I have some new wheels, that require 1/8-1/4 inch spacers all around to not rub. Even without the spacers though, the wheel are kinda "thick" and the factory studs just dont look safe.

On a 1987 Firebird Disc/Drum car, how;

1) Do i remove the studs?
2) Do i replace the studs?

Now normally im not stumped by things like this, but the rear drums are kinda rusty, so much so, that i cant adjust them anymore. The last time they were done, must have been 7+ years ago. So i cant hammer the studs out. I whaled at it for a good 5 minutes, and they didnt even flinch.......

Also, i havent taken off the front wheel yet, but what is the process to remove them on the disc side?

Final question...

Im buying ARP hardened studs, and im going to try and find them 1/2" longer than what i have now. Question is, ARE THEY ALL THE SAME???? (for drum and disc). I would go longer, but i have a wheel cover to put on, that hides the lugs.

 

To remove the studs

Take the wheels off.

Thread a lug nut on the stud until it is flush with the stud

Take a bid hammer and beat it loose. Lake the lug nut off and pull the stud out from the back.

Some PB Blaster may help.

To install...

Insert new stud from the rear.

Put an open ended lug nut on the stud and tighten it down until the stud is pulled into the hub.

 

Use some anti-seize stuff on the threads when installing too.

 

No offense, but you dont have to use anti seize on the studs. It is not recommended by the shop I work at and Ill put it this way Walmart does it everytime they do anything to your car where the wheel/tire is removed. You want your lugnut to grip the stud and have a little sieze so to speak.

Just make sure when you reinstall everything you hand thread your lugnuts onto your new studs for atleast 6-8 full turns and then finish it up however you want. Dont forget 90-100 on the torque wrench!

 

Im more worried about whether ill have to remove my rear axles to install the longer studs.....

 

You will have to remove the axles to pull them out. If you have an open diff it will be an easy procedure. If you can get the stock ones out, you will have a hard time putting the longer ones in. I got 1/2" longer studs for my car for the same reasons you have.

1/2" bolts are only recommended for 75ft.lbs of torque. Do NOT do 100.

http://www.raskcycle.com/techtip/webdoc14.html

If the studs don't come out you don't have a big enough hammer They will come out eventually. If you can't get them out a driveline shop can press them out.

 

Ok, so how do i remove the axles?

 

if its a standard 10-bolt, remove the pumpkin cover, remove pinion shaft from the carrier, push the axles in towards the carrier, remove c-clips, pull axles out. Easy. Then you can change the gear oil, check c-clip wear, and then reassemble.

 

Um I think you need to find out the tensile strength of the bolts before you determine the torque. For instance, http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku would require a torque of atleast 100 ft/lbs.

 

i need to do this too. i just installed my moser 9" and i have to install longer studs. i knew i should have order it with them. Anywho, i dont know what rear brakes you have, but i think i can change my studs (stock to 2.5") without pulling the axles if i unbolt the the backing plates and kinda roll them out of them for each stud. I should have them tomorrow so i will let you know what happens

 

Ok well, i just hammered out one of the studs, and theres a spot i can remove the stud, and it looks like theres about an inch of space, so i should be able to slide in the new one too.

However, i dont think the axle removal is for this part, its the "PRESSING IN" part that they need to be out for. I think its dangerous to try and tighten a lugnut in to press them, because you may exeed the tensile strength, and also the knurls may want to twist in place. Because of this, i think they need to be hammered, or press in, and since you cant squeeze a hammer in between the stud and the backing plate, the axle must come out.....

IF you find a way around it, let me know.

 

Well I ran into problems with brand new lugnuts and studs. Broke 3 of them after installing them and backing off the lug nuts when they siezed up. After putting a bit of anti sieze on the threads for the replacements, everything went nice and smooth, no more breaking when backing the lug nut off. It was a real pain in the butt couple days looking for replacement bits. So I guess do it dry unless you run into problems.

 

Well i can definately see how they would seize up if you were installing the studs using the lugnuts. Overtightening will stretch the stud and then the lugs wont come off until the stud eventually snaps. I think its perfectly fine to do the press in using lug nuts as long as its done carefully.

Run the stud through then thread a lug nut all the way on by hand. Make sure your alignment looks good and then step torque (50 60 70 80) the lugnuts and dont go past 80. Then the stud should be firmly in place and you can put your wheel on and torque to whatever specs the tensile strength of the bolt determines.

I think as long as you dont overtighten when "pressing in" the studs then you shouldnt mess your studs up. But if it seems like they are difficult to get back off even one time, grab some antisieze and use it sparingly.

 

i just put arps in my 10 bolt and 1le rotors. i was Barely able to squeeze in the new studs on the rear but they all went in. a lil antissieze on the splines and a lil on the threads then install the stud with about 5-6 flatwashers then istall the lugnut upsidedown so the flat side is on the washers and they went in like butter.

 

i just swapped mine out tonight, it worked well, i was able to just barely wiggle them in with the backing plates unbolted. I pulled them through with an old lug nut and a stack of hardened washers, no problems. No messed up threads so breakage. I used Moser studs to go with the Moser axles, i figured i couldn't go wrong with the knurled end size that way.

 

Cool, so you were able to get away with leaving the axles in???

How long were your studs?

 

i left the axles in, but i have a moser 9" and ls1 brakes, spacing may be different, i dont know what you are using.

my studs are 2.5"

 

Ah ok. Mine is a stock rear end, with drums, as mentioned in the first post.

But theres a spot on the bottom rear of the brake, where i can pull the stud out, and i basically goes all the way back to the backing plate. Theres about an inch even when i do that, so im hoping i can slide in the new ones. Ill find out in a week, when they arrive.

 

New issue at hand with trying to determine which spacer to run. Progress on that here...

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ml#post3732154