The *right* way to install/remove them is with a press. These are pretty cheap at Harbor Freight, I have one in my garage (belongs to TK, but he doesn't have a garage to store it in right now).

The ghetto way to remove them is with a hammer, a couple whacks with a 2-3 pound sledge and they come right out.

Ghetto installation is to pull them in with a nut. Andrew says not to do this because it can theoretically spin the splines in the hole in the hub, but a lot of people do it this way and get away with it. If you're going to do this, you want to make sure to lube up the splines first, go slow, and do it by hand. You'll also want conical washer that matches the cone on the lug nut, and make sure that the are enough washers underneath that one that the nut isn't going to bottom out on the threads before the stud is pulled in all the way.

The ghetto approach can be done on the car without removing the hub, although I'm a little leery of loading the bearing whacking it with a hammer like that. Getting the studs into the back of the hub when the factory brake dust shields are installed is also tricky, IIRC there's one location where it fits but you need to fiddle with it a bunch. (my factory dust shields departed the car a long time ago).

--Ian

 

Can't imagine a guy of georges size with a hammer can do more to a hub than a 2700lb NB hitting kerbs

 

 

The install is like 5 minutes with an HF press. You'll use the press for plenty of other things too (rear bearing replacement and bushing replacement). Good tools make good jobs.

 

Not sure that 'good tools' and 'harbor freight' belong in the same sentence...

--Ian

 

The right tool

 

tust me, I have a talent for breaking thinks much like EO2K (not as bad but close).

 

as much as I would like one we don't have any room for one. I do have access to one tho. Im good friends with a mechanic who has any tool ever. So im not sweating it.

 

So I just placed an order for a set of 949 aluminum lugs and ARP studs. Ian got me thinking though, do I really want aluminum lugs? I have done some searching online and have heard both sides. I use an impact to take off the lug nuts but I always hand tighten then use a torque wrench when putting them on.

949s sight says that they will work with an impact but I don't want to spend $60 to have them strip or fall off. Im not sure why 949 would sell them if they are dangerous. But idk, I've just heard some bad things about them and don't want to have another wheel fly off. So, let me know what you guys think.

 

I wouldn't worry about it unless you're changing wheels frequently, and you're breaking them loose with the gun. I've got a set of 949 lugs that I've been using since 2009. Other than showing obvious signs of use where the black coating has been nicked etc, they are fine. I impact them on before torquing, and on removal I break them with the bar before spinning them off with the impact as my electric impact won't quite break loose a fully tightened lug nut.

Granted I have not been replacing tires daily for the last 8 years, but I don't see anything on the lug nuts to indicate I need to think about not using them any more, or change how I am using the.

 

I spent a few years autoxing my Miata regularly, which meant at least 2 wheel swaps a month, sometimes more. That's frequently enough that I didn't want to have to fuss around with the lugs -- with the steel lugs I can buzz them off, buzz them on, then hand-torque with the torque wrench and nothing to worry about.

I'm sure the 949 ones are fine, certainly they're not dangerous.

--Ian

 

I ran the same set of 949 lugs on Theseus from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2011. That was back when they were only half-threaded. A couple of those are still floating around in my spares box and they work perfectly. The same set has been on Rover since we built that in 2010 and they're still in use. Impact on (to 60ft.lb then torque wrench to 80), impact off, every time. No problems.

Buy 949 lugs, sleep well at night.

 

Alrighty then. I just went with the 949 lugs.

So, now I have to decide if I want to pull all the hubs to install the arp studs or do it the "ghetto way"'.

 

If you REALLY don't want to remove the hubs to install the studs, is there any problem with using one of the clamp style presses aside from them being a pain in the *** compared to a hydraulic press?

Personally, I don't really relish pulling my hubs unless I am replacing them. Maybe i'm crying over a simple job?

Either way - any issues with using a clamp style? You can usually borrow them with deposit from auto parts stores.

 

I really doubt there's enough access behind it to get one of those clamps in there.

Taking the fronts off is easy. 36mm socket, good impact wrench, rattle-rattle-rattle-ZING it's off. The rears are a bit more of a PITA if they've never been apart before because the axles are probably seized into the hubs.

--Ian

 

I will probably end up taking the hubs out for peace of mind knowing it was done right. Hopefully the bbk comes in soon so I can do it all at once.

 

Ahh, that's probably why I didn't do mine. I took off the castle nut (or whatever it's called) and tried removing the axles with no luck. Any advice on how to get them off without damaging anything?

 

You can probably take a 1/2" extention or something of similar girth . And whack it on the axle with a mini sledge?

 

It depends on the car. Some comeout with the tap of a deadblow, some go in a 100 ton press and stay stuck in the upright. I have dealt with both cases.

 

Yep. I have a 12lb sledge. If they don't come out with that, they're probably never coming out.