How to Replace a Wheel Stud in a Nissan Maxima

A broken stud causes great concern for the driver. Even though it's just one stud, it places extra stress on the others and can cause them to snap, too. You can replace the stud on your Nissan Maxima with just a little mechanical ability, the right tools and some brute strength.

Things You'll Need

  • Jack, lug wrench and jack tools
  • Blocks
  • Replacement stud
  • Vise-grips
  • Open end wrench
  • Crescent wrench
  • Dead blow hammer or heavy mallet
  • Extra wheel bolts and wheel nuts
  • Impact wrench (if available) or 1/2-inch long handled drive socket wrench
  • Buy a new stud. If you are unaware of the size, wait until you take it off and take it to the parts store with you. It's a good idea to inspect the other studs at the same time to see if you need to replace them too.

  • Look in the trunk to find the jack and tools. The tools are under the carpet in front of the spare and the jack is on the passenger side wall of the trunk inside the jack compartment. Jack up the car.

  • Take off the wheel. The front and sometimes the back are disc brakes. Remove the caliper and rotor. Take off the parking brake cable in the rear and they're drum brakes; remove the drum. If you must, remove the hub, use a vice to hold it and skip to Step 5.

  • Look for a clearance behind the hub. If there's adequate clearance, line the stud up with the area.

  • Hit the stud with a mallet to drive it back through the hub and out of the area. If it doesn't go all the way through, put a narrower rod on the stud and smack it to finish the job. Insert the new stud. Push it through enough so you can thread a wheel bolt on it.

  • Thread a wheel bolt on and tighten down the bolt with an impact wrench if you have one. As the wheel bolt tightens down it pulls the stud through the hub. You'll need to add extra bolts as the stud comes out further.

  • Remove the bolts and reassemble the parts that you took off to replace the stud on your Nissan Maxima. Do this in reverse order of disassembly. Put on the wheel and tighten down the wheel bolts.