I did a search but there seems to be a lot of different opinions on installing longer front wheel studs. After seeing a newer cobra lose a front wheel (weld draglite with spacer) in the pits the other day I thought maybe I would remind everyone that running spacers and stock studs on the front with welds really isnt the best idea on these cars - I have done it but I never felt very safe with 2 or 3 threads on a cheap lug nut holding up the front end of my car :/

Anyhow, its about a 25 minute job at the most and 25.00 for the ARP studs, no need to remove the brakes or rotor. Just make sure the stud is at 3 o'clock on the rh side and 9 o'clock on the lh side. One or two good whacks with a BFH and the old studs will come right out, put the new stud in and find a few old 12mmx1.5 lugs and some big washers and draw them in. Stick a screwdriver in the rotor fins to hold it.

There is no reason not to do this if you are running welds and spacers in the front, even without the spacers there is not a lot of threads with the stock studs.. The will not be NHRA legal with a spacer but they will be a heck of a lot safer then the stock studs. w/o spacers they are right on the edge of being NHRA legal with welds..

Dont ask about the rear, my moser came with longer studs, I'm pretty sure the axles would have to come out for longer studs though..

Also make sure and check the torque on welds for a while when they are new, especially the rears, nothing will shear off rear wheel studs quicker then a loose wheel with slicks (its cool to think that your 400rwhp snapped them puppies right off at the track but 9 times out of 10 its because the rear wheels were loose). The weld-type washers are concave and will flatten out after a short time so check them pretty frequently.

The stock lugs and caps work fine with the longer studs as well. If someone has gone over this before sorry - I never think about the wheels until see one rolling through the pits that was just recently connected to someone's moving car

 

Excellent advice!

Great directions and pics. I hope everyone remembers this thread. It is by far one of the most important things you can do for running Welds with spacers. No bullshit, you MUST do this to be safe.

 

i tried to do mine but they didnt fit with my kvr rotors per thunder racing they r supposed to but didnt

 

Get centerlines

 

Where did you buy the longer ARP studs, what is the part#, and what size spacer are you running?
Thanks,
Richard

 

???

 

sorry, dont check the boards much. I am using 5/16 spacers in the front and I got the studs from thunder racing. They are the only 12mm late GM studs ARP sells..

 

Thanks for your help.