Wheel studs

[Stratos]

Does anyone have a source of quality wheel studs?

I've got a load of the ones from Rally Design, but I'm not very happy about the quality and design of them, and am trying to find another source.

If I can't find another source of higher quality, then I'm going to get some machined up. If I do, and anyone needs some please let me know, and I'll get an extra few done.

What has anyone else used?

[Jerry B]

Dave, I owe you a set of wheel studs so give me a design and I`ll get our machine shop to make them for you. If anybody else wants some let me know aswell.

p.s I have chased up Martin Pallot at Pirelli to see where your model is.

[Stratos]

Jerry,

Thanks for the offer. I'll sort out exactly what I want and email the design to you.

The problem with the Rally Design ones, certainly the last batch I bought anyway, is that they have just taken a threaded bar and ground away a section of the thread. This saves time during manufacture, but is not the correct to make them as it means there is nothing to stop the studs gradually getting wound into the hub as you tighten the nuts. AND, after a while the stud sticks through the hub so much it catches on the upright.

If your wheels are only removed infrequently, this isn't so much of a problem.

However, my wheels are on and off all the time. We change between different wheels and tyres, taking the wheels off to check things, etc, etc, several times a day at a rally. So we always have to keep checking that the stud is not going to catch on the upright.




Re: the model and Pirelli - I'll call you because there is something I'd like to discuss with you in that respect.

[colin artus]

Dave,
You could try ARP (www.arp-bolts.com). They do wheel studs in 7/16-20, 1/2-20, 5/8-18 and 12mm-1.5. You should really be using a proper rolled thread in this application.

Colin

[Stratos]

Colin,

I need 12mm - 1.25

[Stratos]

Colin,

I don't think they do the ones I want, but thanks for the suggestion.

I've downloaded their catalogue. It might be useful in future.

[Stratos]

What I need are:

12mm with 1.25 pitch
Total length 80mm
Exposed length 68mm

as shown below.

[rutthenut]

I've used 'conversion studs' from both Merlin Motorsport (Castle Combe) and Demon Tweeks.

The Merlin ones appeared to be of a very mild grade of steel, although I doubt they would fail outright, they don't inspire too much confidence for competition use. Their construction uses what looks much like a plain length of threaded bar (studding?) and has a knurled section. This does at least cause the stud to lock up as it is wound into the hub, so won't allow it to travel through the back of the hub as you've mentioned. Whatever the quality, I never had any problems with them, so they may be ideal.

The Demon Tweeks ones look much better, but that doesn't mean they are actually any better or worse in functional terms! I ordered new ones to get a different length so I could add spacers and get a better wheel offset (for wheels of ET0 dimensions). These have a blank section on the thread as you have described, so there is nothing to stop them at the desired point when screwing them into the hub. I certainly prefer these over the earlier type I had used.

I have/had a few other studs, but have no idea where they came from, but these have a raised section to prevent the stud going too far into the hub. This looks like a good idea, but may lead to stress-raising on the stud itself.

Grayston do wheel studs too, but I have no idea of their quality.

I think that Compomotive now do both studs and wheelnuts, so they may be worth looking at.

One other point, I now use thread locking compound when fitting this type of conversion stud into the hub, just to avoid problems I've had in the garage when removing a wheel nut actually unscrews the stud from the hub.


The best option, especially for frequently-removed wheels, is to use studs that fit into the hub from the rear. I believe that Graham Bates has used Porsche wheelstuds for this purpose in the past, but I'm sure there are plenty of alternatives. What you want is a stud that has a thin 'cap' section and possible a slightly knurled part on the thread too. Then it won't come out when the wheel nut is removed.

Problem with these is that you can't fit this type of stud in the rear hub once it has been assembled - you might need to remove/replace the rear hub bearings to do this. But the front hubs are an easier option. Just need to get studs that will not clash with anything at the back of the wheel hub.

