The wheel studs are the main components that hold the wheel tight to the drum. The lug nuts screw onto the front of the wheel studs. When the lug nuts are being tightened, the wheel will compress to the drum. The lug nuts put pressure on the front side of the wheel while the drum puts pressure on the back side of the wheel. Replace the wheel stud immediately if there is cracking or any other type of damage present.
Park the vehicle in a safe location with plenty of working room.
Loosen the lug nuts from the wheel requiring wheel stud replacement with a tire tool.
Jack up the side of the vehicle you are working on with a floor jack and put a car stand under the proper jacking point. Lower the vehicle onto the stand and leave the jack in place.
Unscrew the lug nuts and pull the wheel off. Place the wheel flat so that it does not roll away.
Slide the pry bar between the brake caliper and the brake rotor. Pry the caliper back and forth until the brake caliper becomes loose enough to remove from the side of the rotor.
Unscrew the two mounting bolts from the rear of the brake caliper with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and a socket. Pull the caliper off of the rotor and hang it to the frame rail or to one of the steering components with a bungee strap.
Tap the drum on the back side with a rubber mallet until the drum is loose. Then, pull the drum off with your hands. If the drum is stuck or very tight, rotate the drum as you are tapping the back side.
Turn the wheel hub so that the wheel studs can be removed from the back side of the wheel hub plate. Put the safety glasses on and hit the wheel stud squarely in the center of the stud with a handheld sledgehammer until it comes out the back side of the hub.
Continue turning the wheel hub and tapping the wheel studs with the sledge hammer until all of the wheels studs are out.
Line the grooves of the new wheel stud up with the grooved holes on the back side of the wheel hub plate. Push the wheel stud into the grooved hole. Hit the head of the wheel stud with the sledgehammer until the head of the wheel stud is completely flush with the back side of the wheel hub plate.
Repeat process with the remaining wheel studs.
Reinstall the brake caliper and the wheel. Tighten both components. Jack the vehicle back up and remove the stand. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Finish tightening the lug nuts with the tire tool until each lug nut stops turning.
