New studs vs ET lug nuts

UglyDuck

TJ Enthusiast
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Dec 10, 2021
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404
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Goodyear AZ
Ok so I have the short lug nuts on the rear wheels. I’ve been running the ET lug nuts for proper thread engagement, but now I’m doing rear brakes and axle seals/bearings, I.e., it’s all taken apart.
I have an opportunity to replace the shorter style wheel studs with longer ones.
Is one better than the other, I’ve been weighing it my head but wonder what other think.
One benefit would be uniform lug nuts all the way around vs front / rear specific (as I’m running normal lug nuts up front).
Mechanically I’m not sure if it matters,
What say you?
 
I replaced the rear axle studs with ones from a '98 ZJ with disc brakes; they are 3/8" longer. I needed the extra length since I was doing a disc brake conversion and had a set of 5x4.5" to 5x5" adapters installed, but I also installed the extended lug nuts for more thread purchase.
 
I replaced the rear axle studs with ones from a '98 ZJ with disc brakes; they are 3/8" longer. I needed the extra length since I was doing a disc brake conversion and had a set of 5x4.5" to 5x5" adapters installed, but I also installed the extended lug nuts for more thread purchase.
I looked for those 98 ZJ lugs on rock auto but came up short.
It appears that the front lugs from my 02 TJ would work, but I could be wrong. I found some locally just trying to decide if it’s worth the hassle
 
I looked for those 98 ZJ lugs on rock auto but came up short.
It appears that the front lugs from my 02 TJ would work, but I could be wrong. I found some locally just trying to decide if it’s worth the hassle
At the time when I did my conversion that is all I could find available; so that is what I went with....
Years ago I went to the local NAPA and searched thru their parts bins and found grade 8 studs that were 1/2" longer, but that was 10 years ago and parts availability now is not the same.
 
Jeep sold 4 studs over the YJ/TJ years:

Front early (90-99ish)
Front Late (99ish-06)
Rear Drum
Rear Disc

They range from shorter to longer and vary in knurl taper from front to rear:

Drum - 1" long .615 knurl
Disc - 1-5/8" long .615 knurl
Front early - 1/5/8" long .625 knurl
Front late - 1 9/16 long 0.625 knurl

I personally went with the front late ones on my rear axle, but they are really long. Not too long for my decently large lug nuts, but just a lot of threading. A buddy had them on hand so I used them. If I were to do it over, I would use the rear disc studs which are plenty long over the drum studs and have a slightly smaller knurl taper which makes them a bit easier to install.
 
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I ran spacers on my '03 for a while. I replaced the studs in my rear 44 with the studs called out for the front axle. Then I was able to use standard lug nuts on the spacers. Later, when I got the TorqThrust wheels I was able to switch back to the acorn style nuts that came with the wheels with no problem from the longer studs.