Wheel studs install, front and rear. Lots of photos, plus a wildlife visit and a screw up for entertainment!

[ChipG]

Hi all,

In preparation for the arrival of my wheels in a few weeks, I needed to install longer studs in my front hubs. I decided to go with R-length front studs from OPMustang, and I picked up mid-length rear studs to match. I had a weekend with no kids, no commitments, and good weather, so it was time to wrench!

Here's a comparison of the new studs and nuts (bottom) next to the OEM hardware.

This should give me plenty of room for a 35mm spacer and be stronger for track use to boot.

First get the car in the air and supported.

And now to tackle the front hub. Remove the wheel, move the caliper (thanks Caliperfexion!) and remove the rotor. I've seen some say they removed the caliper entirely but I was able to get everything done this way.

Now for the hub bolts. For the front two, I used a 1/2" drive ratchet with a deep 18mm socket. All the hub bolts front and rear took a pretty good pull to break loose but then were relatively easy to remove once broken free.

For the rear two bolts, I used an extra long box-end ratcheting wrench with swiveling heads, which worked well.

Take the bottom bolt off first and LEAVE THE TOP REAR BOLT FOR LAST! I'll show you why.

On the top rear hub bolt, using a box end wrench will eventually get you stuck against the lower knuckle mounting nut. You won't be able to get the wrench off, you won't be able to back the bolt all the way out, and you can't reverse unless your wrench has a direction reverse switch (mine doesn't). The only way out is for all three other bolts to be loose/removed. I got good and stuck but was fortunately able to get the other bolts off so I could pull the hub forward. Here's the issue:

Learn from me - my dumb ass forgot by the time I went to the passenger side and almost screwed myself again!

So, front hub removed, I found that there was a good bit of rust on my hubs, I assume from sitting for 1+ years before I bought the car since I've only had the car for 3.5 months and 6k miles.

So I pressed out the old studs and cleaned things up a bit with a wire brush and some brake cleaner.

Time to press in the new studs! The first four are pretty straightforward:

For the last one, the four studs in wouldn't fit between the rails on my press, so I had to get creative to make space to press in the last:

Time to put it back together now. Remount the hub. I started with the top right for clearance and I used a little blue loctite and reused the bolts. Since I couldn't get a torque wrench in there, I torqued them all to "gudentite." I actually used a torque wrench on another bolt set to 100 ft-lbs. and tried to "feel" how hard a pull that was so I endeavored to get that strong a pull on each hub bolt.

Replace the rotor, slide the caliper back in, re-attach the Caliperfexion nuts with a little ARP assembly lube and torque to 80 ft-lbs.

New remount the wheel. For comparison, the OEM lug nuts:

New studs and nuts.

The new nuts only need to be torqued to 100 ft-lbs. due to the coating.

Whew! Time for a beer and a break. If you thought that was fun, wait for the rear - now THAT'S a good time.

While resting, I got a visitor who wanted to check out my tools...

I guess he wanted to see what he wanted to be when he grows up!

Rear hubs (and bigger screw-up) in next post.

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[NGOT8R]

Very nice work! Looking forward to seeing how the back is done.

 

[dpAtlanta]

Great write up Chip...!!!!!!

 

[Soulja4187]

What’s the purpose of the longer studs?

 

[pilotgore]

What’s the purpose of the longer studs?

Wider wheels

 

[dpAtlanta]

What’s the purpose of the longer studs?

It may be easier to get the rim/tire back on without having the calipers scratching the barrel of the rims.... the GT350's have very little clearance on the fronts.

 

[ChipG]

On to the rear. First I'll show you how it's SUPPOSED to go, and yeah, I know the pics go from one side to the other.

Remove the rear wheel, and make sure the parking brake is on. First thing to do is remove the rear axle nut. I used a 32mm socket and a breaker bar to break it loose (pull hard!).

The nut is still difficult to remove after breaking free. I used an impact wrench to speed it along as the nut is not reusable.

Now RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE, then attach the pusher with 3 lug nuts and tighten enough to push the axle loose and move it back an inch or so.

