[pilot45]

I just replaced the stabilizer bar links and bushings, and while not "easy", it wasn't too bad. But as I was removing one of the front wheels, I managed to snap two studs:

According to the Honda Service Manual, all you need to replace front studs is a ball joint remover and some washers:

But reading here, the Ridgeline forum, and YouTube, it seems a lot harder and involves removing the hub. So which is it? Easy-peasy, or needlessly difficult?

Thanks!

 

[Rocky]

It’s not hard to get the old ones out…. Depends on your tool availability.

Getting the new one in, depends on space behind the hub and length of the stud. There are special tools for pulling the stud through.

 

[Maritime]

Never done one on the pilot but I have on a few other cars. I remember the bearing plate on my civic had a hole you pushed the old one out through then fed the new one back in through as there wasn't enough space between the hub and the bearing plate to do it otherwise. IF Honda is true to form the Pilot probably has similar.

 

[pilot45]

I managed to replace the studs today. I tried removing the rotor to verify I'd be able use a hinged ball joint separator, but the rotor was frozen on there. I didn't have screws to push the rotor off the hub (or know what size they are). So I whacked the rotor with a rubber mallet, and then with a hammer, but no dice. And without the rotor off, a ball joint separator wasn't going to fit on the hub.

So I just whacked the broken studs with the hammer and they popped out the back. Honda didn't leave a hole or anything to allow the studs to pass through easily. But getting them out wasn't hard because since they were broken, they were short enough to maneuver past the splash guard. But that splash guard blocked access to getting the new ones in. Luckily, the splash guard is just thin stamped steel and no match for my hammer:

Then I was able to put the new studs in:

I used a wrench to more or less restore the splash guard to its former glory, and even added some black paint to protect the newly exposed metal from rust. To pull the studs through, Honda recommends using a bunch of 14mm washers to torque against. I didn't have any 14mm washers, but the hole in the end of this crescent wrench worked:

That did destroy the mating surface of the lug nut, but since I was replacing all the lug nuts I used one of the old ones. I used a torque wrench so I wouldn't go past 94 ft/lbs. Also, I used some brake grease between the crescent wrench and lug nut. And I had to keep applying new grease when it would torque out before the stud was all the way in.

Installed:

After putting the wheel on I drove it a few miles and torqued it again. A bunch of the studs did tighten up more, I assume because I moved the rotor a little when I was whacking it earlier. After 50 miles or so I'll go around the car and do a final torque on all the wheels.

 

[Chukmak]

Looks like you could benefit from some coated brake rotors...

 

[pilot45]

Looks like you could benefit from some coated brake rotors...

Interesting. I'll look into coated rotors if/when they need to be replaced. But it's a 2011 Pilot with 62000 miles on it, so we're not exactly going through rotors.

And it looks like they're cheaper than OEM Honda rotors which is what I'd usually go with. Save money and keep my rotors pretty? Sign me up!

 

[Rocky]

 

[pilot45]

IMHO that's a perfect tool for someone who replaces studs all the time. I considered buying it, but then the crescent wrench/old lug nut worked and cost nothing.

 

[aggrex]

IMHO that's a perfect tool for someone who replaces studs all the time. I considered buying it, but then the crescent wrench/old lug nut worked and cost nothing.

I've used several large washers to snug a stud successfully but now I got a new use for the adjustable wrench

 

[se93]

Great information to have when such an issue arises