where to get hilux steering arm studs

[Petemcc]

I have snapped a couple of studs on my hilux (hold steering arm to swivel hub) and have lost a cone washer. Where should I get some replacements? Are there any stronger alternatives I should be going for? Though it seems that they just snap because they are loose. Putting it back together with lock tight and checking them regularly should sort it out.

Cheers,
Pete

[Big]

check 4wdbits.. they have a few options..

[4wdstuff]

and 4wdstuff

Cheers
Tim

[rokhound]

This comes as a direct result of running larger tyres. It seems to be a real issue when you go to 37" and above tyres with hi steer arms, although I have heard of guys having the issue with 35" boots as well.
If you really want to sort the issue once and for all, talk to Tim at 4wdstuff about getting some 6 shooter hubs and arms, or you can google doing a 5 stud conversion.
This is how I did mine:

This pic shows the housing built up:


Than get some capscrews and thread them the full length of the shaft, You screw these in from the inside of the hub. There is some clearancing required with the die grinder:


And mocked up with the old arms on. This is prior to welding a 10mm tag to side of the hi steer arm:


You may just be able to make out the arm here:

[tomsoffroad]

Hey Pete. I drilled out the threads on my knuckles and put stainless heli- coils in, then replaced the studs with cap screws. I had to retighten the cap screw 4 times before they were fully seated but now they don't come loose.
However after having gone to such lengths I still have a pair of six shooters sitting in the shed waiting for "that day" when I get time

[Petemcc]

A mate at work has some spares I will use this time round. Should have really gone with the 6 shooters before I got it certed. The high steer arms I have have been crack tested marked and are listed in the details of the truck so I will stick with them for now.

I have only been running my 33s lately and at times run 35s so should be ok for a while if I keep an eye on them. Will see how I go and might go to 6 shooters at a later date or if I start running bigger tyres.

[Jafa]

Having had a lot if "experience" with the Toyota steering arms/studs situation, I'll offer my 2c worth. Six studs are a waste of time, money and effort, that said I have them on my axle, but they fail just the same as 4 studs. The trick to making Toyota arms stay put is not by increasing the size or number of the studs, but by preventing the arm from rotating around the kingpin. The biggest issue is the fact that the cone washer/stud system is trying to do two jobs, 1- hold the arm to the swivel housing, ie a stud and nut, 2 - a dowel to locate the arm, that's the whole point of the cone washer, you don't see cone washers on many other applications where its just being a fastener. The problem with the stock setup is the conewasher is 7-8mm away from the mating face, allowing the 4 studs to flex, come loose, then break.
The way to make it work is to add a "key" between the arm and the swivel housing. Now I did this way overboard by milling a slot in both bits etc, but you can just add a 8mm dowel between the two parts and it works a treat.
Here is the theory, and the practice lol
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=678&start=480
Way overboard for a normal truck, but the dowel system works great, we did it to Wayne (Mudzilla) Tweedies truck back in the day, and its bulletproof.

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[Petemcc]

Thanks Jaffa,

Have you got any photos of the "dowel" method. Has anyone put a keyway in a 4 stud setup?

[derk]

Has anyone put a keyway in a 4 stud setup?

if you key a 4 stud arm you mill a vertical keyway

[Petemcc]

Yea I thought that would be the case

[4WDbits]

We have a couple of different stud options. All listed http://www.4wdbits.co.nz/ProductsList.aspx?CategoryID=30

Got to say the keyway idea looks far superior to the other options.

[rokhound]

Has anyone put a keyway in a 4 stud setup?

Not quite, there is not a lot of room to sort it with 4 stud. Here's how I did mine. Key is not quite as grunty as Jafa's, but still better than nothing at all.

[jeremy]

Here's a keyway in a 4 stud setup...

Not meaning to thread jack, but we had the same issue with our studs coming loose, and a few months ago we broke them all off and lost steering,
So I took the parts to work and cut 8mm key ways, should give it more strength as its not just driving off the studs.

Quoted from here: http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/ ... 43#p376243

[suzolla]

The above works okay for the std arms but not the high steer arms as the part that has the key fitted is only pressed into the high steer arms.
Cheers
Tim