Wheel stud extensions

So we are building a turbo ii 13b swapped rx7 fb and we swapped the wheel hubs to FC 5 lugs and we need to run longer studs. The issue we have is we cannot seem to remove the factory studs from the hub. I belive its steel studs in an aluminum hub, any ideas? We have tried heat, penitrating fluid, hammers, lug stud removal tools, and even 2 custom built presses we made from a c clamp and sockets. Thanks!

Where are you applying heat to? If those truly are aluminum hubs, if you applied enough heat to them and keep it off the studs, when the aluminum gets hot enough, those studs are going to fall right out. The expansion rate of the aluminum as compared to the studs is quite a bit more substantial. Also, are you doing this on the car or off? I'd be trying this off the car so as to get the best angles. Your C-clamp isn't going to do much. It really doesn't have force behind it. It's meant to hold things together, not act as a press. Go down to Harbor Freight and invest in a 12-ton shop press. They are relatively cheap and should be able to handle the job. If you're going to be in the hobby, it's something you'll be using enough to justify the expense. You might be able to pick up a used one off of Craigslist for cheap if you take a look.

Those should be high tensile steel studs with a splined shaft that is a "press" fit into the aluminium hub. The normal practice I use, without removing the hub, is to put a wheel nut on the stud and give it a respectable smack with a large hammer. It may seem to be ecessively tight if the hubs were drilled a tiny bit undersized, there is corrosion between the stud and hub, and/or there was loctite used "to be safe".

In this case, because it seems to be extremely tight, I'd go a bit further and take the hubs off so I can give a mighty smack, or use a hydraulic press, with a tube or socket behind the hub that's a close fit, but definitely a little larger than the stud head - you don't want to end up forcing the stud into a socket and jamming, or splitting, it. It will also make it easier to fit the new studs.

Oh, double check the diameter of the old Vs new studs' spline diameters as there will be several different options for the same thread and length, and a smidgion too big or small WILL cause problems. If the spine number is the same, you should be able to feel when they line up with the impressions already made in the hubs, which is the best option for fit.

Forgot, this is a good time to fit new bearings, too, especially if you've already been bashing the hub as that could mark the bearing races and rollers. Also check you haven't affected the flatness of the mounting face with your efforts.

We ended up using a MAP torch and a hammer, worked like a charm, thanks for the help! I will note that the inner bearing race moved back about 2.5 mm after heating and hammering on both front hubs we had to re seat them so keep that in mind for anyone else doing this.