Lifted Sedan, Class 11, Full Body Baja, etc (pics 1st trip)

[67rustavenger]

My issue is a street car problem.
I have Rocket 5 spoke wheels and the damn studs keep pulling out of the drums when I install the wheels. Over torqueing them.

So I was thinking the solution would be using thru studs, instead of the stupid EMPI threaded studs.

Type 1 drums too.
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I have learned over the years.
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There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
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[dustymojave]

If the studs are pulling threads out of the drums, then yep. SOMEBODY IS OVER-torquing them. By a BUNCH. They're not on a Peterbuilt.

If you cannot remove the lug nuts with a hand lug wrench on the side of the road when you get a flat, then they are way over-torqued.

Lots of tire shop guys, especially those at large chain tire shops, seem to not understand this.

So, yeah, the fix is pressed in studs. But you STILL NEED TO FIX the over-torquing problem.

Sway-A-Way brand studs have been around for a few decades and I consider them to be the quality product. But even EMPI's (used to be BugPack brand) press-in studs aren't bad. Although instead of drilling a 9/16" hole, you need to drill the holes to 37/64ths", which is a pretty bastard size and rather difficult to find even from machinist supply houses. You can look in the Dorman catalog online to find a stud that you like better for your purposes.

Some drums are flat enough on the inside for the studs to seat well. Some do not have flat area for the heads of the studs. Some brake assemblies have NO troubles with the studs hitting shoes, etc. Some brake assemblies DO have troubles with the studs hitting shoes, etc. In both of those cases, spot facing the inside of the drum is required. Sometimes the holes only need to be spot-faced deep enough to make the area flat for the head to seat. Sometimes they need to be spot-faced deeper to provide clearance for brake shoes, etc.

The spot-face tool can be one with a pilot, if you do not have a mill to do the job on. Or even if you do. The cut radius needs to not be so large that it digs into the face of the drum. But it also needs to be big enough to clear the edge of the press-in studs being used.

I'm not gonna tell you what diameter of cutter to use, because different brands have different diameter heads, and then somebody is gonna say that he got studs from a wrecking yard and the spot face wasn't the right size. So you need to be smarter than the stud, and figure out what size you actually need.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[TXBONE]

Starting my Baja now.
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Full of energy. Always need to be surfing, riding motocross or riding BMX etc...... I shape and surf retro finless wood surfboards called Alaia's. If your interested and want one made for your bus or wall, let me know.

"Goldy" OG 69' CAMPMOBILE

[vwtrey]

Did you do any reinforcement for your RTT? Are those A1 towers? I'd like to have the same on my car at some point, once it's not being junk.