Wheel stud replacement help: '42-'48 hubs & drums

[V8COOPMAN]

Hey Tim....Considerin' that I really don't know squat about notta', let me tell ya what I've heard. Unfortunately, I've heard a bunch about this set-up. First of all, I AM fairly sure that Ford never sold drums ONLY across the counter for Fords with the swaged wheel studs, just because they were so difficult to R&R "properly". Hence, Ford always sold ya a drum/hub ASSEMBLY at the Ford House which was already glued together (swaged). Secondly, there's another story noting that there never was a replacement drum for the hubs with flange on the outside, like the ones in your picture. And third, I've heard it adamantly-stated for years now that there is NO Dorman or Dorman-like replacement for the stock Ford swaged studs, diameter-wise. I guess it has something to do with that damned ol' swage again, somehow. I've been lead to believe that to replace the studs, one must find an appropriately-oversized (diameter) stud of the correct length that can be pressed-in after reaming the holes to a proper press-fit. And even at that, they will act like later model drums simply slipping over the wheel studs, being held securely by the wheel and lug nuts. Curiously, where did ya come-up with those two bare drums? DD

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Hey Tim....Considerin' that I really don't know squat about notta', let me tell ya what I've heard. Unfortunately, I've heard a bunch about this set-up. First of all, I AM fairly sure that Ford never sold drums ONLY across the counter for Fords with the swaged wheel studs, just because they were so difficult to R&R "properly". Hence, Ford always sold ya a drum/hub ASSEMBLY at the Ford House which was already glued together (swaged). Secondly, there's another story noting that there never was a replacement drum for the hubs with flange on the outside, like the ones in your picture. And third, I've heard it adamantly-stated for years now that there is NO Dorman or Dorman-like replacement for the stock Ford swaged studs, diameter-wise. I guess it has something to do with that damned ol' swage again, somehow. I've been lead to believe that to replace the studs, one must find an appropriately-oversized (diameter) stud of the correct length that can be pressed-in after reaming the holes to a proper press-fit. And even at that, they will act like later model drums simply slipping over the wheel studs, being held securely by the wheel and lug nuts. Curiously, where did ya come-up with those two bare drums? DD

Thanks, DD. Yes, once the old studs are out, I didn't plan to swedge in new ones so they'd have serrated shoulders sitting inside a slightly enlarged reamed hole in the hub.

I got them from our own Fred (Barnfind08) @ Southside Obsolete. Doesn't mean much, but one of them still has the remnants of an old red ink Ford hang tag wired to it.

Rears are old, good replacements, but aren't ribbed like the Ford ones. Since it's a fenderless car, I'd like those upfront.

There is a good machine shop about an hour away that knew exactly what I was trying to do. I may take the whole mess to him and let him figure this out.

I'd like to do it once.

[Tony, NY]

Dick Spadaro supplied me with wheel studs (15 yrs ago). Don't remember where he got them. They replaced the swagged ones.