I started a post a couple of weeks ago about a violent shudder and vibration through the car, and today I took the front wheel off and found the studs have shaved away at the rim and shaved the nuts down severely. The studs themselves have also shaved right down like an apple being eaten in the middle.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/2400/rimo.jpg

What could have caused this, and how much is it likely to cost me in labour to just have the hub replaced at a tyre place if I supply the new hub?

Loose nuts. "Nuts" as in the wheel nuts being loose, and the nut behind the wheel for not noticing this earlier! Look after your car better, dude!

Wheel studs and nuts are replaceable, as is the rim. Cheap fix. Maybe invest in a torque wrench so you can do the nuts up properly? (not that you will)

Yeah, looks like loose nuts, or cross threaded nuts that left a mm or 2 for the wheel to wobble around.

What nuts were you using? Factory issue ones?

probably put the wrong nuts on, or the proper nuts installed backwards. lol

I can't believe this was let to go on for so long before the driver decided to actually have a look.:woot:

Yeah they were just factory nuts and I think it happened when I changed the pads on the front a week or so before I started noting all the vibration and shuddering. Must have loosely tightened the nuts up while the car was jacked up, but forgot to finish tightening them when I lowered the car back down and thought the vibration was related at the back of the car so never bothered to check the front wheels. Ultra rookie mistake!

I didn't realise the studs can be replaced either so that's good news!

Wow, that's insane!
The first and only time I didn't do wheel nuts up more than finger tight - I drove about 100m down the road, heard and felt there was something noticeably wrong, pulled over and sorted the problem.
The vibrations must have been huge (ie pull over immediately and stop driving type huge).

Never. Ever. Work. On. Your. Car. Again.

EEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR

The guy made a mistake, let it go.

wiggles i high doubht the first time you worked on a car you done the job 100%

now the OP has hopfully learned 2 lessons

1) dont ignore signs of a problem cause it can be dangerous to do so

2) double check your work :D

or the proper nuts installed backwards.

You'd be quite suprised how many people do that

Dont use hubcaps ever again lease that way you can spot loose wheel nuts with ease :)

Back a few years all Chrysler vehicles had right hand thread studs on drivers side and left hand studs on the passenger side. Idea was that the rotational forces from the wheel turning would keep the nuts tight.

Thats insane. Vibration would have been massive.
Many years ago dad had new tyres fitted at a tyre shop.
Days later we could hear this rattling sound.
Removed one front hub cap and 2 nuts rolled to the ground.

Dont use hubcaps ever again lease that way you can spot loose wheel nuts with ease :)

Yep but with hub caps you can at least hear the nuts rolling around inside and if your lucky you stop before the wheel comes off. What's that song again "you picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel'''......

Yeah!

*Polishes Halo*

Of course I use a torque wrench. 98 Nm. Avoids chasing a loose wheel down the road when you stop at a traffic light and the wheel keeps going.
(Also helps prevent brake discs from warping.)

*Skips off merrily, Halo shining brightly in the Sun.*

EDIT: That wheel should really go into a museum of some sort. lol

I'm just amazed the wheel studs haven't broken yet.
At least you found the source of your shudder.

I am more amazed you still have a wheel on your car at all... bet you will double sheck your nuts next time :)

Yep but with hub caps you can at least hear the nuts rolling around inside and if your lucky you stop before the wheel comes off. What's that song again "you picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel'''......
"you picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel'''...... lol lol lol im sorry lol ha,well im glad you found this sooner rather than later.

im laughing because i know the real song lol ha i cant stop laughing now hmmm

Jesus h Christ on a stick! You are one very lucky man!!! Although it's scary to think it could be me or someone I know who could have been unlucky enough to be in the wrong place when your car lost its wheel and you ploughed into them head on at high speed.

Cars kill people when not handled correctly. Thank your preferred diety that the lesson was learnt without anyone being hurt!!