spro2395

Hi all,
Whats the process for swapping the front wheel studs ? I'm thinking about buying 1.25" wheel adapters and want to repklace the stockers with ARP.

2airtime2

Remove wheel, screw a lug nut onto the stud you want to remove, beat it out. I used a 24 oz. framing hammer. A small sledge or ball-peen would work too.

WVZR-1

OP - Ignore the suggestion in post #2!!!

Beating on wheel studs for removal from an assembled hub/bearing assembly I'd think certainly frowned upon by "nearly all".

It's actually maybe "easier" to do it correctly using a stud removing tool that is likely a "loaner tool" from a local AP store. At the AP store it's likely called tie rod puller but most are generally dual purpose.

If your present studs are OE/GM I don't know that there's much to be gained spending the additional money.

Why the need for the 1 1/4" - what wheels are you considering?

spro2395

I've been running American Racing wheels for several years so they obviously fit but they're in the wheel well pretty far (they rub at full lock). I autoX the car so I think bringing the track back out to what it should be would help with understeer. I really only want an inch but my stock studs are 1.1" .

WVZR-1

The ARW don't have a depression between the holes on the wheel hub mounting flange? If your studs are OE there should be a "dog point" on the stud that is likely 3/8" or so that you could remove. I'd check again.

spro2395

Unfortunately the flange on the wheels is completely flat as I think the studs are as well but I'll have to give them a second look when I get home. Are the ARP studs much stronger in the stock size ?

WVZR-1

Are the ARW's aluminum or steel/chrome?

spro2395

Big heavy aluminum. I wish I could figure out how to post a picture from my Android phone here.

WVZR-1

If the wheels are aluminum then I'd just do a bore deep enough to accommodate what's exposed on the stud after the 1" dimension. I've a hub, rotor here on a rear that I believe has OE with dogpoint and the dogpoint is maybe 3/8 and threads are less than 1" so you would need a bore maybe less than 5/16 or if dogpoint removed maybe NONE!!!! Do your bores at 1/2 diameter and I'd think you could accomplish the mount in maybe 30 minutes. I doubt you would need a press to maintain alignment but might be good. A fellow here has done that numerous times. I've never done it or helped him but I've seen the results.

Drill with maybe 1/4, then 7/16 and finally 1/2 or 9/16

Hot Rod Roy

SPRO, do your ARE wheels align to the center boss on your hubs? If you install spacers, this alignment may be lost, as the wheels would align to the studs rather than the center boss, resulting in eccentric mounting and annoying vibration from the poor wheel centering. Some wheel spacers have the correct center boss to maintain this accuracy, but most don't.

Removing your existing studs by the bigger-hammer technique may warp your hubs. I agree with WVZR-1 on that! You are talking about pretty thick spacers, so the best would be spacers that are bolted to your hubs and don't need longer studs, and also provide the hub-centric mounting, like those in this video:

youtube.com/watch?v=uagmGqeomng

WVZR-1

I was quite sure he was talking about the appropriate adapter/spacer that would allow him to maintain proper hub fitment to car and also the wheel. He just thought he'd likely need longer studs because he was wanting to do the 1 1/4 - maybe he didn't understand but I thought "for sure" he seemed to.

spro2395

Yep I understand that the spacer's need to be hub centric. I wasn't thinking about getting longer studs but contemplating stronger. I run Nitto NT01 tires that are pretty grippy 😀 so I'm concerned about loosing a wheel if the factory styds aren't strong.

ex-x-fire

I'd run hub centric spacers (or adaptors with the studs knocked out)with long studs because you'll only have 20 lug nuts to worry about,its less complicated & less weight. I wouldn't worry about tapping out those studs either, GM parts are pretty durable. A couple of blows with a light hammer & they come right out.

Hot Rod Roy

This would worry me. The studs are the main element to transfer the braking torque (since we're talking about front wheels) from the wheels to the hubs and the brake rotors. The long studs would have this torque applied about 1.5" above the surface of the hub, putting a very significant bending force on the studs. Yes, some of the torque would be transmitted thru the friction mounting surfaces of the wheel-to-adapter-to-rotor, but I'm guessing there would still be a significant bending force on the studs.

Lt4-396

I agree, I put .7500 inch spacers on my rear and was going to go with longer studs but felt it would be better to use the spacer as intended plus the excess stud that stuck out didn't bottom out in the oem c6 wheel cavity so I didn't have to grind/cut the studs.

ex-x-fire

Ok, on your 84, the caliper bracket bolts are 12mm & theres only 2 of them. They see alot of braking shear force. C4 wheel studs are 12mm too & there's 5 of them, I don't see a problem with using long studs. Use quality ones from ARP.

WVZR-1

And the M12 bolts weren't used after '84 either! '85+ caliper bracket bolts are M14 - I'll leave you to contemplate the why!! The OP I doubt needs the ARP 8740 studs but feels he should so .... It's his choice

93Rubie

For the record I have ARP studs on my car with Eibach Hub centric spacers. I've had yet to have an issue or die. The stock ones tap out with a hammer really easy. You don't need a specil tool. For install I HIGHLY recommend a stud installer. The studs are a friction fit and the factory ones have little tiny splines that gouge into the hub. The ARP ones have MASSIVE splines on the stud, MUCH harder to get into the hub.

Hot Rod Roy

There's a big difference between the braking torque causing bent studs or sheared studs! The force with the long studs would be applied about 1.5" from the surface of the brake rotor! Also, the difference in radius from the center of the axle would put a larger force on the wheel studs that is applied to the caliber bolts! (Same lb.ft. torque, but smaller ft. means larger lb.)

Keep talking. I'm not convinced yet.

scrappy76

Imo, you do not need longer studs, as long as you buy adapters that bolt on to your original studs, then they have studs of their own. having adapters with hubcentrics are a plus. The factory studs are plenty strong to handle the added adapter. Now if you still want the added stength in the arp studs, the hubs are plenty strong enough to pop out the old studs. You can pull in the new studs by hand, but if you do not start them perfectly straight and the start binding, you could have a harder time. Best to use a puller.

Imo, alot of wrenchers on here are full of knowledge not only what they have read but what they have experienced, hard to decide which way to go. I usually go by who has done it. I have never used adapters so I cant help you there, but I have replaced studs and I have knocked them out without any negative outcome, and I have installed them without any negative outcome. I am hard headed and a backyard mechanic, I just do things by hand if I can before I start buying or renting extra tools. Good luck.