1/2'' wheel studs enough?

[9secRR]

my moser axles have 1/2'' bolt in studs. will they hold up or should i upgrade to 5/8''? 1.23 60' (hopefully get it down to 1.20), car is 2700 lbs race weight. i have weld wheels which are soft compared to billet wheels.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

5/8 is worth the upgrade.

 

[MOPARMAGA]

my moser axles have 1/2'' bolt in studs. will they hold up or should i upgrade to 5/8''? 1.23 60' (hopefully get it down to 1.20), car is 2700 lbs race weight. i have weld wheels which are soft compared to billet wheels.

I think on your stuff considering what ya bent up last year, you may want to upgrade & might find the 1/2 inch is already bending.
I have weld draglites & would like to do 5/8 studs on my stuff. Either that or run both bolt patterns with studs and 10 nuts

 

[33IMP]

If you are questioning/worrying about em, add the 5/8ths.
Your car is light, the 1/2s are probably fine.
Wanna risk your car on "probably"?

 

[Garrett Ellison]

I agree with upgrading once you start cutting those kinds of times, but even more so after reading post #3! Most machinist's agree it's okay to go larger as long as there is still going to be 1-1/2 hole diameters to the outside of the axle flange from the edge of the stud (the OEM factory drilled axles I've measured fall into those guidelines). Unless you're changing to a larger wheel bolt pattern, a 1/16 of an inch shouldn't be a concern in a chromoly axle flange.

 

[9secRR]

the axles are hardened steel, is it possible to drill and tap myself or do i need to bring them to a machine shop?

 

[Newbomb Turk]

the axles are hardened steel, is it possible to drill and tap myself or do i need to bring them to a machine shop?

You might be able to do it but I’d send them in.

 

[TT5.9mag]

I’ve seen 2600lb Fox mustangs go 1.1x to 60 feet on 1/2” studs, with only 4 of them! Look for signs of wear or damage when you prep the car but I agree with @33IMP that at your weight you’re probably ok.

 

[TT5.9mag]

Let me also add a picture from the track last weekend.

 

[B3422w5]

1/2 inch ARP suds can take a lot of abuse.
My ex car has been 140 mph at 3220 pounds with those.
As light as the OP’s car is my opinion is it’s overkill assuming using good studs, good lugs, etc.
Kinda like 500 gph fuel pumps for typical bracket cars.

 

[Garrett Ellison]

I think on your stuff considering what ya bent up last year, you may want to upgrade & might find the 1/2 inch is already bending

I don’t know what you been bending up, but after seeing video of your car run I consider 5/8 wheel studs as “viable risk insurance.” Probably okay without them, but you’re going quick enough that you probably are having to keep check on axles and flanges for cracks, too. I’m reminded of a picture of a strange axle flange that cracked stud to stud and sheared off. It had rust through 2/3 of the crack, meaning it had been there a while.

 

[BVoelzke]

I don’t know what you been bending up, but after seeing video of your car run I consider 5/8 wheel studs as “viable risk insurance.” Probably okay without them, but you’re going quick enough that you probably are having to keep check on axles and flanges for cracks, too. I’m reminded of a picture of a strange axle flange that cracked stud to stud and sheared off. It had rust through 2/3 of the crack, meaning it had been there a while.

Going back quite a few years now I had almost new 1/2 inch studs in my Mark Williams axles and snapped them on the starting line losing a slick and bending up the 1/4 panel , luckily the 1/4 was repairable. I sent the axles back to Mark Williams and had 5/8 studs installed and they are still in the car today ! I had Weld Draglites at the time as the one that came off was damaged as in oblong ( egg shaped ) stud holes perhaps the wheel was worn all along ? I got different Draglites and drilled the holes for the 5/8 studs and never had the holes wear again . I upgraded to Holeshot wheels a few years ago and when they were built I had them drilled for 5/8 studs . The cars is footbraked , in the mid 500 hp range with 60fts high 1.40s -low 1.50s .