Axle shaft replacement

I don't like the idea of tac welding wheel studs. My buddies car ended up with 2 loose wheels because someone did that. Instead of the correct repair which is replace the hub/axle. That damaged his wheels as well. Not worth the gamble IMO.

 

how could that have happened unless the weld broke? That has nothing to do with the type of repair but the quality of the job.

 

Welding a stud in that tight of an area is asking for it. If the welds break, how are they going to get the wheel off?

The new stud is likely heat treated for strength. Welding on it can make it weaker.

There are plenty of examples online of people having success welding wheel studs. There are also plenty examples of them failing. Not worth the risk. If this was a door handle or a side mirror I'd say weld it up! But it's a safety item that holds the wheel to the vehicle.

 

Split the lug nut with an air chisel? Idk, seems it’s just one stud… I would weld it in place, personally. If I was doing the repair for someone else, I would do it properly, like you suggest.

 

Or: hammer out the wheel stud, weld the stripped hole shut, then re-drill to OEM size, replace stud?

 

the weld shouldn’t break if it’s done right. Put a wet towel over the stud to prevent excessive heat transfer. It would be a temporary repair, fixed a few years down the road when the bearing needs replacement.

 

Are you a certified welder? I know you are a smart person, and this seems like a simple repair. Metallurgy is critical on a high stress part like a wheel stud. When welding a stud It will be weakened at the weld point, where the stud enters the hub. Not where you can hang a towel on it.

Would you also weld a control arm that has cracked in half?

I guess we will agree to disagree. I vote do not weld the stud, not worth risking a wheel coming off on the highway.

 

can’t imagine it would make much of a difference for one wheel stud. I’ve ran with 3 wheel studs on my old civic that was a 4 lug car with no issues. You’re over thinking it. If you think every person doing a weld repair on a vehicle has some sort of certificate to allow them to do so that's pretty generous.

 

Another option is just do jam some zip ties in between the stud and pull it in then snip off the excess. That would avoid any heating concerns.

 

I come from an auto body/automotive repair background. Any tech welding on a car in the shops I've worked at is certified in welding and has to pass tests every so often. Most insurance companies require that a shop they are working with has to be I-CAR certified. To be I-CAR certified you have to have a certain number of techs at your shop that are certified in welding. I-CAR themselves do the welding courses and certification.

So yes, a real tech that is welding structural components of a vehicle should be and often is certified in welding. Sir!

 

well that is reassuring. I try and do any work myself to avoid having to pay for those certification classes then I guess haha.

But I’m not sure a wheel stud necessarily qualified as a structural part of the vehicle. A shade tree mechanic will give it a few good tacs and give you the tail light warranty. Personally I’d have no issue with it for one of 6 studs on only one wheel compared to what the cost of a new axle shaft/bearing install would be.

 

For my personal vehicle, and it being 1 out of 6, I'd consider it too.

 

I lost a wheel and 5 of 6 studs on the side of a highway several hundred miles from home about 9 years ago. After that situation I’m pretty paranoid about wheel studs and torque.