[azwebguy]

I was changing the rotors and pads on a 2007 santa fe and three of the studs snapped off. Not sure if I should complain to discount tire or not but the car is up on jack stands in my driveway and I need to replace the studs. I went and bought 3 new studs and three new lug nuts but there does not appear to be a way to get the studs inserted into the hub without removing the hub.

I read online that removing the hub will likely damage the bearing, is this true? Are there any tricks I can use here? Could I remove the large nut with the cotter pin that holds the hub in place and slide the hub out 15-20mm without removing it completely? I was planning on using a large c-clamp and a long socket (to cover the new stud) to pull the splines into the hub. Is this OK?

Really kind of bummed with hyundai at this point this is our 3rd santa fe (we have 5 kids that drive) but when I run into these kinds of problems it makes me not want to buy another. It seems like leaving a gap in the splash plate would be trivial and there even could be a plug in the back like the one for the star wheel adjuster. Super easy engineering fix to erase an expensive and time consuming repair.

 

[camper]

It's wheel hub assembly, all are bolt in type, easy to remove, and won't damage anything. But it may stuck on the CV axle

 

[azwebguy]

Thanks for the quick reply. Are you saying I can just take off that large nut and use some sort of puller to get the hub off without the parking break and splash guard?

Do you know off hand what size socket I need to remove that nut? I only have extra large sockets in ASM and I think my metric sockets only got to 21 or 23mm.

 

[charlescrown]

No you will pull the wheel bearing apart. I am quiet sure you can just knock the remaining broken stud out of the hub then pull the new stud into the hub by tightening the wheel nut. You may need to add a spacer sleeve like a larger diameter nut the will slide over the stud to pull it in all the way.
Your problem is common when the wheel nuts have been over tightened.

 

[azwebguy]

I already removed the old studs. They were much shorter than the new ones obviously.

There's only about 1.75" of clearance behind the hub and I need about 2.5" to get the bolt in. I saw a bunch of videos on yourtube where guys were able to cut away the splash guard and file down one edge of the stud to get it to slide in place but my situation doesn't have any spots where you could do this.

Did you see the post from camper? He said the hub assembly comes off as one piece and i won't ruin the bearing. Is this not true? I tried to post a link to what my wheel looks like but I'm too new to the forum to post links.

I found an image that looks like mine on the autozone website under bearing replacement because you have to take the hub off there as well.

It also makes reference to taking off the parking break cable before working on the hub but it's not clear why I need to do this.

This assembly is from a honda but very close to mine

 

[camper]

It won't damage the bearings, because it's not press-in type wheel hub, after removing 4 bolts the hub assembly should come off. Remove ABS sensor first. You don't need to remove the brake cable, but if the backing place is stuck on the hub you have to.

For axle nut it maybe 22mm, you can rent axle nut socket and wheel hub puller from Autozone. Use a long socket wrench and put on a water pipe or flagpole as leverage.

 

[Tripplec]

I replace a stripped stud a dealer sold me the vehicle with it stripped. It was a few years ago and turned into a nightmare in my case. Somewhere there is a thread I had created.

You certainly have to pull the bearing hub out about 3/4" to get the new stud in which was an OEM from Hyundai The e-brake shoes in my case came apart removing the rotor (linings separated from the shoes). The shoe spring are so tight I could not stretch them to get them back on. Then the bearling went weeks later and I had to do it all over again but Murphy was there and I almost destroyed the sensor gear on the AWD shaft of the rear bearing. In the end after too many hours of pain i took it to a mechanic to install the new bearing complete with new brake shoes. i supplied the parts. Everything was well rusted together. If you are not in the snow salted road climate it likely a DIY job otherwise from experience and over a dozen attempts at the repair (I kept going back at it every couple hours and days it was jacked up, no avail.) Take it in and save your sanity, it aint pretty doing this job.

 

[azwebguy]

Sorry to be a nuisance, I'm a software engineer not a car mechanic and this is more daunting than I was prepared for. I'm sort of trapped to make the repair myself unless I have the mechanic tow my car I don't think running on two lugs is a good idea even just a few miles to the mechanic.

Camper the four bolts seem to go into a plate from the rear but it appears like I can pull the hub itself off the axle/spindle simply by removing the 22mm castle nut. One of the 4 bolts appears to be behind the parking break cable which might be why people have taken it off but I'm worried if I take that off I'll be opening up yet another can of worms.

