[sciphi]

If you're going through studs, you're over torquing them. And if you think you're not, you are. No one else on this forum has ever had an issue with their studs shearing right off, and you've gone through three sets [really?] now so you didn't get a bad bunch of weak studs.

End result, stop over torquing them dude, if this was a one time issue I'd have your back, but after three sets, you're doing something wrong.

I've had issues with the OEM studs breaking off when torqued to the recommended 100 ft/lbs. I did use a torque wrench (a Craftsman made in the States), and a deep-well socket. I snapped 2 studs off, one on the front and one on the back. Others have had similar issues. It appears that those of us who rotate tires more often, or switch between summers and winters and rotate the sets once they're on, have more issues. I take my wheels off about 4-5 times a year, or more than the average person.

Backing the torque off to 80 ft/lbs, or what a tire expert over at BITOG helped me determine was the correct torque for the alloys on my Cruze, stopped the OEM ones from snapping.

Even that TireRack article says that 12x1.5mm lugs are typically 80 ft/lbs. Not the 100 ft/lbs the owner's manual lists.