wheel spacer

[Abnorml]

My hearse recently broke two of Her studs off the rear axle. The mechanic replacerd them with shorter studs, but the spacer couldn't be used. I was told the wheel would rub and cause me to get a flat tire when She takes a turn. I was wondering if anybody has took their spacers off the rear and if so was there any problems? I can get longer studs, but by the time I found them the mechanic had already replaced the broke ones with shorter ones. I'm still thinking about getting them and getting him to replace the short ones with the long ones. My hearse is a 73 Miller Meteor Cadillac.

[Morella]

I would leave the spacer in. I have a question for anyone who has done the studs, though. Do you have enough clearance between the stud and backplate to get them out without pulling the axle out? I've had my drums off, but I just can't remember. I'll probably never have to do it...I just try to get all of my parts before I start on a job in case I do.

BTW, what happened to your studs? I've done a few, but I've never had to do them on my cars.

-denise

[kaptinkaos]

You need the spacer for wheel alignment, without them your wheels will rub & be further inset than what Cadillac designed changing it's handling, supposedly. I had to pull the axle to replace one of mine since they are longer. Since I now have custom wheels, I ordered the wheels with a thicker back on the rim to compensate for the spacer so I don't use it anymore.

[Abnorml]

I went to meet my friend a few weeks back and we going to go to some graveyards. We went and ate first and we heard a weird sound, we pulled in a parking lot and I got her to drive in a circle while I listened. I pulled the back hubcap off and saw the stud lying in it. Then this week I was changing the gas tank on my truck and I needed a few things from the parts store, so I drove my hearse. I didn't make it, She cut off and wouldn't start back. So I got a roll back to come pick Her up and take Her to the mechanic. The roll back driver looked and saw that only one lugnut was tight and another stud had broke. The reason She cut off was the points, that are no more. The points have been changed three different times. I have a points eliminator on Her now.

[BIGEVIL]

If the mechanic replaced them with the wrong ones, I would go back and make them do it correctly with the proper length studs. If the spacers were put there from Cadillac or the hearse conversion company, I would certainly leave them in there.

[Abnorml]

I got longer studs last night. I going to get the mechanic to replace the short ones very soon. The good thing is his shop if very close to my work.

[Morella]

The only times I have had to deal with stud breakage were when lug nuts were not tightened, or the wheel wasn't straight when they were. I was taught to do two across from each other, check the centering, then do them in a star pattern, and use a torque wrench on aluminum wheels. I haven't done custom wheel work, though. I'm sure that there are geometry issues.


-denise

[Abnorml]

The studs I got were actually shorter than the ones he had put in. I have been trying to find the right ones, I haven't had any luck. I'm going to try to go to a NAPA store tomorrow, the one in town closed awhile back. NAPA has a listing for commercial chassis. I going to take one of the broke one to make sure it's the same.

[BeyondDeathwings.com]

(I posted this on another thread, but after reading about this, I'm sure many can benefit from this info.)

I am on the search for those right now. Did you have any luck? If so where did you get them? I got several options from custom car & race car builders. As a last resort, you can get a 3" racing stud with matching "Knurl" (mine is about .615-.618) then you can cut it to the lenght you need. My "Shoulder" is 1.300. I was told the length of the shoulder is not important. The "Shoulder" is the flat part before the threads start.

[Abnorml]

I did get some, but they were from someone on this board. They were out of a hearse.
I have heard that the studs for a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton Chevy truck of the same year, is the same as a hearse. I don't know this for a fact, but it's something to look into.
Sorry I couldn't help anymore.

[Highbars]

The only times I have had to deal with stud breakage were when lug nuts were not tightened, or the wheel wasn't straight when they were. I was taught to do two across from each other, check the centering, then do them in a star pattern, and use a torque wrench on aluminum wheels. I haven't done custom wheel work, though. I'm sure that there are geometry issues.


-denise

Yes studs will break from being left loose but they will also break from over-tightening, A torque wrench should be used for all wheels. Lugnuts should be torque to maintain even clamping force. Also uneven torque can cause shimmys, and warping of brake rotors and drums.. So to look at the total picture Lugs break from improper torque... To loose, to tight, makes no real difference. Using a torque wrench is a large step to battling this problem. If it persists then it would be time to start checking wheel run-out and bearing clearance or preload..

[BeyondDeathwings.com]

Lucky you. I have tried searching for 1972 Chevy trucks, El Caminos, Impala Station Wagon, Vans, GMC trucks, no luck. They are NOT the same as the Commercial Chassis studs. I am still searching for the correct replacements. I am going to use the 3" Moroso Racing wheel studs & cut them down. This should be finished this weekend. I will post how everything goes once it is done.