I have no idea which thing is the ABS sensor I'm guessing it's the small cable attached to the top of the wheel assembly just behind the splash guard.

Tripplec my shoe springs are very tight also made me nervous if I would not get it back together if I took it apart. My shoes are fine and everything seems to be working great but I considered removing it so I could get a better look behind the hub and maybe find a recess where there was enough space to slip in the studs. It reminds me of helping my dad work on drum brakes when I was a kid but I didn't want to mess with it if I can avoid it since it's all new to me. Did you put the studs in without completely removing the hub? Did you have to release the four bolts holding the bracket or just the one large bolt holding the hub?

 

[DarrenBach]

Sorry to be a nuisance, I'm a software engineer not a car mechanic and this is more daunting than I was prepared for. I'm sort of trapped to make the repair myself unless I have the mechanic tow my car I don't think running on two lugs is a good idea even just a few miles to the mechanic.

As long as the 2 bolts are not next to each other...I would not hesitate to drive slow to the nearest garage! :grin2:

 

[Tripplec]

The gear look ring behind the hub bolts is what one had to be careful of not damaging. It had flat metal gear type ends all around it. I took some photos I believe but finding the thread maybe hard.

The 4 bolts have to be taken way back although not completely to work the bearing out but not needed to remove the bearing. About 3/4" will give enough clearance to push the new studs into the empty holes (you've removed the bad ones right. The large 22mm nut holds the axle shaft in the bearing and uses a concave washer and has to go back the same way, That's important.

I used a chisel at the bearing edges to work it out from its rusted seating. But you're not going to do it with the brake shoes in the way. As above depends on the spacing and torque the nuts good to 100lbs at least and drive slowly, its the turns which puts more stress on the hub bolts.

 

[charlescrown]

The rear hub is held on with 4 bolts. The front hub has a press fit double row bearing that comes apart when you try to dismantle it. Get it towed to the nearest repair centre.

 

[azwebguy]

Triplec I found both your threads by looking in your profile (every thread you started is listed there) but I am still struggling mightily to get his job done. I live in arizona so my castle nut is not rusted in place but I can not get it to budge. I tried a breaker bar and hitting it with a hammer (the breaker bar) and I tried getting it to start with a hammer and chisel but I have not made a dent. I wedge the hub with a 2x4 so it can not rotate but when i try to put a lot of force on the castle nut the car just lifts up on the suspension and the hub tries to rotate effectively working as a cam against the weight of the car.

When I eventually get the center nut off (assuming I can find a way short of buying a compressor and an impact wrench) will pushing the spindle back push the timing gear back with it? If not I have no idea how even grinding down a socket will allow me to reach these bolts. The heads appear to be partly covered by the gear. I took a picture but i'm not sure how clear it shows the clearance being basically zero. Even some sort of offset won't work because of the recess the bolt is in.

 

[Tripplec]

You can buy 1/2" electric (plug in the wall) impact guns with enough torque. You're looks pretty clean and no rust but without one you're done. There is another way.

Bolt the wheel (tire) back on and lower the jack enough that the tire is press good on the ground. Then break the nut free with the breaker bar. It will work if its got some muscle behind it or stand on the bar. Then jack it back up and remove the wheel.

Grinding is not truly necessary but using a wheel puller you can gently push the free axle shaft in holding with any wheel puller two claw or even three!! I had a 2 claw I never used in 40 years kicking around. Be warned as you work the bolts at the back are worked out the socket will get closer to the spotless sensor gear!! I started damaging mine when I was working out one of the bolts and just caught myself in time. I gave up and put it back together. (murphy was here and a new gear was not what I wanted to get into). It tough getting the angles on the ground as the casting behind is not flat and getting at the bolts is a PIA as you can't use a boxed wrench at the beginning on most.

 

[charlescrown]

Oh that's a piece of cake. Just undo the centre nut and the hub will slide off. Sorry I thought it was a later one. Note how tight the nut is. If it's very tight just do it up the same if it's loose you need to be careful how tight you do it back up but I am sure it will be tight to undo. Good luck it's easy.

