Here is what I did to install longer wheel studs on the rear of my 04 Cobra. I did not do the front but I'm sure some of this applies there as well.
Loosen the lugs and put the car up on blocks or jack stands (I always keep the jack on a hard point for back-up).
When remove the disc the parking brake cable gets in the way of one of the two 15 mm caliper mounting bolts and is a real PITA to get a "6 point" socket on it. Remove the C clip that holds the brake cable in the caliper. Then remove the screw that hold the brake cable clamp on the lower control arm (this will give you more slack in the brake cable). Remove the two 12 mm bolts that the caliper slides on. Now rotate the caliper to give you better access to the 15 mm bolt. Use a ROUNDED screw driver to pry the cable out of the way best you can so you can get a socket over the 15 mm caliper mounting bolt. Don't use a sharp squared screw driver that will beat-up on the plastic parking brake liner. Remove the remaining 15 mm caliper bolt and it's off the spindle. Now the disc can be removed.
I was able to pop the old studs out with a pair of hefty C-clamps and a bar of steel between them across the stud as someone on the board suggested. Just alternately tighten the C-lamps until the studs pop out. It worked real well and I was able to do it without removing the shaft or pounding on the axle. If the stud was stubbern I would give it one wack with a hand sledge and it popped right out.
To install the new stud find a wheel lug with the most number of threads you can find and ground the end off to make it open (grind it flat and perpendicular to the tapped hole so it won't gall the hub or punch through the installation washer). Now I have an extra long installation nut with lots of threads so it will engage many more threads then a regular nut. Don't use a grade 8 nut that might strip the stud. Use a HARDEND 1/2" washer under the lug and draw the stud through the hub. Do it slowly and don't crank it down all at once. Use lots of anti-seize on the threads, stud splines and on the hub under the installation washer.
What I ended up doing us installing Moroso 3" wheel studs. The problem I had with just about every extended wheel stud I saw was that they where threaded all the way up to the spline. The stock stud had a 9/16" dia. shoulder on it that the disc sat on. Whithout this the disc would be loose and rock back and forth on the studs (not good) under breaking and acceleration. Solution: cut a small piece of 9/16 OD x 1/2" ID x 3/16 lg STEEL tubing and tap it all the way down until it seats on the axle hub (use lots of ani-seize). Presto! now the disc will be nice and snug on the hub. With 3/8" hubcentric wheel spacers I was able to use the extra long closed end wheel lugs for a truck which took up the excess stud length. Now I have about 24 turns on the lug before it clamps the wheel.
It's a bit of a hassle, One side took me 2-3 hours but once I got the routine down the other side was done in half that time. I'm real happy with the results
Loosen the lugs and put the car up on blocks or jack stands (I always keep the jack on a hard point for back-up).
When remove the disc the parking brake cable gets in the way of one of the two 15 mm caliper mounting bolts and is a real PITA to get a "6 point" socket on it. Remove the C clip that holds the brake cable in the caliper. Then remove the screw that hold the brake cable clamp on the lower control arm (this will give you more slack in the brake cable). Remove the two 12 mm bolts that the caliper slides on. Now rotate the caliper to give you better access to the 15 mm bolt. Use a ROUNDED screw driver to pry the cable out of the way best you can so you can get a socket over the 15 mm caliper mounting bolt. Don't use a sharp squared screw driver that will beat-up on the plastic parking brake liner. Remove the remaining 15 mm caliper bolt and it's off the spindle. Now the disc can be removed.
I was able to pop the old studs out with a pair of hefty C-clamps and a bar of steel between them across the stud as someone on the board suggested. Just alternately tighten the C-lamps until the studs pop out. It worked real well and I was able to do it without removing the shaft or pounding on the axle. If the stud was stubbern I would give it one wack with a hand sledge and it popped right out.
To install the new stud find a wheel lug with the most number of threads you can find and ground the end off to make it open (grind it flat and perpendicular to the tapped hole so it won't gall the hub or punch through the installation washer). Now I have an extra long installation nut with lots of threads so it will engage many more threads then a regular nut. Don't use a grade 8 nut that might strip the stud. Use a HARDEND 1/2" washer under the lug and draw the stud through the hub. Do it slowly and don't crank it down all at once. Use lots of anti-seize on the threads, stud splines and on the hub under the installation washer.
What I ended up doing us installing Moroso 3" wheel studs. The problem I had with just about every extended wheel stud I saw was that they where threaded all the way up to the spline. The stock stud had a 9/16" dia. shoulder on it that the disc sat on. Whithout this the disc would be loose and rock back and forth on the studs (not good) under breaking and acceleration. Solution: cut a small piece of 9/16 OD x 1/2" ID x 3/16 lg STEEL tubing and tap it all the way down until it seats on the axle hub (use lots of ani-seize). Presto! now the disc will be nice and snug on the hub. With 3/8" hubcentric wheel spacers I was able to use the extra long closed end wheel lugs for a truck which took up the excess stud length. Now I have about 24 turns on the lug before it clamps the wheel.
It's a bit of a hassle, One side took me 2-3 hours but once I got the routine down the other side was done in half that time. I'm real happy with the results
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