How to remove and install new Lug Studs DIY

[davepl]

Originally Posted by special-K

I never use an impact. I also do this with hub off vehicle, except for roadside emergency (where's the press when you need it?). I do things by hand so my well experienced hands can "feel" what I'm doing. Not sure how old you are Dave, but there is a perfectly good excuse for doing it the way I have been for about 45 years and learned from old mechanics that would put most anyone here to shame. The ones who can do magic with whatever is available to them, no matter how primitive. The perfectly good excuse I give is real simple, It works perfectly fine...never spun a stud in my life. I'm not offended, but I have a habit of setting things straight when they fall out of line. No offense intended either.

There's a lot of stuff I learned from old mechanics that was wrong. Now 96% of it was right, but this part is wrong.

Not my intention to offend either, but once a stud has been overstressed it loses its tensile elasticity. Hammering out is probably fine. But pulling in can wreck a stud.

What really matters, however, is whether drawing it through actually overstresses it. Without a torque wrench or digital block to go out and measure it, I can't -prove- to you that it stretches them. I just worried that it does. But I can't prove it, so call me a worry wort or whatever, but...

Tell you what - I haven't looked in the shop manual. Odds are whatever they say is the right way to do it.

[rvrfoot]

Its just like when you go to a tire shop to get new tires. Is the guy behind the impact gun hammering on the lug nuts REALLY putting them on toooooooo tight?

[HO455]

Originally Posted by davepl

There's a lot of stuff I learned from old mechanics that was wrong. Now 96% of it was right, but this part is wrong.

Not my intention to offend either, but once a stud has been overstressed it loses its tensile elasticity. Hammering out is probably fine. But pulling in can wreck a stud.

What really matters, however, is whether drawing it through actually overstresses it. Without a torque wrench or digital block to go out and measure it, I can't -prove- to you that it stretches them. I just worried that it does. But I can't prove it, so call me a worry wort or whatever, but...

Tell you what - I haven't looked in the shop manual. Odds are whatever they say is the right way to do it.

Having done this several times is why I mentioned measuring the hole and the splines on the stud to make sure they are correct. Who do you trust the counter person or your micrometer? In my experience a correct stud with anti-seize on the splines, on the threads and the sufaces of the puller nut that is moving against the axle will pull the stud in with less torque than the lugnut should be torqued to. With the wrong size splines then I believe you are correct that the stud will be stretched and subject to failure. We are talking in the range of .020 to .040 between being correct or too large. (Differences in stud diameters mean different tolerances) I had to have the axles on my GTO redrilled to allow me to install longer studs to pass NHRA tech. None of the aftermarket studs available in 1983 matched the Oldsmobile axle in my Goat. Fortunately I asked a friend if the studs should be soooooo hard to pull in with a nut. He set me straight and maybe saved me a pile of misery. Using a torque wrench to install them is a good safety. If it won't go in with the normal torque for the size of stud being installed then something is not right. I should have included this in my first posting.

[hotwls13]

Got around to getting out some of the studs last night (finished up in the dark). Tried a cheap cast c clamp. That broke. Tried a air hammer. Didn’t budge. Not sure if it’s my small air hammer or my compressor but it wasn’t doing anything. Then I go out my regular hammer. That worked. Banged then out pretty easy. I just did the one side (that already 2 longer studs). I’ll get the new ones in probably next week. (Heading out of town).

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. I may order that stud installer tool. It’s $21 on amazon.

[hotwls13]

An update on my wheel studs. I bought the Lisle stud installer tool on Amazon for $21. I also "rented" a Tie Rod End Puller from Autozone. The puller worked great to remove the 6 studs on passenger rear. Had to cutup a washer to make things flush, but it worked great and NO BANGING! Then used the stud installer and an old lug nut to install the 10 new studs (one hub already had 2 longer studs on it). Backs are DONE! Gonna get to the fronts this weekend and take them to my friends house where he can press the old out and the new in.

[beaterku]

Originally Posted by hotwls13

An update on my wheel studs. I bought the Lisle stud installer tool on Amazon for $21. I also "rented" a Tie Rod End Puller from Autozone. The puller worked great to remove the 6 studs on passenger rear. Had to cutup a washer to make things flush, but it worked great and NO BANGING! Then used the stud installer and an old lug nut to install the 10 new studs (one hub already had 2 longer studs on it). Backs are DONE! Gonna get to the fronts this weekend and take them to my friends house where he can press the old out and the new in.

The stud installer is so simple, but it makes it really easy to install studs. I'm glad it worked out for you!

[hotwls13]

Originally Posted by beaterku

The stud installer is so simple, but it makes it really easy to install studs. I'm glad it worked out for you!

Yep, thanks for mentioning it. How many studs have you done with yours? Wondering if I should oil it to keep the bearings fresh? I was thinking marvel mystery oil? Or some kind of grease?

I'm pretty much done with it for now but would like to preserve it in case I need it in the future.

[beaterku]

Originally Posted by hotwls13

Yep, thanks for mentioning it. How many studs have you done with yours? Wondering if I should oil it to keep the bearings fresh? I was thinking marvel mystery oil? Or some kind of grease?

I'm pretty much done with it for now but would like to preserve it in case I need it in the future.

I've used it on about 50 studs. I just spray the bearing with PB blaster before each use for some lubrication.

[HO455]

Great job!