 

[azwebguy]

Oh that's a piece of cake. Just undo the centre nut and the hub will slide off. Sorry I thought it was a later one. Note how tight the nut is. If it's very tight just do it up the same if it's loose you need to be careful how tight you do it back up but I am sure it will be tight to undo. Good luck it's easy.

The hub is not sliding off without taking the four bolts out the back as far as I can tell. I got the castle nut off, I pushed the spindle back about 1/2 an inch and I ground down a 14mm socket to get it behind the tone ring but I can only get 3 of the bolts off the other one seems out of reach. It's super frustrating. I've been working on it every morning this week before it's 100 degrees but it's annoying as **** that a job that should have taken an hour has taken 20.

 

[azwebguy]

You can buy 1/2" electric (plug in the wall) impact guns with enough torque. You're looks pretty clean and no rust but without one you're done. There is another way.

Bolt the wheel (tire) back on and lower the jack enough that the tire is press good on the ground. Then break the nut free with the breaker bar. It will work if its got some muscle behind it or stand on the bar. Then jack it back up and remove the wheel.

Grinding is not truly necessary but using a wheel puller you can gently push the free axle shaft in holding with any wheel puller two claw or even three!! I had a 2 claw I never used in 40 years kicking around. Be warned as you work the bolts at the back are worked out the socket will get closer to the spotless sensor gear!! I started damaging mine when I was working out one of the bolts and just caught myself in time. I gave up and put it back together. (murphy was here and a new gear was not what I wanted to get into). It tough getting the angles on the ground as the casting behind is not flat and getting at the bolts is a PIA as you can't use a boxed wrench at the beginning on most.

I've been wanting a compressor for a while anyway (I moved out of state when I got divorced and let my first wife keep all the tools so I haven't had one for a while) so I bought one and a cheap impact wrench from harbor freight. I considered the battery powered impact wrench but they're pricey and you buy the compressor you don't have to spend hundreds on battery driven nailers.

I'm an idiot for not thinking about using the tire, or more correctly realizing I could use the tire. My wheels have a plastic cover that obviously pops out but I never took it off before so when I initially considered using the tire the same way you use it to start the lugs I was thinking the hub would be blocked when it likely would not be.

I used a 3 claw puller to push the spindle in but I can not get to one of the bolts. I'm going to buy a longer socket extension and see if I can get at it from a different spot.

One of the other answers implied I could get the hub out without removing those 4 14mm bolts from the back but it does not appear to be the case.

I probably should have just drilled a big hole in the plate from behind and used it to insert the bolts but I was nervous I would damage something. I'm so disgusted with discount tire at this point but life happens. I'm sure this job is a lot easier with a lift and all the right tools but I'm pretty tenacious and I'm going to finish it.

 

[Tripplec]

I been at them at least a dozen times trying to move mine out for a stud change and then another time to remove the bearing entirely. The removal was a total failure partially because of what you're finding (flanges in the way but I got mine coming out) and I backed the ratchet into the ring gear causing damage and still had a long way to got. I kept got back at it before finally giving up. Once the bolts are out you're not home free but they DON'T HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO INSERT THE NEW STUDS !! Just get them out more than 1/2" in or so and then work on moving the bearing out for the clearance needed. Thats what I did with a chisel to start breaking it free and pry it out little by little. I had the ebrake shoes off. Which were impossible for me to get back on. I couldn't figure out how to stretch the springs.

Good luck I know you'll need it.

 

[charlescrown]

Sorry my mistake. Santafe is AWD and the hub is definitely bolted on. Should just be 4 bolts as already mentioned. You also do have to undo the castle nut and it should come off.

 

[azwebguy]

I been at them at least a dozen times trying to move mine out for a stud change and then another time to remove the bearing entirely. The removal was a total failure partially because of what you're finding (flanges in the way but I got mine coming out) and I backed the ratchet into the ring gear causing damage and still had a long way to got. I kept got back at it before finally giving up. Once the bolts are out you're not home free but they DON'T HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO INSERT THE NEW STUDS !! Just get them out more than 1/2" in or so and then work on moving the bearing out for the clearance needed. Thats what I did with a chisel to start breaking it free and pry it out little by little. I had the ebrake shoes off. Which were impossible for me to get back on. I couldn't figure out how to stretch the springs.

Good luck I know you'll need it.

