5/8 studs

i got the old dog in the shop today for a checkup before i get to the track this year and found out i realyshouda done this before now!

In the good old days before the big 5/8 drive studs became available from every axle maker, some guys were using both 4.5 & 4.75 bolt patterns that some axles came with and installing 10 1/2" studs each axle. Then they would drill the wheels for the extra 5 1/2" studs/lugg nuts.

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:In the good old days before the big 5/8 drive studs became available from every axle maker, some guys were using both 4.5 & 4.75 bolt patterns that some axles came with and installing 10 1/2" studs each axle. Then they would drill the wheels for the extra 5 1/2" studs/lugg nuts.

i never thought i'd need 5/8 studs,lol.these axles are 35's i bought new around 94 and have many'a pass on them.the splines still look great so i'm sending them back to strange for the stud upgrade.i thought about do'n it myself on the mill but i'd have to rig up a way to hold them and $80 bucks for them to do it just sounds good to me.i did hit one with a file and they're hard sob's.lol

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:In the good old days before the big 5/8 drive studs became available from every axle maker, some guys were using both 4.5 & 4.75 bolt patterns that some axles came with and installing 10 1/2" studs each axle. Then they would drill the wheels for the extra 5 1/2" studs/lugg nuts.

I wouldn't mind going to 5/8 studs too, but I don't think that they'll fit through the stud holes in the wheel. Is drilling them out frowned upon?

These are the wheels:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RPM-R21-516540/

Beast wrote:............I don't think that they'll fit through the stud holes in the wheel. Is drilling them out frowned upon?..........

It kinda depends on a few things.

5/8" drive studs have a main body OD of 11/16", the same OD as the flat seat washer & shank style 1/2" lug nuts have. So if your aluminum rims have a soild center hub, doesn't have some form of a steel tapered lug nut seats inserted/pressed into the rim (aluminum tapered lug seats instead), and the rims have enough flat aluminum surface outside the tapered lug nut seat, then you might be able to drill your rims for drive studs.


Cross section of Mark Williams drive studs....