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$400.00 to replace a wheel lug stud..you gotta be kidding me!!

52K views 27 replies 21 participants last post by  feetdry 
#1 ·
Took my lovable Ridgeline to the Honda dealer yesterday to have the brakes replaced and got a phone call about an hour later..."did you know you have a stripped lug stud and lugnut on your rear passenger side? I reply.."No go ahead and fix it while you do the brakes". The Service writer says "OK that will be $400.00, the part is cheap but it's a LOT of work". I'm still trying to wash my drawers....They have to be kidding me. I called "Tire Barn" where I had my tires rotated last month and they said they would handle the replacement, I have been going there and only there for years and they knew it was their tech that did it because they are the only ones to have the wheels off prior to Honda. He had no idea what the $400.00 quote is all about and I'm baffled as well. Anyone here have experience with this? I don't want Tire Barn to send my truck to Joe-Bob's to get a hack job but the Honda guy sounds like he hit the crack pipe on the way to work! Jim
 
#2 · (Edited)
Are not the bolts mounted from the inside of the disk/drum assembly in the rear?
Beats me!
This is why I generally have a reputable independent mechanic do things I don't do myself or that are out of warranty. That way I avoid dealerships, chain stores, and other possible sources of incompetence.
 
#3 · (Edited)
As I recall, in the process of converting my T100 OEM auto hubs to manual hubs, I munged up some of the threads on the studs. I had to replace several and it was neither difficult nor expensive. Just mount two nuts on the stud and screw it in. Maybe the RL is different in how they're installed, I dunno.

Edit: Well after checking the FSM, I see the RL wheel bolts are not studs at all. Totally different method of mounting them as compared to my old T100. Oh well.

 
#4 · (Edited)
'Been a loyal Les Schwab customer for years and although the RL hasn't needed it yet, I've had them replace Many over the last 30 years. They do it for free as I've purchased many sets of tires from them and had them rotate them every 5k for that long.

Just my experience, but when the RL has a stripped one( and it will) they will replace it for free.
 
#5 ·
Costco stripped a front wheel lug stud this past spring on my rig. They told me to get the repair at Les Schwab. The repair billed at a little over $100 and it took about 1.25 hours to take the wheel apart and do the repair. What is happening to you is unreal, A $400 quote for a $100 job. I'd start doing my service work elsewhere! :act060:
 
#6 ·
I haven't had to replace one on the Ridgeline, but did have to on my 2000 CR-V (mechanics and air-wrenches, a bad combination...)

Basically, there wasn't enough clearance behind the hub to drive the bad stud out & insert the new one, so the hub had to be removed. But then, the wheel bearing was a single-use item, so they had to replace it as well.

Ended up being close to $200.

$400 is ..barely.. in the realm of the possible (given the Ridgeline is a much heavier-duty vehicle with more technology on it). I would certainly ask very firm questions about why it would cost that much.

Chip H.
 
#7 ·
Geez!! I found the whole hub assembly for about $31 (http://www.hondapartsdeals.com/hpa_...ionID=7&SectionID=6&IllustrationGroupID=13463). The individual lugs are just over $1 each.

I think I would talk to your tire guy (who probably did the stripping) and see if they can order the part(s) and do the install for you. I can't imagine there needing $370 worth of labor!!!

Oh yeah... Tell your dealer to "stuff it"!!
 
#8 ·
dealer repairs are always a rip off for the most part....

$400 for a stud replacement is RIDICULOUS!!!!

i had a buddy at midas replace mine for $75 and had it done within a half hour.... its not a super tough procedure when you have the right tools and NOT at the dealer... i would definatly go elsewhere... screw that dealer that told you that!!

this is the main reason why i try and do most of my own repairs/installs...and if i cant, i get a friend and a case of beer and pizza and make a day out of it. LOL
 
#10 ·
Called the dealer back and ask for the service manager...he said Honda warranty payment for that job is $238.00 and that he would give me an additional 20% off for being a good customer (i.e. sucker?). So now it's a $200.00 job...I just don't get dealers....
 
#11 ·
Impact wrenches do wonders for hub studs. I avoid wheel mounting by others at all cost. The nuts are usually way over tightened and an impact wrench can walk thru most bolt/nuts with a heavy trigger finger. Sure they go thru the motions to show the nut is tight with a snap-over torque wrench that only shows the nut is at least as tight as the wrench setting, if not tighter.
 
