Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

[Craig F.]

For 30+ years I have used a western wheel set of knock offs on my 65 without any issues. They have been installed correctly using long lug nuts, each spinner indexted to the hub and after 10 miles then 50 miles of driving and then pinned with the tapered pins. Over the last 30 years I have removed them every 2-3 years and clean all the threads and reapply anti-seize and have never had an issue. That sort of just changed with one wheel, the right front wheel when removed I realized all 5 of the adapter studs have become loose. They appear to be pressed in from the back so I am not sure how this happened. The wheel pin was in place and the spinner was tight and appeared to be correct. Is there anyway to have the 5 studs tightened or is it time to replace an adapter?
thanks!

[Russ S.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

Weld them from the back side and then have the weld ground or machined down flush.

[Craig F.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

Thanks for the reply Russ and that sounds like a good idea to me.

[Joe R.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

It would be possible that the wheel has been loose and caused this problem. Those studs didn't just loosen on their own. Look for the problem before you quit. Get someone to help you!

JR

[Duke W.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

I'm not sure if I understand the issue. The studs that mount the adapter are pressed into the rotor hub. If they are loose at that point, then you will need to remove the rotor and have new studs installed, and I think you can buy "oversize", but if the holes are too far damaged, you will need to replace the rotor.

Duke

[Craig F.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

Duke
I probably didn't clarify which studs are loose. It's the studs on the adapter not the threaded studs on the hub.

[Mike Z.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

On the hub adapter, technically these are guide pins vs. "studs", which are indeed press fit. No one makes a replacement, much less an oversize, so welding might be the only way for them to be solid.
Having them solid is critical to stability and balance of the wheel. You mention Western reproductions, which like most if not all aftermarket wheels, rely on the lug studs (bolt on wheels) or the guide pins on the Knock-Off wheel you are working on to both center the wheel on the hub/spindle and carry the load. The Factory never put out a wheel that did not have a light press fit onto the spindle or hub. On K-O wheels, what makes this press fit is the hub adapter to the hub. Look at a factory hub adapter and fit it to the hub/spindle-they are tight, so tight that after torquing the lug nuts; it becomes very difficult to separate them from the hub/spindle after the lugs are removed-because the are lightly pressed on. The aftermarket hub adapters rely on the lug nut studs to carry the load and ARE NOT press fit tight.
So, rather than the wheel coming lose at the spinner, I feel the hub adapter has been moving around, because the lugs studs are carrying the load vs. the hub/spindle. So, be sure; once you weld the guide pins to properly torque the lug nuts and be sure to use the correct long nuts required for K-O wheels. Use light anti-seize on the spinner threads and the mating surface where spinner makes contact with wheel-prevents gawling the wheel and allows you to get the spinner off in a normal fashion.

[Craig F.]

Re: Knock off wheel adapter studs loose?

Mike
Your comment makes perfect sense, I have never used an original KH adapter and was not aware that they press fit to the hub. I agree that even though I use the long lug nuts something was not as tight as it should be in my last install because the guide pins didn't loosen up all on their own.
At this point, having them welded secure then re mount correctly with anti seize is the plan.