Wheel Stud Conversion

[belvedere666]

I know this has been beaten to death but here is what i did to convert to wheel studs using advice from a previous post.but, for anyone that needs pictures. here they are.

Used Dorman studs. personally i think the length of these are a tiny tiny bit short. they work on my smoothie wheels with the original wheel backspace but on an original P20 wheel the studs dont quite come up to the end of the lug nut.

i still need to grind down the rivets.

Drilled out the holes with a 1/2 drill bit. I advise that you be very careful doing it this way. i set the drum a piece of wood and i planted my feet on the drum to secure it. i then positioned the handle part of the drill between my calves. This kept the drill from swinging out and almost ripping my hand off at the wrist when the drill cut into the steel. it happened a few times before i figured out the right position.

If you choose to use a drill press, i highly advise a strong clamp to hold the drum down. with the way this thing spun around on the end of the drill and the way the drill spun away from me i can imagine that it would be quite a show unsecured on a drill press.

inserted these

secured them with two hardened washers and a grade 8 nut.

wrenched them down by hand with a 3/4 inch socket , 3 pound hammer and a lot of patience. i suppose a strong impact wrench would have made the job easier but mine isn't that strong.

Ground off the rivets and the locater pin so that the multi lug wheels i have would sit flush against the drum.

on the original wheels the locator pin and the rivets pop out of the holes where the hubcap clips are mounted.

i shaved them off with a grinding wheel and cut the locator pin off with a cutting wheel on a dremel, then ground it off.

here is what it looks like on the original wheels with the rivets shaved.

all the studs mounted and the rivets cut off. this is the finished job with the wheel mounted. (this was the back wheel. most other pics were front)

Edited February 24, 2017 by belvedere666
added photos and information

[rb1949]

Good project for LH conversion. Looks like they pulled in nicely. You didn't have the wheel alignment pin? Why the need to grind the rivet.

[DrDoctor]

belvedere666,

   EXCELLENT step-by-step description, and the photos are perfect for clarification. I started a conversation about this very subject on the 01^st of December, 2016, and while it was quite informative, it wasn’t anything like what you’ve just submitted. Please accept my gratitude for your submission. I now have the stones to give this a try. Again, many thanks.

[belvedere666]

15 hours ago, rb1949 said:

Good project for LH conversion. Looks like they pulled in nicely. You didn't have the wheel alignment pin? Why the need to grind the rivet.

Wheel alignment pin was there. On this particular drum, it was already cut off. i needed to grind the rivet because they don't sit flush against the wheels i have. The rivets fit nicely into the original wheels because they are positioned to sit into the holes where the hubcap clips are mounted. the smoothie wheels i have have a multi lug pattern and the holes for the other pattern aren't a match for the rivets to seat into. i'll post pics into the original post.

[James_Douglas]

One thing people should be aware of...

On my Desoto's if you use rear studs it is hard, to impossible, to change a tire on the road.  You have to jack up the body so high, to let the wheel hang, that if you have a flat on the road changing the tire is not an easy thing to do.  The rear fender is just too low. 

James

[Plymouthy Adams]

look close..all my Mopar steel wheels and through late 2007 Mopar factory alloys have the recess correctly for the rivets....

Edited February 28, 2017 by Plymouthy Adams

[belvedere666]

1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

look close..all my Mopar steel wheels and through late 2007 Mopar factory alloys have the recess correctly for the rivets....

my steel wheels matched but my multilug smoothie wheels did not. i mentioned that above. there is a pic of the MOPAR steel wheel (black wheel) with the rivets fit into the holes and a pic of my smoothie wheel (grey wheel) where the rivet doesn't match.

If you have factory MOPAR wheels, there is no need to grind the rivets.

[belvedere666]

6 hours ago, James_Douglas said:

One thing people should be aware of...

On my Desoto's if you use rear studs it is hard, to impossible, to change a tire on the road.  You have to jack up the body so high, to let the wheel hang, that if you have a flat on the road changing the tire is not an easy thing to do.  The rear fender is just too low. 

James

same thing applies to my Plymouth, but i didn't have that much clearance even with the original wheels because i lowered the car with 2 inch blocks. i also put on wider wheels.

[Plymouthy Adams]

2 hours ago, belvedere666 said:

my steel wheels matched but my multilug smoothie wheels did not. i mentioned that above. there is a pic of the MOPAR steel wheel (black wheel) with the rivets fit into the holes and a pic of my smoothie wheel (grey wheel) where the rivet doesn't match.

If you have factory MOPAR wheels, there is no need to grind the rivets.

I think you will find that the dual pattern on that smoothie is the very reason the space is NOT recessed....if you had that same wheel in a single bolt pattern I think you would find the recess would be in position....

[belvedere666]

18 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

I think you will find that the dual pattern on that smoothie is the very reason the space is NOT recessed....if you had that same wheel in a single bolt pattern I think you would find the recess would be in position....

That's what I'm sayin!!!!

the multi lug doesn't fit!

[DonnieT]

 

On 2/28/2017 at 8:51 PM, belvedere666 said:

That's what I'm sayin!!!!

the multi lug doesn't fit!

If I may ask, what multilug wheels did you put on? I'm planning on Cragar S/S unilugs. I used the same Dorman 610-258. I drilled the lug holes out to 15/32" (at the advice of a previous post) but the hole was too small(still to much thread in the hole). So I went to a 1/2" bit. I had a buddy use a large press but the 1/2" holes were still not big enough and he trashed my rim (which I am searching for a replacement now). I ended up using a 17/32" bit and the studs went in with a hand punch and 3# hammer. 

I cant believe you were able to pull them in with a ratchet when a big press wouldn't get them in.

Thanks,

Donnie T

[Tooljunkie]

If you happen to go too big with the stud hole,snug but not really tight, a couple tack welds on the backside will Keep stud in place. 
drill press is best, keeps hole square. 
this is one conversion i will never regret.

[belvedere666]

On 3/26/2020 at 9:28 PM, DonnieT said:

 

If I may ask, what multilug wheels did you put on? I'm planning on Cragar S/S unilugs. I used the same Dorman 610-258. I drilled the lug holes out to 15/32" (at the advice of a previous post) but the hole was too small(still to much thread in the hole). So I went to a 1/2" bit. I had a buddy use a large press but the 1/2" holes were still not big enough and he trashed my rim (which I am searching for a replacement now). I ended up using a 17/32" bit and the studs went in with a hand punch and 3# hammer. 

I cant believe you were able to pull them in with a ratchet when a big press wouldn't get them in.

Thanks,

Donnie T

i used some multi lug "smoothies".

I don't know how i got them in with a ratchet, (maybe i'm just REALLY STRONG!!! haha) but i did all 4 drums the same way.

i don't see why cragar multi lug wouldn't work. you'd need the cragar lug nuts with the washers and the long sleeve.

[DonnieT]

On 3/31/2020 at 5:17 PM, belvedere666 said:

i used some multi lug "smoothies".

I don't know how i got them in with a ratchet, (maybe i'm just REALLY STRONG!!! haha) but i did all 4 drums the same way.

i don't see why cragar multi lug wouldn't work. you'd need the cragar lug nuts with the washers and the long sleeve.

I got all my hubs done just the other day and the lug nuts you are talking about will work perfectly. I did a test fit with the one I have so far. Hopefully once we get past this COVID19 pandemic and get back to work I can start saving for the other 3.

Thanks for the reply,