Lug studs won't come out

Bookman

Bookman

Junior Member
I have new drums and all the lug studs for all four's on a 28 pickup, and can't get the lug studs to budge. I'm not worried about damaging the studs since i have replacements but i can't get them to budge at all even with a 3 pound hammer. I'm suspecting that they must be swedged although i can't see any sign of that. I'm thing that the next step is to go to a press. I'm sure that many of you have been there before and can advise me what is the best way to go. Thanks in advance.
Roger
 
Roger, you won't be able to see the swage as it all looks the same on the threaded end. DO NOT use a press as you will damage the hub (bend it). Use a swage cutter and remove the swage, then true up the hubs in a lathe before installing the new drums.
 
I have removed the studs by cutting them off with a 4" side grinder then drilling them in the center with a 7/16" bit. Once this is done they will knock out with a punch with little resistance. You don't worry about the drums or lugs but don't want to warp the hub. Like Brent said, true them in a lathe before installing the new drums. The new studs will have to be swaged with at least a 20 ton press. 30 tons would be better.
 
even the drill press is optional. I used the hole saw, baptized with lots of oil, in an old low-speed 1/2" drill. removing junk drums from good hubs so sawing into the drum a little was no problem. I put an old socket underneath to support the hub when I banged out the studs with a hammer......
 
You should have someone help you if you have never done this project before. Besides using a cutter you still have to press the studs out. When doing this you have to provide a support under the hub otherwise you can warp it. Whatever you do, don't try to hammer the studs out.

When it comes time to install the new drums you have to swage the new studs in. You need a 20 ton press to do this. Here again you have to support everything properly as it is very easy to crack the new cast iron drums around the stud holes.

I would advise against taking them to a commercial shop as they can also inflict damage as they probably know nothing about the art of swaging. The old fellows who use to do this kind of work are long gone.

If you don't have someone in a local club that has this expertise your best bet is to have the work done by one of the Model A suppliers that know what they are doing. Bratton's is a good choice. They can also turn the drums for you as this is required to make the drum and hub concentric to one another.

Tom Endy
 
Bought a 5/8 hole saw and mandrel at Sears. Using a variable speed 3/8 hand held drill at low speed and a lot of oil, I cut off the swaged lip on the studs, while being careful not to cut into any of the drum surface. The studs all fell right out. Did 10 drums in one hour.
 
I had a local auto machine shop swage the new studs in after I removed them with a 5/8 hole saw. I supplied them with the swaging tool I bought from the Model A supplier. The tool was useless as it wasn't hardened. He had his own hardened tool and it worked fine so don't waste your $$ on the soft tool, it won't take the 30 ton pressure.
 
The hole saw worked absolutely great, and took a very few minutes. Just a light tap on the studs and they fell out.
Thanks to everyone.
Roger
 
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