Problem installing wheel studs. (SOLVED)

[colbystephens]

I am installing the wheel studs into my rotor/hub assembly for my Dodge Dana 60. The rotors are brand new - not turned down - so they've never been installed on a vehicle before. I put the one assembly together, and everything is snug and tight. The other one, I am beating the hell out of the studs trying to get the rotor to tighten up to the hub, but no matter how much I beat on it, it's not getting tight and the rotor has some play relative to the hub, clanking against the studs.

So I'm contemplating three possible reasons:

1. It's the wrong rotor, and the holes for the studs are too large. This seems the most likely issue to me, because the shoulder of the stud wouldn't be holding the rotor in place. The studs are basically flush with the back of the rotor, but there's still movement, indicating that the shoulders of the stud are located far enough down, and they simply are just too small.

2. It's a fouled up rotor, and the face of the rotor which is supposed to contact the hub is machined too thin. This seems unlikely because the studs have a shoulder that should still be fitting snugly into the rotor, even if this surface were a little too narrow/thin.

3. It's the correct rotor, but for some reason this hub is just harder to install the studs into, and I just need to have it pressed in. To me, this seems unlikely because you would suppose that at least one of the eight studs would seat properly.

I'm going to go double check the casting/part numbers machined into the rotors and see what that tells me.

EDIT: The casting/part numbers that are stamped into the rotors are in fact the same. I'll probably start by taking them down to a tire shop and having them use their press to see if they can get it to fit up properly.

EDIT2: Here's my solution, from post #15, for someone else's future reference:

Solution:

After calling around and getting quotes between $40 and $90 to press in the studs (), I decided to do the lug-nut method. I looked up the torque spec for the studs: Dodge Dana 60 wheel studs = 105 lb-ft, since it's a 1/2" stud. The Chevy studs are bigger, so 140 lb-ft for a Chevy Dana 60 or 14 Bolt FF. Anyway, I set my torque wrench to 100 lb-ft and torqued the studs down. The rotor snugged right up to the hub.

For someone else's future reference, Here's some really great info about wheel studs, torque, lug nuts, etc. for a variety of vehicles. As well as info about installation of studs.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalo...c10_Part11.pdf

Anyway, thanks everyone!

 

[black dawg]

I have never had any luck using anything but a good air hammer putting in lug studs

 

[ChrisPerry]

This might sound strange, but take the hub/rotor and mount it on a steel wheel and tighten the lug nuts. You would be surprised on how well that works. Just be sure to lube the lugs and don't over tighten them as it can damage the threads.

 

[1BEATK5]

This might sound strange, but take the hub/rotor and mount it on a steel wheel and tighten the lug nuts. You would be surprised on how well that works. Just be sure to lube the lugs and don't over tighten them as it can damage the threads.

This. Tighten the nuts a little. Then hit the studs with a hammer from the rear. Then repeat procedure

 

[colbystephens]

I've heard that it is not acceptable to pull the studs through by tightening the nuts. Am I wrong?

 

[cybrfire]

Did you replace the studs with new ones?

One side went together and one did not, try comparing a stud from the good side with a stud from the bad side. Seems to me the studs need to go through further. Just to be clear, the hole in the rotor should be oversized in relation to the stud knurled surface and any shoulder behind it. You don't want the studs to have to press into the rotor itself.

 

[chevydan3]

When I worked at the brake supply we always used the shop press to install new wheel studs. Some applications were pressed in from the back and then swaged on the front side to hold the assy tight. Don't do the lug nut thing, it will stretch/overtorque the studs. The place I used to work at would probably do it for a few bucks, $10-20 or so.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

 

[ChrisPerry]

I've heard that it is not acceptable to pull the studs through by tightening the nuts. Am I wrong?

I don't know if it is acceptable or not, but it worked for me. I don't see how it could hurt as long as you don't over tighten them.

 

[y5mgisi]

Bottom line on the lug nut method is this, if you can do it without going beyond the torque value on the stud, its a-ok. If not, its a-o-not-ok. So whatever your torque value for bolting the wheel on is like 80lbs or so, thats the maximum you are allowed to "torque" them to when doing the lug not method.

 

[colbystephens]

Did you replace the studs with new ones?

One side went together and one did not, try comparing a stud from the good side with a stud from the bad side. Seems to me the studs need to go through further. Just to be clear, the hole in the rotor should be oversized in relation to the stud knurled surface and any shoulder behind it. You don't want the studs to have to press into the rotor itself.

Brand new studs, both sides. However, they did come from two different boxes.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

A cheap-ish (at least) set of calipers is a great tool to have in the shop. In this situation, even if they're not super accurate, they can at least tell you if the holes are small or the studs are big.

My guess would be that a press would fix everything and again, not a terrible tool to have. Even harbor freight presses work well and are under $150 last I checked.

I spent many years building my rig through high school and college and went too long without a few key tools, namely: air compressor (air tools), press and a welder. Can't believe I built anything without them and looking back I can see why things didn't go as quick/cheap/easy without them.

 

[4X4HIGH]

You should remove at least one stud from the "good" rotor and carefully measure (with a dial caliper) the knurl on that stud and compare it with the knurl on the studs you're having issues with. The parts store that was attached to my machine shop supplied studs to me all the time for customer jobs and almost everytime the knurl was not the same. If the knurl is too small it won't grab the hub and keep the rotor tight, and if the knurl is too large it can EASILY crack the hub when trying to press/hammer/draw the stud into the hub.

 

[colbystephens]

I double checked the studs and they're the same between the two. I realized that I have an HF ball joint press that I think I can use to press the studs in. I'll give it a try tomorrow.

 

[rampage]

You could try putting the studs in the freezer overnight to make them a little smaller. I do that with my ball joints and they always go in easily.

 

[colbystephens]

Solution:

After calling around and getting quotes between $40 and $90 to press in the studs (), I decided to do the lug-nut method. I looked up the torque spec for the studs: Dodge Dana 60 wheel studs = 105 lb-ft, since it's a 1/2" stud. The Chevy studs are bigger, so 140 lb-ft for a Chevy Dana 60 or 14 Bolt FF. Anyway, I set my torque wrench to 100 lb-ft and torqued the studs down. The rotor snugged right up to the hub.

For someone else's future reference, Here's some really great info about wheel studs, torque, lug nuts, etc. for a variety of vehicles. As well as info about installation of studs.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalog/hardware2006/191-196_Sec10_Part11.pdf

Anyway, thanks everyone!

 

[Cornfield creations]

Just to clear up for future people, the studs should not be lubed up. It will actually cause it to over torque the nut, and could over stretch the stud. Causing a potential fail in the future.