Ok guys I need some help on this one...
I'm getting the Dana 44 back together after taking it apart and am also swapping it over to 8 lug. I've got all the parts but when I got the new 8 lug rotors it seemed to me that the wheel studs were too short.
I am running new aluminum wheels that are about 1/4" thick at the mounting flange and I wanted to make sure I had enough thread engagement for the lug nuts.
That said I pressed out the studs that came with the hub/rotor and pressed in stock 14bolt SRW studs which are about 1/2-3/4" longer.
After getting the longer studs pressed in, the hub and rotor have some play between them when I grab the hub and twist.
Here are the options as I see it - please comment and let me know what you think
1) Leave it with the play - I just put this here for you all to tell me it's NOT an option, seems like a good way to break the wheel studs or other parts.
2) Tack weld the top of the rotor hat to the bottom edge of the hub a few times around it's circumference. I think this might be ok but could be bad if the tacks break and I am then back where I am in option 1.
3) Go back to the shorter studs. They will be just fine and I am over thinking things - just make sure they stay tight and torqued often.
I tried looking for other examples where the studs were too short and longer ones were needed for thicker wheels but didn't find any - I would guess plenty of people have run newer wheels on an 8 lug front without trouble. I am leaning towards option three - what do you guys think?