Lug studs.....revisited

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi Guy's

I have been having real trouble finding the press in type lug studs for my 52 B-3-C. I have tried Napa, Dodge, Roberts and several others and no one seems to have any ideas on a source for these. I feel certain that this should not be this difficult....but what do I know?

Does anybody out there has a good source or a part number for a suitable replacement stud for these? Any specifics would be helpful.

Thanks, Jeff

[OldDad67]

Hi Guy's

I have been having real trouble finding the press in type lug studs for my 52 B-3-C. I have tried Napa, Dodge, Roberts and several others and no one seems to have any ideas on a source for these. I feel certain that this should not be this difficult....but what do I know?

Does anybody out there has a good source or a part number for a suitable replacement stud for these? Any specifics would be helpful.

Thanks, Jeff

These guy's shoud be able to help you.

www.dutchmanaxles.com/

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi there OldDad 67;

Just got off the phone with Dutchman......no go there either.

I am running out of ideas on this. I have tried pretty much everyone and spent hours looking through catalogs with no success. It seems these are a real oddball size. I know that others have said that they were able to get them through Napa and such.......but there does not appear to be a match up out there these days.

They are 9/16" thread pattern studs with a .700" +/- dia. shoulder.

I have attached a photo of one here.

I have considered buying the ones that are available with a smaller knurled shoulder (.625") and making up some bushings.....but the retaining heads seem too small to be safe.

I suppose I could have something made up.....but I am certain the cost would be silly.

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

What you might consider is finding one with a larger knurled shoulder and drilling out to fit those.

[ggdad1951]

when mine got replaced, Brake & Equipment had to grind down a flat to get mine to sit in, mine being a 1 ton might be different tho. Have you tried a local brake shop? Otherwise you can try calling B&E and see if they can help ya.

(612) 378-3141

[Jeff Balazs]

Dave;

I have considered that.. and would have no problem doing that...the problem is finding a suitably sized stud.

GGdad;

No I have not gone there specifically although I have been into a few wheel and tire shops......most of the shops around here are not old school......if isn't something fairly new they just look at you like your crazy.

As an example the local Dodge dealer is really beyond belief..... they have nothing back past 84 and no parts books either. Can't even be bothered to try AND LOOK UP SOMETHING. AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN BUSY.Totally useless....I pity their customers. I certainly won't ever be one of them.

Jeff.......frustrated but hanging in there.

[Dave72dt]

Get me all of the dimensions of the stud and the hub holes and I'll take a look when I go into work this weekend. Photos of both may help too. The one you mentioned at the start of the post didn't come through.

[Jeff Balazs]

Dave;

Thank you. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.

The shoulder has a diameter of .700" +/-. It is roughly .5" long.

The head is .980" in diameter and is about .125" thick.

The threaded portion is 9/16 and is roughly 1" long.

Overall length is 1.75".

I have attached a few photos. If you have an idea or see something you think might work please let me know. I would like to replace all the broken, bent and left hand lugs with right hand thread lugs.

Thanks for your help.

Jeff

[OldDad67]

These guy's shoud be able to help you.

www.dutchmanaxles.com/

I'm suprised Dutchman couldn't help you. Is it possible to get something with a larger shoulder that can be turned down?

[Jeff Balazs]

OldDad67;

Well that has been the ongoing theme here......the largest they carried had a knurled shoulder of .623".

Turning something larger down is an option......if it actually exists??? I haven't found it as yet. I am not opposed to reworking or making a part...but a lug stud for an American made truck that had a run of almost a million units ? It just doesn't make sense.I never imagined that something so mundane as a lug stud would be so difficult to track down.

A few years back I built a fairly rare and even older Competition Brit Bike from bits and pieces. All sorts of odd and unusual thread patterns and sizes.....at least on this side of the pond. Whitworth cycle thread...British Standard Pipe... and a host of others....and even a chain driven Lucas (the Prince of Darkness) Electrics Magneto..... Lots of special bits like Hairpin type valve springs and a wire wound piston that runs at .001 clearance.

And all sorts of special tools and taps and dies. I expected it would be a difficult build.....especially from scratch.....but as it turned out there were good sources for everything I needed.

I am beginning to think that the "M" in Mopar has something to do with masochism.

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

You could have the hubs redrilled in a new spot for the smaller shouldered dia studs also, leaving the old stub shanks in and trimming the excess off the front.

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi Dave;

The way the hubs are cast this is not really a viable option. If you examine the inside of one of these drums/hubs you will see that the surface undulates around the 5 existing stud recess's.

About the only solution I have been able to come up with to make "modern" replacement studs work here is to sleeve the existing hole in the hub.

And I am not totally happy with this because so far the replacement studs I've looked at have a smaller diameter head than the originals. At the very least some welding would have to be done to rectify any potential safety issues.

It just seems (to me) like there ought to be a direct replacement item available.

