If your vehicle is ever in a minor accident or your tire has a blow out, you can occasionally end up with a broken or damaged lug nut bolt on the affected wheel. Broken lug nut bolts put extra stress on the other lug nut bolts and risk breaking another lug nut bolt or causing your tires to wear unevenly. You can replace the broken or damaged lug nut bolt on Nissan Altima yourself instead of taking the vehicle to a mechanic, saving you money.
Park your Nissan Altima on a flat level surface, apply the emergency brake and place the vehicle in gear (manual transmission) or in "Park" (automatic transmission).
Break the lug nuts free on the wheel with the damaged lug nut bolt, using a lug wrench. Loosen the lug nuts, but don't remove them.
Jack up the front or rear end of the car, depending on which wheel has the damaged lug nut bolt, with a hydraulic jack and place jack stands beneath the front or rear jack points.
Remove the lug nuts and remove the wheel.
Remove the mounting bolts securing the brake caliper to the wheel assembly. These bolts are located at the top and bottom of the brake caliper.
Remove the brake caliper and secure it to the suspension springs of the vehicle with a zip tie. This prevents excessive tension on the brake line while you work on the wheel.
Pry the brake pad clips away from the brake disc using a flathead screwdriver. Remove the brake discs.
Pull the brake rotor directly off the wheel hub. Strike the brake rotor using a rubber mallet to loosen the rust and grime, if you are having trouble removing it.
Locate the damaged lug nut bolt. Push the damaged lug nut bolt through the inside of the wheel hub by striking the tip of the lug nut bolt with a hammer until it slides through.
Coat the lug nut bolt hole in lubricant.
Insert the new lug nut bolt through the hole from the inside of the wheel hub.
Screw a lug nut onto the lug nut bolt and tighten as much as possible using a lug wrench. If you are having trouble with the wheel moving while trying to tighten the lug nut, route a long screwdriver through two of the good lug nut bolts and at an angle so that when you turn the wheel it catches on the ground. Do this to draw the lug nut into the wheel hub.
Remove the lug nut and apply the rotor back to the wheel hub.
Place the lug nut back on the new lug nut bolt and secure the wheel in the same fashion you did earlier. Tighten the lug nut as much as possible. Remove the lug nut.
Replace the brake pads and brake caliper and put the wheel back on the Altima. Lower the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts.
