $3.50 per lug.
Does Firestone Replace Wheel Studs?
Firestone is a full-service tire shop, and like most tire and wheel repair shops, they can replace wheel studs that are broken or damaged. In fact, breaking off a wheel stud while replacing tires is not uncommon, especially if lug nuts have been over-torqued onto the stud.
Replacing your wheel studs at Firestone typically costs between $25 and $40 per stud, depending on your vehicle.
When to Replace Wheel Studs
Wheel studs need to be replaced if they become damaged, break, or rust. If you get custom wheels for your vehicle, you may need longer wheel studs.
Despite the fact that they’re built to last for the lifetime of your vehicle, it’s a fairly common issue for wheel studs to break. Typically this occurs due to over-tightening of the lug nuts, rust damage, or even vandalism.
A very common problem is stripping the threads on the wheel studs while changing a tire. A wheel stud will almost never “randomly” break off without cause.
Diagnosing Bad Wheel Studs
The most obvious sign that your wheel studs need replacing is if they break or sustain physical damage. Often, this may occur when changing or rotating tires. The torque pressure used to tighten lug nuts can cause wheel studs to break or crack, or they just may suffer from normal wear and tear over time.
Here are some other signs your wheel stud needs replacing:
- Vibration in your steering wheel
- Loud or unusual noise from the wheel
- Visible cracking in the stud
- Heavy rust on the stud
- The wheel is loose or has play when the vehicle is lifted
- Clicking noise from the wheel (increases with vehicle’s speed)
If you suspect a bad wheel stud, you should take your car to the shop as soon as you can. It can be dangerous to drive with a broken wheel stud, so you’ll want to get it fixed sooner rather than later.
How to Prevent Broken Wheel Studs
Most often, broken wheel studs are due to human error. These parts are meant to last, and it takes a lot to break them. The good news is that damage to your wheel studs is largely preventable.
Here are some of the most common reasons for wheel studs to break and how to prevent it:
Improper torquing of lug nuts
Lug nuts need the appropriate amount of torque applied equally across all four wheels. When lug nuts are under torqued, they may get loose and fall off.
Even if they stay on, the gap between where they should be tightened to and where they are will eventually damage the threads on the wheel stud. When they’re over-torqued, the stud may break from the excessive pressure.
Loss of clamp force
If rust or dirt is present when mounting tires on the rim, it may lead to corrosion on the rim, rotor, or brake drum. Over time, this can allow for movement between the rim and rotor, which can eventually fracture the wheel stud.
Improper installation of lug nuts
Lug nuts should be hand-threaded onto the stud and rotated at least four times to ensure that they’re installed properly on the studs.
If you change your own tire (or sometimes even if a professional changes it for you), it’s easy to simply tighten the lug nuts back onto the wheel without completing this step. Installing the lug nuts correctly and also tightening them in a star pattern will help prevent damage to the stud threads.
Cross threading lug nuts onto wheel studs
Using an impact wrench on the incorrect setting or getting in too much of a hurry can cause this problem. It’s important to slowly guide the lug nut onto the stud.
Rust damage
If you live in an area where the roads are salted during winter, your wheel studs will be more at risk for rust damage. When the studs get rusted, it can be very difficult to remove lug nuts or place them correctly without further damaging or breaking the wheel studs.
If you live in an area where salt is commonly applied to the roadways, you should check for rust annually. If you see signs of rust on your wheel studs, you will want to replace them before they fail.
The Bottom Line
The good news is that replacing wheel studs is a fairly inexpensive repair. So we would suggest you let the professionals hand such repair.