Folks,
I've been doing some work on the truck and re-discovered something I forgot about during the 19 months I was on active duty and the truck sat under a tarp. On the right rear dual wheels, one of the five studs is "missing," as in broken off. The right duals are held on by the remaining four lugs/nuts.

I don't have a picture handy, but to my recollection it is a 3/4" diameter thread (1-1/4" nut). The remaining/unbroken lug studs have a square end protruding beyond the end of the threads. If I recall correctly, it's a Rockwell rear axle, single speed rear end. Is this a double-threaded stud or is it simply a broken stud bolt? I do not recall either side being LH thread on the rear, but the left front lugs are LH thread.

If possible, I'd like to replace all of the studs with longer ones that allow a solid spacer of bewteen 1" to 3.5", but at the minimum I want to replace what's broken. Any help is appreciated--size, current manufacturer, direct replacements, longer sized replacements, etc. Help in the "how to" replacement is also appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Bob Massie
Belleville, IL

 

Well...I have a picture after all, but I can't seem to post it. Any help in that regard is appreciated, too!

 

those are Budd style two piece studs, similar to what my 74 F600 has.

I picked up replacement inner and outer studs at the local car quest or auto value parts store, or any truck repair place should have them.

The drum has to come off, and it is a heavy mother, but replacement of the stud is pretty straight forward.

The only special tool required are a big jack to get the wheel off and a wheel bearing socket / spanner. Mine was $12 from ebay. I also needed a torch set to separate the broken stud from the wheel, but I imagine you could bring the wheel to a tire shop for that.

 

What's a two-part wheel stud? Do these come in different sizes such that I could replace them with longer ones and use the spacers to move the wheels out from the frame a bit?

The remainder of the broken stud is still attached to the axle side of things--the drive hub maybe? What do you mean by having to heat it to remove it from the wheel? Sorry if my terms are off. I'm more visual than get-the-name-right when it comes to this stuff.

 

These are stud centric wheels with tapered seats around the wheel studs / coined surfaces for the lug nut.

You can't use a single piece stud and still maintain joint integrity with this type of wheel.

Newer trucks use single piece studs, but the wheels are hub centric. They use a flange type nut instead of a taper nut / coined wheel. The center opening of the wheel is also different, so the hub and probably the brake drum would have to be replaced.

It's a lot easier to get new hardware of the design you have. The parts were readily available and cheap when I did mine a couple of years ago. Don't expect to find this stuff at PepBoys or Autozone. Go to a real parts store or do an online search.

In my case the inner stud broke so the outside portion of that stud was still attached to the lug nut and tight on the outer wheel. I had to heat the lug nut to expand the ID and get it off the wheel.

 

To clarify, the way your wheels are mounted to the drum assembly is:

Five 3/4 fine thread studs are pressed into the hub and drum assembly.

Inner wheel goes over these, inner nuts (with square end) thread on and are tightened to hold inner wheel on.

Outer wheel goes on over the outside threaded part of the inner nuts, it is held on with the outer nut, a hex nut.

Longer inner nuts (sometimes called thimbles) are available, but they will not move the wheels out, they will just fit over longer studs and have longer thread.

Usually, to replace a stud on the rear, you will have to remove the axle shaft (bolted to the hub with hex head cap screws), then remove the hub and drum assembly by removing the bearing retaining nuts.

 

Exactly correct.

Not a difficult job technically. Just have to use some muscle because of the physical size of the parts.

 

Thanks! This is info I needed and backs up what I interpreted looking stuff up on the internet the last couple days. And thanks for help with the terms. Like I said, I've always been a "do what I saw done" type, even back in the Army during my aircraft maintenance officer days. That said...

I did know that the thimbles being longer wouldn't move the wheels out; I need spacers to do that. BUT if I got it right, longer thimbles will allow me to use the spacers I need then reassemble what I've got with new parts since the 55-year-old parts are starting to wear out or are already broken. (I'm not allowed to post attachemnts, so posting the picture I have of the broken stud isn't possible.)

QUESTION--I've read that because I still have the original Budd (I think they're really Budd-built) split rims of the Firestone "widow maker" type that I need to let the air out of all the tires I'm working on before I do anything lest they injure or kill me should something go wrong. I do have replacement 22.5" tubless wheels/tires, so that's not a problem; however, my question is this: DO I NEED TO DEFLATE ALL THE TIRES ON WHICH I'M WORKING OR CAN I JUST WORK ON THEM WITH THE SERVICEABLE TIRES FULLY INFLATED? Maybe that warning was just for someone who had a similar problem but was using a torch to heat things up. My wheels are clean and have been in regular use with regular service and the vehicle has been stored inside most of its life; I'm lucky because things aren't all rusty or caked with road grime.

Tools aren't a problem; we've got all kinds of this stuff from when we actively farmed, though with the one broken-off outer nut I may need one of those special sockets like #2413 in the link, provided that's the right size:

http://www.toolzone.com/acatalog/Tool_Zone_Catalog_Broken_Cap_Nut___Wheel_Stud_Remo val_Tools_4079.html

 

I re-read what I wrote....see if this makes sense.

I may need longer 3/4 fine thread studs pressed into the hub and drum, thereby allowing me to move the whole shootin' match out from the hub--which is the goal: move the duals out from the hub/drum about 1" on either side --or-- lose the outer dual and move the inner dual out 3" from the hub on either side and run it as a single rear wheel.

If the studs are pressed into the hub, would a (large) stud removal tool allow me to remove the old ones? Can I then put the new (longer) studs in the hub and press them in place using pressure from the nuts as seems to be done when replacing studs on a smaller truck or car?

Lots of questions...I know...but better to ask than just guess and take a chance with my life and/or the lives of my family and friends.

Much obliged....
Bob M.

 

Well, for removing old studs I have used an arbor press, or just a 12 pound hammer. If using a hammer, just put an old nut on the end of the stud to give a larger target. Both worked. For seating the new studs, I have used a nut, with several hardened steel washers, and grease on everything. It is not fast or easy, but it works. I always grease the washers and threads, because there is always a chance of galling a fine thread if you are not careful.