#13 ·
Two days ago I replaced a wheel stud on my RL. I searched this forum for information. I have replaced wheel studs in other vehicles before and thought it would be no big deal. Well the thought that you can just pound the stud backward is not really reality as the stud hits the spindle knuckle. The stud was only $2 so that was nice. Unfortunately I took the whole spindle out to press the bearing out so I could have room to remove the stud and put the new one in but the bearing would not budge. I was using a large press but there was no way this bearing would come out. I had to change a bearing years ago on my Acura Integra and ended up cuting out the bearing with a torch and pressing the new one in.
I ended up using a hack saw to cut the old stud out. I then ground the new stud on one side so it went in with some force. I am going to try to add some pics if anyone has the same issue. This was on the left rear wheel.
[/IMG][/IMG]
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the pic. Looks like I have a stripped rear passenger post. So I get cutting the old bolt off, but how did you get the new one in?

Here is a pic of why this is not just a simple job. This is showing the new stuff after being modified and still on a angle. So if the stud was in place and you try to hit it back out of the hub it will hit and not allow you to simply pound it backward. I hope this helps someone.
 
#15 ·
Wow, that looks like a time-consuming and difficult job. Hope that never happens to me. My brother and I broke off a stud on my dad's Honda Accord--first year they were produced (1971). He was pretty upset, but helped us get it repaired.
 
#17 ·
I'm trying to figure out how in the heck you break a stud in the first place?

The only ones I can ever remember replacing were due to the fact that I munged up the threads while in the process of converting my T100 hubs from automatic to manual hubs.

From this:


To this:


And finally to this: (which I think looked much better)
 
#19 ·
Well I had some winter tires put on and then I put the summer wheels on with a rachet and torqued them. I headed out on a trip and heard a noise so I pulled over. Checked wheels and one stud was finger loose and one was broken and missing. The other three were tight. So at some point I lost a stud.

All I can say is this job is a little more involved than most wheel stud replacements.
 
#24 ·
The reason this job is expensive at the dealer is that Honda recommends to replace the rear wheel bearing to do it. It's not that difficult to get the old stud out because you can punch it back and cut it. The difficulty is getting the new one in without removing the wheel hub or grinding off part of the back side of the stud. I had a stripped left rear stud and went through the same thing. The dealer quoted me around $80.00. I had already gotten prices from independents for the $300.00 to $400.00 range if you go by the book and replace the rear wheel bearing which is around $138.00 list from Honda. The dealer I went to was a little surprised by the actual amount of work involved when they got into it. It's not your basic punch it out and pull a new in. The tech was able to pull the hub forward enough to get clearance to put the new stud in without having to replace the wheel bearing. I drove over 5,000 miles on it after the new stud was put it without any bearing problems before trading it in. It can be done without replacing the wheel bearing.
 
#25 ·
Published labor time for hub replacement:
Front 2.0 hr
Rear 3.0 hr

When replacing a hub, the bearing is almost always destroyed. So add a bearing to the cost.
$50 for the hub, $100 for the bearing. Most shop rates are $100+. So $400 is in the ball park of what one can expect to be quoted.
 
#26 ·
This is really outrageous "$400"... Good to know anyway ...may be it is not worth rotating tires that often after all, if there is a risk of damaging a wheel lug stud; knowing that the people who rotate tires, and do Oil change are usually the poor workers with no skills; lowly paid and sometimes they just don't care anyway.
I usually rotate tires every 20K or so, and don't mind replacing my tires at 50K-55K... besides I think tire traction/handling are diminished past that.

I remember 10 years ago, I took my daughter's car for an oil change to one of the oil change franchises; and the poor guy who looked like he was still in HS, filled the AT to the rim ... I did not double check at the time and, needless to say the transmission did not last long after that.

.
 
#27 ·
I've got a stripped lug on my front drivers wheel. I've also got a leaking boot on my passenger front axle. Since both jobs are related, I will be replacing both front axles (bought them on eBay for $120, about the same cost of having the dealer put on a replacement boot.). I will also replace both front wheel bearings, front breaks and all 10 front wheel studs. Given the age of the truck, I figure its easier to replace the worn parts all in one job. I will try to take pictures as I do the job, but I'm still waiting for some parts so it'll be a couple of weeks.

BTW, I got a similar quote from my dealership. Seeing what needs to be done, it's about right for a thee hour job at $125 an hour.
 
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