Front wheel studs - standard or longer for Minilites?

[Steves_TR6]

The front wheel studs on my car are well 'used' , it's quite tricky to thread the wheel nuts on.

 

So I'm thinking of replacing the studs and nuts.

 

My question is : do I want standard length studs or would longer ones be more appropriate with the Minilite replicas ( Minators ) that are n the car??

 

If so what stud length should I go for?

 

Steve

[RogerH]

Hi Steve,

there are various styles of nut for the 'minilite' wheels. There are cone shaped nuts that need a long stud. Or the parallel sleeve nut that can fit on to a standard or even shorter wire wheel stud.

When you find your wheel you need measure the plain shank in the stud hole and calculate which you need.

You need a minimum of eight turns on the nuts.

 

There is also the centre locking nut for wire wheel adaptors.

 

Roger

[Steves_TR6]

Thanks Roger, very interesting and useful !

 

I already have the wheels fitted by a PO, so its the parallel sleeve nuts.

 

the issue is that when putting the wheel on its very fiddly to get the threads to engage, i suspect either the stud or nut or both are worn and thus difficult to get to 'mate'

 

before buying new studs and nuts id like to be sure of getting the most appropriate size.

 

i shall measure the length of the studs, depths of nut and wheel indent, and see whats what........

 

steve

[Guest ntc]

Steve

I would doubt the the studs will be worn,more like the nasty cheap nuts that some supply it always pays just to chamfer the end of the nuts to aid fitting

Edited January 2, 2013 by ntc

[RogerH]

Hi Steve,

what Neil states is very valid. The nuts are very cheap and nasty on many of these wheels when first supplied.

What I found on my parallel sleeve nuts was that the outer diameter of the barrel was not concentric with the threaded hole.

As the outer diameter fits neat into the wheel hole this means that the threaded hole is NOT rotating concentric with the stud and so plays silly buggers.

Putting a chamfer on the 'outside' diameter of the nut may help inserting it.

 

These nuts have three points of concentricity - the six faces of the nut, the outer diameter and inner diameter. You will probably find ALL three are out.

 

Roger