Take off the pusher, and now, to get the rotor off, you have to remove the caliper. This means disconnecting the parking brake. There are a couple of specialty tools, but I've been able to use a trim tool and a line wrench to accomplish the same thing.

For better photos, I'm showing how I use them on the already-removed parking brake cable, but this is what you do under the car. Use the trim tool to pull the spring up so you can pull the bottom of the cable off of the end of the lever attached to the brake assembly (I pry it off using a large screwdriver). Then pull the spring down:

Wrap the line wrench around the cable and push up to capture all the tangs so you can pull the cable up through the bracket and out.

With the cable removed, remove the two bolts mounting the caliper. I used a 3/8" drive with a swivel head and a deep socket. Extensions help too.

Remove and hang the caliper and remove the rotor.

Now reattach the pusher and push the axle back where it will go easily (you can press with your hands, but this will hold it in place).

This creates a little more clearance to access the heads of the hub bolts by pushing the boot inwards.

Time to wrangle some tools in there to take out the hub bolts (also 18mm like the front). I found the 3/8" drive with the swivel head to be the best to use with various sockets and extensions.

Like the front, they all take a good hard pull to break free but come lose pretty easily after. The top front bolt isn't the same trap as on the front hubs, but it doesn't want to come all the way out so I left it in.

These weren't as corroded as the front.

I pressed out the OEM studs:

I pressed in the new studs and cleaned them up. The first four are straightforward, and then like the front, the last needed creativity.

All ready.

Remount the hub, again reusing the bolts and some blue loctite.

Put the rotor back on, bolt the caliper back up (using blue loctite on the bolts), and reattach the parking brake cable.

The last fun bit. SET THE PARKING BRAKE, and let's attach the (NEW!) axle nut. First, snug it up (it will go on more easily than the old came off), and torque to 98 ft-lbs.

Now it needs to be turned another 45°, so get a breaker bar and a pipe. Starting position:

This takes some real force.

And finished.

Now, as I promised, a screw-up. It doesn't always go this easily. When I was using the pusher on one rear brake to release the axle, I released more than the axle.

I can only assume I tightened the pusher too much, so, uh, don't do that. The hub came apart, but I got to check out the bearings!

I didn't have another hub, but everything looked good, and fortunately I was using a press for the studs, so...

Fortunately everything went back together just fine and it looks like no harm, no foul.

So, mounted the wheels back up. For comparison, the OEM lug nuts:

And the new studs and nuts.

All finished! Quite a workout, but I'm ready for my new wheels! Hope y'all enjoyed.

Chip

 

[ChipG]

What’s the purpose of the longer studs?

My new wheels are rotatable, so I need 35mm spacers up front, requiring new studs to go through everything.

 

[CarbonZ]

Nice write up. Looking forward to seeing the rear as this on my list as well.

 

[NGOT8R]

@ChipG, thank you for the very detailed writeup on the stud install! It will come in handy when I get ready to do mine.

 

[dpAtlanta]

Fledgling You-Tuber Chip?
Very well done with the photos and commentary!



Chip Disclaimer
Chip has been a Technical Editor for Helm for over 35 years... writing how to manuals for manufacturers since age 8.

 

[NGOT8R]

@ChipG, I also meant to ask, which lug nuts are you running and do they have a 60* conical taper?

 

[ChipG]

Fledgling You-Tuber Chip?
Very well done with the photos and commentary!



Chip Disclaimer
Chip has been a Technical Editor for Helm for over 35 years... writing how to manuals for manufacturers since age 8.

Hah, I'm not pretty enough for YouTube and not old enough to have 35 years in anywhere unless I really did start at age 8...uh, ish

 

[ChipG]

@ChipG, I also meant to ask, which lug nuts are you running and do they have a 60* conical taper?

Using these and yes they do.

 

[galaxy]

Most excellent write up. I don’t “need” them for any reason, but I always thought I wanted longer good looking ARP studs to compliment my open end lug nuts. Now I know I do not, LOL. Not beyond my capability, but that’s a lot of work just for looks (in my case).

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