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

Jeff,

Haven't heard an overall update lately. I know about the frame but not your approach yet.

Hank

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi Hank;

Well.......I need to get the truck off the jack stands. The fenders, running boards and entire front end have been cleaned up and primed.

I am pretty much ready to remove the bed. Got a few of hours work to remove the cab......oh ya......need to make some rolling carriers for these.

Once I have had a chance to assess condition of the frame then I will have to make what is becoming a tough decision....... stay stock or go modified route. I really wanted to stay stock and keep things simple..... but to be honest I am not sure I have the patience to deal with some of the silly parts supply issues I have already come across.

If I end up going the modified route.....then it will get a completely different treatment. I really want it to be different....so quite possibly an aluminum Rover V8. The best independent Rover shop in the country is less than 200 yards from my shop. Parts are no problem. Wasn't what I had in mind when I bought it. But I like to make daily progress.

I guess then I will have some really nice stuff up for sale on Ebay....powder coated wheels.....tricked out new radiator.....and a pair of perfect Fluid Drive emblems....

Oh well.

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

Jeff, maybe good news. I found numbers for 9/16 studs up to .685 shoulder which might have held but it was an obsolete number. Next best is Dorman #610-281 which is a 5/8 -18 stud with a .715 shoulder dia., 2 7/32" long which could be trimmed and a shoulder length of 19/32. Using that stud would of course require new set of nuts all aroundas well as repalcing all the studs, but they are available.

[Jeff Balazs]

Dave;

You are the Man! I mean it. I owe you one. It just never even occurred to me to look at a 5/8" stud.

It is strange but when I went to the Dorman website just now......it wouldn't let me look up this part without a year & make......when I picked something it kept coming back as "We are sorry but we do not offer this part at this time"

I figured it was a joke at first...and not particularly funny one either ...

but I kept at it and went in in a different window and there it was.

I don't see why this would not work.....I will have to look at things tomorrow......but all that should be doable.

And Hey.....bigger is better ain't it?

Thanks again ........ Jeff

[Dave72dt]

To do it right with the 5/8 studs, you'll need to redo the seats in the wheel and make sure there's room to get the nuts on and off. If it works out, you're welcome.

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi Dave;

This looks like it will work just fine. The wheels will need a little work......but not too much.

Thanks again for the part number and the great idea.

Once I get this done I will post photos and a run down on what was involved with this.

Jeff

[rustyzman]

In case this helps anyone in the future, here is a master chart of Dorman wheel studs with all the dimensions and part numbers. This is what I used when I replaced my 1 ton studs.

Sorry I did not see this post sooner or I would have posted this. I am posting it as an attachment because it would be a mess if I pasted it in the post.

This is a zipped Excel file, so you will need a viewer or Excel to see it.

Wheel Studs.zip

Edited February 5, 2012 by rustyzman

[Jeff Balazs]

Thanks Rustyzman;

I have ordered the studs that Dave came up with. Hopefully they will all be in this week. If they work out.... I will do a post with all the info......so the next guy that run's into this has an easier time of it.

Should be interesting......will have really big (1 1/8") nuts after this little mod.

Jeff

[Jeff Balazs]

Dave;

Those studs pressed right in! Yeah!

Looks like this is a workable solution......managed to get 1" size lug nuts and now all that is left to do is a bit of reaming on the wheel holes.

btw.....5/8 studs look very substantial.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

Jeff

[minicooper]

Hey Jeff,

 

I know this is a 4 year old post...

 

I've been trying to find replacement wheel studs for my B3C and after a search for alternative parts and/or solutions I stumbled upon this thread. It sounds like it worked really well for you and something I could do myself without taking the hubs and wheels to a shop.

 

After you pressed the Dorman 610-281 5/8 inch studs in your hubs, you mentioned that you had to ream the wheel holes out to fit the new studs (I take it they are .063 larger studs?). Did you use a reamer on a drill press to enlarge the wheel holes? Was that all the modifications you had to do to make the switch to the new studs?

 

Roland

Edited March 9, 2016 by minicooper

[Jeff Balazs]

Roland;

It did work out OK. It is part of the joys of having a 3/4 ton........ There is just enough different about them to make things interesting.

The stud size and wheel pattern is certainly one of these things. I did use a reamer on the drill press.

After I pressed these over sized studs into the original hubs I decided to go to 4 wheels disc brakes and got to go through the exercise again.

 

Jeff

[minicooper]

Yeah, I've started wishing I had bought a 1/2 ton before I found the 3/4, but, as you say, it is a joy. Thanks for the info.

 

Roland

[Jeff Balazs]

Yeah, I've started wishing I had bought a 1/2 ton before I found the 3/4, but, as you say, it is a joy. Thanks for the info.

 

Roland

Oh you are very welcome. I think you will find that the longer wheelbase gives a better ride.

Jeff