Seems pretty simple. 8" Ford rear with Chevy steel wheels. On my floor model drill press I'd lower the table all the way down so I'd have a surface perpendicular to the drill head. Next, I'd build a tall jig outta 1" square tubing to secure the axle to the table. I'd bolt this template to the existing 5 x 4.5" wheel studs, make my marks using the 4.75" holes and drill away! What am I missing here?
There is no reason, there are jigs being sold all over to change the bolt patterns of axles. Not sure I would use a plastic ring for a pattern.
i recently had this come up when a customer wanted the larger bolt pattern wheel put on his '70 duster. i planned to drill out the axle for the larger pattern but [1] there was the hole, to access the axle flange, that would have had to be welded closed and [2] the larger bolt holes would have been drilled too close to the out side edge. i don't know if you will run into these issues just food for thought.
HAMBer Rottenleonard makes nice drill guides, and sells them here. I have a couple, including a custom one he made for me. Good stuff. Super accurate, and well made.
I believe you'll find the "jigs" right here in the classifieds; E-Bay for sure. Butch/56sedandelivery.
http://www.rottenleonard.com/Drill-guide-price.html http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679673&highlight=drill
No problem at all. I've done several. Use a centering punch to get the holes exact. Use a large vise and socket or piece of pipe to press in the new studs.
Be sure you have the right size bit, the wheel stud has to fit just right. I drill a hole in some scrap first to make sure it is a tight fit. The holes in factory axles aren't always a standard size.
There's a reason rottenleonard's drill guide jigs are made with tubing, people...using 1/8" of steel or plastic to keep anything centered or vertical is a crap shoot...don't ever trust a drill press to remain perpendicular unless the thing weighs 700+ pounds and is built like a tank...you do NOT want your wheel studs going into crooked, oblong, or oversized holes...as a machinist and a fabricator, rottenleonard's drill guides are the only thing I would use by hand...I don't know the guy and I don't give a shit if he sells any of them, I just recognize a good idea when I see it...take my opinion for whatever it may be worth, but I'm not risking mine or anyone else's lives by doing a botched wheel stud job because I was too damned cheap to pay someone to do it right or to buy the right wheels...there's enough hacks in the world already...
I made a jig years ago out of some 2" thick aluminium, it centres on the driveshaft hub where the drum sits, I fitted the stud holes with hardened tubes, I just clamp in place and drill down, pretty easy to make really.
They ought to give you a medal brother. Most places will drill those 4" bp axles with a clear conscience and if you put any power to them they'll split the outer ring on the axles.
Might not be the case with stock axles, but with most aftermarket pieces you will wipe out drill bits on the hardened hub.
Second that I've done it many times. same with brake drums because drums are located off the center hole the stud holes do not have to be as accurate.
Exactly what I was looking for, opinions and real world experience! Nobody's told me why I can't do it so it looks like I will. I have a 50's Craftsman floor model dp that's very heavy and quite stout that I refurbished.......should do the job. As far as the axle flange access hole, I plan to weld in a machined slug. As far as drill bit diameter, I assume you size it to the wheel stud shoulder width and the knurl just locks the stud in?
page 175 here - http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalog/hardware2006/173-178_sec10_part8.pdf I'm not sure I'd count on being able to drill a hole with a diameter accurate +/- 0.005 inch
A drill press isn't going to hold that sort of tolerance, your best bet is to drill .010 or .012 undersize and buy a reamer...I really want to stress how serious it is to do your wheel studs properly...don't skimp out on safety... Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
These are nice !!! Well worth every penny & come with the drill bits too! I drilled a small oiling hole in the drill guide and that made life a lot easier for on car drilling. I'd change one thing though, the final hole size requires a 0.625 shoulder on the stud, that's theeee biggest they come and if you should ever have a problem there's not a bigger one to go to. Also need to clearance the big head of those studs for some chevy axles when adding a 4.5 pattern.
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