[rutthenut]

This photo shows the types of wheelstuds I've got in the garage - the shiny ones coming from Demon Tweeks (the type I have on the car now), the shorter ones having a raised section and the others, from Merlin, having a knurled section.

[roger001]

I have used the demon tweeks type and found that they migrate into the hub with time, a better source would be wellcome.

[Stratos]

John,

Mine are the same as your shiny sort.

Sounds like Roger has the same problem as me.

I would prefer ones fitted from the rear of the hub. Although as you say, it would be difficult to fit these to the rear hub with the hub in place.

Might try speaking to Graham Bates to see what he used.

[roger001]

From Johns pic the merlin studs with the shoulder look to be a better bet as presumably they can't migrrate in to the hub, what has been your experience of these ones John?

[rutthenut]

Originally posted by roger001
From Johns pic the merlin studs with the shoulder look to be a better bet as presumably they can't migrrate in to the hub, what has been your experience of these ones John?

From memory, the Merlin studs were the ones on the right, having a plain studded form with a 'knurled' section a short distance from the end. The photo doesn't really show that.

But my memory could be incorrect, as I don't know where the shouldered type came from.

I would think that the knurled part of the thread would end up damaging the hub, at least it would if the stud was frequently inserted and removed for whatever reason.

I guess it would also be possible to apply some form of 'knurling' on your existing wheelstuds, just enough to tighten up the thread as that part engages with the hub. However, I don't really like the idea of this as it seems a bit Heath Robinson (albeit potentially very effective). I stick to nut-locking compound...

The shouldered type of stud should be ideal, although maybe this is a stress-raiser in the same way that a locknut can be. If the shoulder is in the right place though, such that the stud does not protrude from the rear of the hub, I should think this is best overall.

I haven't had (so far) problems with wheelstuds migrating into the hub when removing and refitting wheels. I've only found problems with the stud coming out of the hub when the nut is removed but brings the stud with it - ending up like the normal wheel-bolt style, which is a real pain when refitting wheels.

Having said that, I think that the stud did go into/through the hub when working on my car at some stage, due to the nuts being of a closed design and not being deep enough. Once the stud bottoms-out in the closed wheelnut, something has to move!

And using studs fitted from the rear of the hub wouldn't solve that, so I guess that open wheelnuts may be best for this (and lighter too, by a small amount).

Ensuring that the stud length is correct for your hub/spacer/wheel combination is also important, not only to avoid the problem described here, but also to ensure that there is enough of the thread engaged when the wheel is mounted.

[Sando]

Anyone tried the ones from Walkers Garage/techno2? - http://www.tecno2.co.uk/wheelbits.htm

I saw them at the autosport show and was going to go there for a set. If I remember right they had a blank unthreaded part between wheel and Hub to stop them winding in too far.

Main thing was though that they were High tensile steel with rolled threads. They also did a selection of competition nuts too.

Another reason for my interest was they also did them longer than I'd seen anywhere before - 100mm which may be useful if you were running with spacers (- which they also list for Alfa/Lancia hubs)

Jerry/Dave if you come up with a good solution I'd be interested in a set. (I pesume 12mmx1.25? - Beta / Fiat hubs)

Cheers
Rob:cool:

[Stratos]

Originally posted by Sando
Anyone tried the ones from Walkers Garage/techno2? - http://www.tecno2.co.uk/wheelbits.htm

I saw them at the autosport show and was going to go there for a set. If I remember right they had a blank unthreaded part between wheel and Hub to stop them winding in too far.

Main thing was though that they were High tensile steel with rolled threads. They also did a selection of competition nuts too.




These sound exactly what I want. I'm willing to be the guinea pig. I'll order some tomorrow.


Originally posted by Sando
Another reason for my interest was they also did them longer than I'd seen anywhere before - 100mm which may be useful if you were running with spacers (- which they also list for Alfa/Lancia hubs)



The ones from Rally Design also come in 100mm size. I have some of those also. They have the same problem as the 80mm ones.

[roger001]

I'll be interested to see how you get along, let us know.