APR Headstud Install

[merqury]

I have searched to get my question answered but I cound not find anything. I know there is a way to get change the studs without actually removing the head. Does anyone know how or can provide me a link that would help me out. Thanks in advance!

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

ok... if you have enough room, thread a nut on enough so you can put on another one of equal size RIGHT next to it... Literally one right after the other.. then grab 2 wrenches that are the same sizes as the nuts that are on there... Then tighten them together... Like, loosen the bottom nut while tightening the bottom nut, so they both lock together... then just turn the bottom nut counter clockwise (pretend like its the top of a bolt) until it comes out.... I dont know if you will have room though....

 

[merqury]

Well im car is being worked on right now. My turbo is out, exhaust manifold, everything basically. Heck I took down the tranny because I'm putting a lsd in there. So everything is already stripped and its just the motor thats is sitting in there.

Ok so you saying do them two by two. put one on and take the other of?

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

no.... you just tighten two nuts against each other to make them lock each other in place... then its like having a REALLY good grip on the head stud.... if you loosen the bottom nut, with the top one in the way, the only thing it will do is turn the stud out... its like making an artificial head on the bolt so you can grab it with a wrench and pull it out

 

[merqury]

Oh ok I see what you are saying, I'm going to try that when I back to the shop 2morrow. Thanks for your help!

 

[luvmygst]

Are you wanting to put head studs in instead of the stock bolts? I cant see why you would want to take ARPs out. IF you have ARP's already in they should have a allen head in the middle. You will never get 2 nuts on the ARP studs theres not enough room. To put them in just take the stock bolts out one at a time and reinstall arp studs (they have a allen key in the middle) torque to spec. Make sure to do it in the order that you torque the head bolts, and use moly lube.

 

[MyÜberFastGSX]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe they are ARP head studs, not APR.

It's best to take the head off anyway, that way you can check valve clearances, and pistons. And replace the head gasket.

 

[romeen]

I have searched to get my question answered but I cound not find anything. I know there is a way to get change the studs without actually removing the head. Does anyone know how or can provide me a link that would help me out. Thanks in advance!

I've never done it myself but here is a thread which discusses it:

http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250656&highlight=arp+head+studs

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

you dont need to check valve clearance... there is no need...

 

[daren_p]

From my understand the OP just wants to remove the stock head bolts & replace with ARP studs with the head still on the car. He's not trying to remove a stud which DJYoshaBYD is explaining the double nut method.

To install ARPS remove the factory head bolts one at a time & replace with the ARP. You want to do this in the same sequence that is in the shop manuel. Once one head bolt is removed, replace it with the ARP stud. Use an allen key on the stud and bottom it out with abit of force to make sure the stud is all the way bottomed out, loosen it off abit & repeat this several times till you know its bottomed out properly & the threads are nice & clean. Next finally turn the stud down just until you fell it start to bottom out. At this point loosen off the stud a quarter turn. You don't want the studs bottomed out when you are installing/torqueing the nut as you can get an improper reading. Next torque the nut down in about 3 steps with the final torque spec being the largest jump. I believe the ARP recommended value for the 11mm studs is 75 ft/lbs with the moly lube, I gave mine abit extra, like 80 ft/lbs. So say make your torque specs 30, 50 then finally 80. Make sure to use the moly lube on all threads & just follow the proper bolt sequence & you'll be set. After several heat cycles double check to see all fasteners are still torqued properly.

 

[romeen]

From my understand the OP just wants to remove the stock head bolts & replace with ARP studs with the head still on the car. He's not trying to remove a stud which DJYoshaBYD is explaining the double nut method.

To install ARPS remove the factory head bolts one at a time & replace with the ARP. You want to do this in the same sequence that is in the shop manuel. Once one head bolt is removed, replace it with the ARP stud. Use an allen key on the stud and bottom it out with abit of force to make sure the stud is all the way bottomed out, loosen it off abit & repeat this several times till you know its bottomed out properly & the threads are nice & clean. Next finally turn the stud down just until you fell it start to bottom out. At this point loosen off the stud a quarter turn. You don't want the studs bottomed out when you are installing/torqueing the nut as you can get an improper reading. Next torque the nut down in about 3 steps with the final torque spec being the largest jump. I believe the ARP recommended value for the 11mm studs is 75 ft/lbs with the moly lube, I gave mine abit extra, like 80 ft/lbs. So say make your torque specs 30, 50 then finally 80. Make sure to use the moly lube on all threads & just follow the proper bolt sequence & you'll be set. After several heat cycles double check to see all fasteners are still torqued properly.

Nice info.

But I'm curious, if you are replacing one bolt at a time and tightening the new stud/nut to it's final torque specification before moving on to the next fastener then it seems as if there is no point in tightening it in steps. Or am I missing something?

 

[daren_p]

Nice info.

But I'm curious, if you are replacing one bolt at a time and tightening the new stud/nut to it's final torque specification before moving on to the next fastener then it seems as if there is no point in tightening it in steps. Or am I missing something?

You raise a good point, I never really thought about it. I just used that method as I had read of others replacing the studs with the head on the car, this is the method they did so I followed. But when you think about it, doing one at a time, with the others already torqued there is probably no need to do 3 torque specs, unless I'm missing something too

 

[baocoyyie]

I also have some advice/questions. Before you put the studs in, put the washer in place, THEN install the stud then the nut. Reason is, once the studs are on, the washers are too large to slide straight down the stud AND clear the valve spring(only on some of the stud locations). Is this normal for most of you guys, or is there something wrong with my valve springs??? My car runs good and I've installed the head many times, but only on my car and no one elses. And let me know if you also have the same clearance issues should you install stud, washer, nut, instead of washer, stud nut...(as I said it's ony on certain stud locations).

 

[daren_p]

I also have some advice/questions. Before you put the studs in, put the washer in place, THEN install the stud then the nut. Reason is, once the studs are on, the washers are too large to slide straight down the stud AND clear the valve spring(only on some of the stud locations). Is this normal for most of you guys, or is there something wrong with my valve springs??? My car runs good and I've installed the head many times, but only on my car and no one elses. And let me know if you also have the same clearance issues should you install stud, washer, nut, instead of washer, stud nut...(as I said it's ony on certain stud locations).

Thats a good point, I did this as well, put the washer down first then the stud. Not sure if some of mine would have interfered as I didn't try the other way first. I have heard of other having that issue in certain locations, so you should be fine/thats the norm.

 

[romeen]

Other than removing the valve cover did you guys do anything else before replacing the bolts with the new studs?