The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Searching for wheel studs...'46 1.5 ton

Howdy All --- If anyone has come across a source for wheel studs (lug bolts) that fit '42-'46 1.5 tons...please...share it. Been through NAPA and all the online outfits that supposedly have the old stuff with no luck. Thanks in advance.

I know parts for 1.5 and 2 tons are find through regular suppliers.

2 suggestions:

Press one out and take it to your local heavy truck shop or spring shop. They can probably match it off the shelf.

If you want to do it on line, I have had good luck finding odd wheel studs through tractor supply sites (not the retail places the real ag parts suppliers.

Just went through this mess too. Skip NAPA and Dorman - I tried both places and they don't have anything that fits. The truck repair shops in my area didn't have any 9/16 either. I scoured the Internet too, but nothing. I ended up finding another truck a guy was scrapping out and got the whole brake drum from him. From my recent experience, your best bet is to find a replacement with good studs. I'm gonna start scooping these up as I find em now. I know someone out there needs em. I sure hate to see em scrapped just because they're for a big truck. Hope this helps. Keep us updated on what you find

I know I had trouble getting lug bolts for my 52 2 ton, the front brake drums were each missing one. I ordered bolts from Jim Carter that the catalog said were for a 2 ton but were too small. I checked with NAPA and they just laughed at me. I found the right bolts at a small parts store but had to buy a box of 10. Just saying some of the independent parts places might be able to get them. My 2 cents.

For the rear I found that the knurl diameter was around .670" This was measured from an old original stud that certain cam out easy, but was still holding well. I ended up going to a knurl diameter of .680" just to make sure. This wasn't available readily in a 9/16" so I made the jump to 5/8" The only other thing to consider is the shoulder length. My Dorman book shows

610-071 Knurl diameter .680" and a shoulder length of 1" overall length of 2 7/8"

611-057 nut worked great and puts the thread right at the end go the nut.

Front was a little tougher... I went with a Dorman number 610-389. Had the right thread and knurl diameter but the shoulder was a little long. I put them in the lathe and turned the shoulder down to 9/16" or .562. I used a 611-054 nut that matches the rear nuts above.

If anyone is having problems getting these locally I would be glad to source them and mail them to you. My lead time was same or next day for all part numbers listed above.

Hope that helps. I also have a Dorman book that list every put number with a picture and all related specs. Give my your numbers and I will find something that works!

Hey Guys --- Thanks, but...I just woke up from a major DUH moment. In order to properly fit the new 19.5" wheels, I need to swap out the old wheel studs for the larger 2002 Chevy ones so finding replacements for the '46's is a non issue. Back to the drawing board.

Hy Guys, I did some research on the 9/16" rear wheel studs, and I did find one that is correct in all respects except it is too long, I think most of us have some sort of tool that can adjust the length. Any way here are the p/ns
Raybestos 27813B
Napa NOE6412181
F@#d E5TZ1107B
Dorman 610-303
I did purchase one of these and installed it in a hub and it fit perfectly, hope that helps.

Looking at the specs for the 610-303 the shoulder length is longer than the 610-389 that I used.... Have you tried these on your front hub? I ended up having to turn the shoulder down on my lather to get them to work. Just curious if my front hubs have a thinner flange? Also the knurl is a little larger in diameter at .677 vs the .666 of the 610-389, I don't think that is a huge deal, but the shoulder length may be an issue.

Hopefully we can get a good list of part numbers for all of us to reference.

A slightly different approach to solving loose fitting lugs came from the big rig diesel mechanic I have been working with. He said he has fixed the problem on a bunch of them by shimming the serration with a strip of aluminum Coke can cut and wrapped around that end and driven back in. Swears it works just fine.

Sounds a little wacky to me but stranger things have worked.

BTW...this cure was only to prevent the stud from spinning when removing the nuts. Once the lug and nut are torqued down nothing moves anyway.

Hy Guys, at the moment I only have one hand that I can use and I have no medium duty front hubs apart, so it will be some time before I can check the stud fit in a front hub, sorry.

Looking at your pictures, I noticed it looks like your front axle has bolt on dust caps. 2 ton axles were like that. The 1 1/2 ton axles used a screw type dust cap. 1 1/2 ton, & 2 ton trucks had different size lug studs, in most cases. Last time I needed new studs I looked up the original part number out of the Master Parts Catalog, & used Parts Voice to find the original studs on a Chevrolet Dealer shelf. The Master Parts Catalog also gives the stud dimensions.

Howdy Spanky --- there are some shots of a 2 ton in my album but they are of a spare parts frame I picked up. The ones on my bus are held on with several screws. I am waiting on the disk brake kit that Randy Domeck (on this forum) is building to confirm whether it will fit my 1.5 ton axle or whether I have to transplant the 2 ton. Hope to know for sure pretty soon.

Where did you find a Master Parts Catalog? The Chevy dealers here can't look up or find squat. Even on new vehicles.

If you have screws {bolts} holding the caps on, it's a 2 ton.