I need to run a 1/4 in. spacer to push the Cragar Star Wires on the Rambler wagon out from the brake drums. Called up the local tire joint and told them I needed to order longer wheel studs. He told me they'll need to be swedged in order to fit my drums. What is this swedging he speaks of and will they in fact need it? If it's anything other than spinning chrome 24's, these folks seem to be clueless.
This makes me laugh... when I was about 15 my father and I were looking for a replacement for my Mustang because it had broken free... dad told me it was swedged and I cracked up and accused him of making up words... I thought he was making a contraction of the words smash and wedge! He made me look it up in a dictionary. s'wedge... it IS a real word.
the brake drum could have a swedge where the lug bolts pass thru them to tighten the fit there......[imagine a bolt thru a hole and then taking a center punch and peening it around the hole- it would tighten the fit] They probably were referring to the fact that the new studs dont just slip in like a bolt in a hole......they are splined where they pass thru the hub flange and may even have a degree or two of taper -therefore they are "forced" in by the tightening or by pulling them in/or [press fit]
That's where the knurled shoulder of the stud is pushed or pulled into the press fit hole in the drum. I knock out the old one with a punch and pull in the new one with a couple washers and a reversed lug nut. Just make sure the shoulder is tight on the inside and the stud has no wiggle.
For a 1/4" spacer??? Should be able to just leave the studs, especially if those wheels use shank-style lugnuts.
Knock one of the old ones out,and take it to a REAL parts store. They should be able to match something up.
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