Thanks for all your help, I know what you mean about the bolts not coming all the way out but I actually think you could get them all the way out if you had to once the bearing assembly is moving forward in any event my shaved down socket seems to be fitting and I went to harbor freight this morning and got a set of ratchet extensions with the "wobble" head I only had 2 of the 3" extensions for 3/8 and 1 3" extension for 1/2" so to make a long extension I was putting 2-3 3" extensions together and adding the converter in between which is really annoying and messy although it does allow you to adjust where you put a swivel in the mix.

I was tempted to use the impact wrench on one of the bolts but I was afraid the "impact" would break a tooth on the abs gear.

I briefly considered heating up the ABS gear and pushing it off the spindle because then I could shift it away from the side I was working on but I'm too afraid I'll never get it back on without taking apart the entire suspension which is pretty daunting. Too many pieces and some of them are heavy or under a load. For an amateur there's no telling what's going to drop and break your hand.

I found a video on youtube of a guy changing the ABS gear but his entire wheel rotated out and down on the lower arm just by removing two bolts. Must be a different year or else not AWD. He pulled the entire axle/spindle/rod out on both ends to be able to work on it. because of how complex the wheel is on the back of the santa fe I do not think I'm up to the challenge of removing the entire wheel to replace the spindle. I had company this weekend but I'm now at the point where I've got all 4 bolts free and just need to dislodge the bearing mount (hopefully without taking off the breaks since that's another nightmare).

triple digits here in AZ makes for short work days laying under my car. thankfully I work from home and it's not been a huge burden having a car up on jack stands for a week.

 

[azwebguy]

2007 santa fe stud replacement follow up

I finished this yesterday and wanted to give back what little i can to this community for all the help they provided.


These are the key learnings (with pictures) I came away with your mileage may vary.

1. This job sucks, particularly on the ground.
2. you need an air wrench or many of the tasks encountered are nearly impossible
3. grind down a 14mm socket until it's less than 3/4 of an inch high and less than 3/4 of an inch in diameter. My final socket was .74 in diameter and .73 high. In retrospect taking more off the height would have sped the job up quite a bit
4. you don't have to take the parking breaks off but it might have made some steps easier
5. don't try and remove the 4 bolts holding the bearing in place, just keep backing them off until you have enough room to fit the studs in

One of the worst parts of this job is that you need to keep pressure on the spindle to give yourself some clearance to get at the bolt. I used a bearing puller to hold the spindle (and thus the ABS tone ring/gear) as far away from the bolt heads as possible.

In order to keep this pressure relatively even and make it so you can get all 4 bolts loose you basically have to loosen each bolt about one revolution at a time and then move to another. Every time you loosen a couple bolts you have to add some tension to the bearing puller or you won't be able to fit your socket in the gap. What this means in terms of work is I had to reposition my body under the car over and over and thread the socket in and out of the 4 different gaps dozens of times. Sometimes the socket would get hung up and I had to mess with it for minutes or actually undo some of the revolutions I had added to the bolt. It was extremely frustrating. I think getting the height of the socket down to under .7 inches might have helped a lot because I could have added another turn each time without pushing back into the tone ring.

The process is reversed when putting it back together. You need to keep releasing pressure with the bearing puller in order to allow the 4 bolts to pull the bearing plate back flush with the mount.

I got the studs in place on a slight angle and then by spinning the hub they slid right in (see pictures)

Once I had the studs in place I was planning on pulling them into place with a C clamp and a big socket over the stud so the c clamp could pull back in a straight line but there was not enough clearance on the back of the bearing for the jaw of the c-camp. Eventually I took 2-3 small box wrenches with a really flat face and slipped them over the bolt. I put a 1/2" box wrench on top (it's only slightly larger than the stud) and then I used a lug nut to pull the studs into the bearing plate. This forced the studs to go in straight and gave me something to pull against since my acorn nuts could not bottom out on new studs to pull against the bearing itself. It takes a lot of force to pull the studs in and I got nervous I might snap a stud doing it by hand but my $20 harbor freight impact wrench did a perfect job. All three studs pulled up flush and straight, no significant damage to the thread and only a tiny bit of damage to the face of the stud where it was riding on the 1/2" box wrench.

I hope all this makes sense. Here are some pictures that show how far i backed the 4 bolts out and how I spun the new lugs into place. The last one shows my ground down socket. I rounded the edges to make oit easier to lever on and off the bolt heads