Threaded Rod vs. Head and/or Manifold Studs

I'm thinking head bolts need to be a certain type/strength. "Other" types may stretch easier. 

If you go with the wrong material you can consider those studs to be seized in the head forever.

When I installed a new manfold gasket on 'Paris', I 'cheated' and used cut down, rethreaded bolts and regular nuts(2 washers though). I know I ain't going to live long enough to complain 'I should have used the correct parts'.
Using 'proper' parts would cost about 50 Canucks...I have free bolts and lots of time.

Jay

Manifold bolt usually screw in to the block UpTo the end of the threads that shoulder where the treads stop is what seals the ones that screw in to the water jacket all tread WILL leak

Couple things here.
Studs like that are usually grade 8 or even 9 which is much stronger. Stud and bolts are also stronger that threaded rod. Say you have a 1/2 bolt, most of the bolt or stud is 1/2 diameter, but when you have threaded rod the threads take away some of the meat. SO now lets say that it's only 7/16 diameter. Grandpa had an old wagon that had the tongue attached using a rod that was threaded on each end. The rod broke one day. He replaced it with threaded rod and he broke it again about once a month, 3 times or so until someone told him to get a solid rod, threaded on both ends. It never broke again.

2nd thing is removing the old studs. You have a fairly good chance of breaking one when trying to remove it. Then you're down to trying to drill it out and hope you don't ruin the hole. If you're going to remove them yourself, make sure to get a stud extractor for the best chance.

The machine shop removed mine for about $30 and I bought a new set from DJ's tractors for about $30. Be careful with Steiners. They have good stuff, but can kill you with shipping. Lot's of good sellers on this site.

Threaded rod is definitely not for high vibration, heat, and clamping force. Use a regular grade 8 stud to do the job. You'll have nothing but nightmares using threaded rod. 

I would just spend the 30 bucks and get the right studs and brass nuts. Unless I absolutely had to for some reason I wouldn't use threaded rod.

Talk to one of the vendors on this website, e.g. Tony's Tractors, OK Tractor, DJS Tractor Parts- most sell a manifold stud kit for the WDs, already the right length/size and they come with brass nuts to prevent seizing. Reasonable price for having all the right hardware in one package and good to support these guys.

Edited by Bill_MN - 20 Dec 2016 at 4:10pm

the studs were meant to bottom in the head to create a good seal in the water jacket 

There's something here I sure don't understand here. I agree 100% with using grade 8 bolts even when I knew the bolt didn't need to be that good. But I don't get the point of using a brass nut if you think you need the clamping force of a grade eight bolt. That being said it was probably my fault that I over tightened the brass nut and ruined it. That's why I preferred the stainless that didn't rust to the stud very bad. They did have a tendency to back off without some kind of lock. But my way is certainly not the only way, and I respect other opinions and ideas. This is a great place to come to get problems solved.

If your stripping the brass nut trying to get enough clamping force you've got bigger problems. either your manifold isn't flat or the head requires decking. The brass nuts are sacrificial they are suposed to strip out when there to crowded to get off any other way. The studs can then be cleaned up and resumed. Except usually the engine gets run so long leaking it runes the studs and erodes the head. Then it needs to be removed and decked to get a manifold to seal.

   I also do like HudCo,,,,,

Our's are on sale right now:

That should take care of that. And didn't have a falling out over it. Good show.