Changed the tires on my new to me "83 F-150 4wd when torquing the drivers side rear wheel 1 stud snapped. Looking at it the crack had been there for quite some time (most of the lug nuts were not much more than hand tight). Got to the front and 2 bad studs on the drivers side again, one threads stripped, another looked like it was attacked by a beaver (not the good kind).

Reviewing the manual it looks like I have to pull the axle to get at the studs...my rear appears to be an 8.8 so I have to go in and pull the c-clip. While I am in there any extra maintenance recommended? Does anyone know the allowed in and out play on a rear axle?

 

Maybe, maybe not. The front studs are heavily rusted, hence the thinned out stud. The front studs you definitely need to remove the drum or rotor. Most trucks had front discs by then but drums were sometimes still around. Being an F-150 rather than an F-100, you can figure on discs. On the rear, you might get away with leaving the stud in place. Using a steel drift and DBH, you might be able to punch it out to the back. I'd brace the axle with something like wood to avoid shock damage to the rear gear assembly. The fun part is getting the new, longer stud back in. If you can wiggle (<- fancy technical term) the new stud in from the back, you can tighten is into the flange with a lug nut turned around with the cone outside and a couple of washers.

If you can post a couple of photos showing the internal brake clearance, I can be more specific. If it turns out you have to go into the housing, I'm assuming you have the removable cover, change the oil with new gear lube and I like to paint parts that come off so I remember doing it later. Down the road that nice clean cover will look good. When I pulled the cover off my F-350 I painted it bright red.

 

https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/front-suspension.html

That may help

 

I have discs on front, fairly new too, not sure why whoever replaced the rotor didn't swap the studs at the same time. Drums in the rear of course, I didn't pull them when I changed the tires (put new 17" wheels and rims on) I just stared stupidly at the snapped stud. Won't get to it until the weekend...going to keep all appendages crossed until then in the hope there is enough clearance to put in the new stud. Was looking forward to changing window seals rather than pulling an axle.

 

Sometimes by rotating the axle, you can work the new stud around the brake components. you can get the stud to slide through from the back. Try for it but don't be upset if it doesn't work. Sometimes the little work arounds take, and save a lot of time. Other times they don't. When you get the truck home, it wouldn't hurt to change the gear lube anyway.

Never be too surprised when you find a previous mechanic was...uninspired... when you get in there. I'm working on the brakes on my '85 F-350 and it has a bunch of new brake lines. What it doesn't have is a rubber flex hose in back. Just a long metal tube with a coil and not attached to anything solid.

 

You might find pictures of your hubs with studs on auto part stores sites.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/shop/r...otor/325626438

 

Thanks Max, that was a great tip

 

Your welcome. For the rears, You may be able to bang out the stud one at a time. But that link to garys site will have illistruations in the documentation link. When I replaced my parking brake cables last fall, I really didn't make note of space in there.

Sometimes, Advance Auto Parts will have a how to link on there parts page.

 

Here's a photo of my differential cover after I cleaned it up and painted it. I could have painted it black, but that lacks style. I believe in Benjamin Franklins advice to "Fart Proudly". In short, if you have to do it, do it right!





Note also, a previous mechanic replaced the rubber flex hose with a steel one hanging loose. This will be corrected before I put the truck in service.

 

Don't forget to replace that missing vent hose, but I think I mentioned it in your thread...

 

I dont think you have to pull the axle to replace the studs out back. Hammer the broken stud out.
As said you can turn the axle to fish the new stud into the hole.
Get a extra nut or 2, some flat washers to fit over the studs and wheel bearing grease. Once you get, the new stud in the hole fit a flat washer on the stud grease on the wash, washer grease washer grease and nut on backwords so the flat part is to the washers. Dont forget to grease the threads and tighten the nut so it pulls the stud into the axle flange.

On the front you will need to remove the rotor but you do the same thing with the washers and grease to pull the studs into place.
Dave ----

 

When you said a PO had replaced rubber flex line with steel I was wondering how that was accomplished. The guy wasn't completely brain dead with the double S turn. And I can understand such a bandaid approach in a temporarily financially embarrassed situation. With the caveat of daily inspections and a promise to spring the "big bucks" for the flex line that shoulda been installed as soon as the wife agrees to cut out beer for a month.

 

I'm taking my time between other projects, and I'm clearing up a lot of questionable work. I've got a newer, but lighter truck, that had a lot of questionable work before I got it and it purrs like a kitten now. It's a '96 Ram 1500 with the 5.9 Magnum and it needed the plenum repair those are prone to. The engine ran good but had a tic-tic-tic-tic-tic when running. When the plenum blew, I had to pull the intake and found the tic. I haven't seen Schlitz beer in years but I quit drinking decades ago. I found a flattened can of Schlitz along with several oil soaked cigarette butts under the intake. It was beat up from laying on the lifters but it was still barely readable.

This F-350 will be geared more towards just a neat driver with the occasional tow than my other truck. I have a tree farm and the wheel base on the Dodge clears granite outcrops without high siding or getting stuck. When we've had heavy snows these last couple of winters, I go. If I can't go, nobody goes.




The F-350 will be more towards restoration of a unique truck than a work truck.