front hub putting lug studs in

[edford]

trying to figure out how to replae lug studs on front ford escort.cant get the hub off ,even with 3 leg puller. Does it have to be pressed off to replace a stud . 2 my lug studs are stripped thaanks

[snshddog]

Easiest way is to get 2 or 3 washers and a spare wheel nut, plain short open nut if you can. hit the bad stud out then with the new one lined up put the washers and then the nut on, grease on the washers helps too, they are there so the nut does not dig into the hub, if you have a short open nut use the flat side against the washers. tighten till it seats in the hub. don't use the same nut you used to pull it in when the wheel is on. Just to be safe recheck the torque on the nut a number of times to be sure it seated in fully.

[denisond3]

It may be different depending whether your Escort is a 2nd gen (91-96) or a 3rd gen (97--). With the 2nd gens there isnt 'quite' enough room for the old stud to be driven backward & to get it out - due to the knuckle assembly being in the way. One guy was able to do it by having the hub rotated to where the back clearance was at a maximum, filing or grinding some of the threads down on the old stud, and driving the thing out. Hacksawing the old stud to make it shorter would also work. He ground away part of the base of the new stud, so he could get it in without damaging its threads. It didnt take away enough of the base to weaken it much, and at least he got rid of his problem; messed up threads.
The advice of the prior poster about how to 'draw' the new stud in to 'seat it' is good. After you have the car back on the road, I would check the torque on the studs again after about 25-50 miles.
Try not to hammer on the end of the old stud without putting some piece of steel between the back side of the hub and the front of spindle. This is to prevent the wheel bearing from getting the effect of being hammered sideways. To press the old stud out using something like the tools used for pushing out the tapers when you are replacing a tie rod end would be ideal. I havent had to do it to my Escorts, but using a cold chisel that had tapered sides was what I did in the case of studs on my Dodge Omni. It saved the wheel bearing from any damage.

And you should use new lug nuts of course.