Stud Muffin

[Orange Crate]

So I've read a couple of threads on here lately about wheel studs and lug nuts and do they have the proper thread engagement and suck like. So I was looking at my stuff and I guess I've always thought that they were maybe a little on the sketchy side of thread engagement. Pic #1 is what I currently have, and I wanted just a little bit more length.

[Orange Crate]

I got a set of these big fellers. And popped one in for comparison pic #2.

[Orange Crate]

Here they are side by side, old stud and new, on the bench showing the extra thread engagement and extra peace of mind. And then all of them at attention. I took the hub off and used a press to make sure hey were seated correctly.

[Orange Crate]

All done (hey they look exactly the same as they did before!) The fronts are next and man are they buried in there. These aren't the rims I'm going to settle on and also I'm goig to replace the lug nuts, they look like crap.

[Stocker]

Excellent safety upgrade and well worth it for peace-of-mind! Short studs are just one reason I'm still running steel wheels.

[Orange Crate]

"While I was in there" I put a new pair of these in at the rear bearing lock nut since the old ones only had one tab left to bend.

[special-K]

Great and helpful thread here, Mike. I've only ever run old school alloys using the shank-type mag lug nuts, so never an issue. I see the concern with that little bite using chamfered type wheels/nuts. What I'm really thrilled about is getting that Dorman PN for the tab ring. Even with all teeth intact, how many times has that bugger been bent. They are soft metal to accommodate fatique, yet did they expect 40+ years out of them? At this point I'd call them a service item.

* Oh yeah, that would be a Dana60 PN. But anyway,makes me want to source some for my Dana44. Still helpful for the 60 that may find it's way under there, yet

[Orange Crate]

* Oh yeah, that would be a Dana60 PN. But anyway,makes me want to source some for my Dana44. Still helpful for the 60 that may find it's way under there, yet[/QUOTE]

My rear axle is a 14BFF but from the Pirate web site (Billa Vista) the Dana 60 spindle lock nuts and lock washers are:

"For one complete front axle you need four 33732(lock-nut), two 33733 (lock washer), two 33734 (flat washer). These are Dana part numbers."

Or if you have the "pin" style lock then its:

"Washer (Pin style lock) #PM 33733
Washer (flat) #PM 33734
Kit (2 nuts, 1 flat washer 1 lock washer) #PM 33732K"

I have the "pin" style in my front 60.

[special-K]

Thanks. The studs could be the same for both, but not necessarily. Just have to be aware could be different.

My friend and I learned a lesson back in '78 when he bought an almost new '77 Silverado K/30 Dooley 4spd (Could go on, wish I had that one now!...and then). He wanted to run 9.00-16s which requires more spacing on the rear wheels. He had plates and longer studs custom made. Then in '80, our friend bought a new cab & chassis and simply sources off the shelf studs by required dimensions and stacked spacers...DUH! I think the difference was a couple hundred dollars back then. An average week's pay for at the time. Do your homework children

[Orange Crate]

Larry,
You are correct that the studs are different on the front Dana 60. I should have made that clear on the first couple of posts. I did the 14BFF with the studs pictured and will need to switch to 5/8-18 studs for the front if I want to add the same "peace of mind" longer studs to the front Dana. The part number I am looking at for the Dana 60 is Dorman 610-215 and that is a 5/8-18 stud that is 2-29/32 long which would be about 1/2" longer that the stock studs 610-283. The rear studs are 9/16-18 so I will also need different lug nuts for the front, but that doesn't bother me. I think this approach is better than modifying the rotor/hub to fit some other 9/16 stud. This way I can just buy new rotors as necessary and throw them on without extra machining. I've thought about this for a long time and can handle the two different lug nut sizes. I will order the lug nuts with the same wrench/socket size (7/8"). As soon as I can find a vendor that doesn't want $18 to ship the new studs, I'll move on with this. I'm not sure what happened but when I went to Rock Auto to order the front studs they doubled the shipping costs from when I ordered the rear studs (about $9). Got me! I'm looking at different vendors now. Maybe I should just call Rock Auto. Alrighty then...stay cool....

[Orange Crate]

One other thing I should mention is that the closest 9/16-18 stud is Dorman 610-303. I did A LOT of research on longer studs for a Dana 60 and this seemed to be the most popular part number BUT the knurl diameter for that stud is .677 and the stock stud knurl diameter is .621 SO when using the -303 stud you have to either machine the studs (NOT an option for me since I'm going for INCREASED peace of mind and a machined stud doesn't seem to be a good approach to that end) or you have to machine the hub/rotor (again not a good option for me). One guy I read about was trying to force the -303 stud into a stock hole which would be about .050 interference fit WOW now that is a tight fit!! May your rotors not crack my son.....Come on Rock Auto cut your shipping costs to me!! Alrighty then.....

[Orange Crate]

Ok, so I made nice with Rock Auto on the shipping for the front Dana 60 studs part number 610-215 which are 5/8-18 2-29/32 long. I decided to switch the front studs to 5/8-18 because no other stud would just fit right in without modification. I can now buy a stock Dana 60 front rotor and slap it on if I need to. 1st pic is the old and new side by side. Second pic is new and old installed side by side.

[Orange Crate]

It took about 8-9 tons of pressure to seat the new studs firmly. I have to get new front 5/8-18 lug nuts. (The rusty piece in the second picture is an old hitch lock pin that happened to be the right length for smashing the new studs in there). Now all I have to do is the other side both front and back. So there is some extra peace of mind for the 1 tonner.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

That's a cool write up thanks for the good info. I haven't had to swap any studs out yet but those new ones you put in look way better for piece of mind.

[Orange Crate]

Originally Posted by Hoods69BadBowTie

That's a cool write up thanks for the good info. I haven't had to swap any studs out yet but those new ones you put in look way better for piece of mind.

You are welcome. If you can deal with having two different size lug nuts (thread size NOT socket size), then this is added peace of mind. If I think about it when I take a wheel off I put the lug nuts somewhere close to the wheel I just took off, so each corner of the truck has a little pile of them close by. It is very rare that I would gather up all the lug nuts together in one big pile. It doesn't really matter anyway because you can't install the different sizes on the wrong stud, but it might confuse a tire shop. I just need new 7/8" lug nuts and also make a decision on what rims I'm going with. I like these.....