heavy85 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 After seizing a lug nut this weekend at the track I've decided to upgrade to ARP studs. Problem is I can't find some quality lug nuts to go along with them. Any suggestions? Thanks Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trwebb26 Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Wuzzup boss - having a good week off? What seized? Did the threads strip on the lug nut or the stud? Front or rear wheel? Is the stud bent? Are any of your other studs bent? Get a thread gage and make sure none of your other studs have stretched. Check the face of your hub and wheel to make sure they are flat and true. Does it appear as if your wheel and hub are slipping and "fretting"? With the retarded torque you are making with the LS1 and racing slick friction at the ground - or the side forces you are putting on the front wheels when you turn... you may be at the limit of the 4-stud wheel design. Do the other hardcore autox-ers on this site run 4-lug wheels and have they had problems? With the new studs - you might consdier over-torquing the lug nuts giving you some added capacity in your bolted joint. I've heard that McGard lugs or Gorilla lugs are good quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Are you running DRW's? If so, I'd get lugs from them as I think the angle on the chamfer of the rim is different from other steel wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 Tim - Last weekend at Autobahn was friggin awesome. The nut seized about halfway on because they've been taken on and off a zillion times. The treads are simply worn out and were flaking off the edges into small metal shavings. Apparently one of the flakes got stuck in the threads and I had no choice but to turn it till the stud snapped. I dont think it has anything to do with the car itself just cheap studs and nuts that have been used many more times than they were probably design to. Ain't skeered with 4 lugs. They are also 1.25 fine pitch which obviously doesn't help matters. I plan to switch to GM/Miata 1.5 pitch which as of Saturday night I already have one installed . Camaro/Vette/etc as well as Miata studs are the same knurl I believe as the Z but use 1.5 pitch instead of 1.25. EDIT - got that thing running yet? John - yes I'm running Diamonds wheels. I started off using their aluminum lug nuts but they are huge as they use a 1" socket. They didn't fit the street wheels so it was a PITA to switch nuts when you switched tires. This year I changed over to generic nuts that dont seems to have any compatibility issues in 9 events so far this year. That reminds me I have a set from then when I ordered the wrong size and never returned them. I'll have to dig them out but I remember they were huge as well. Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 1" is pretty much standard for circle track nuts, regardless of whether they're Al or steel. I'm not a fan of Al lug nuts from my years working on Porsches. We had to have special sockets to avoid beating them up and even then they'd wear pretty bad. Plus its not like the factory Porsche wheels were that light to begin with, so Al lug nuts just seemed like a cheesy "look at how high tech I am" thing to do. On all the race cars we ran steel, FWIW. I do want to say that the angle on the wheels is different from your standard acorn nuts. Whether or not that makes a difference is another story I suppose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trwebb26 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I haven't touched the car... I'm in home repair jail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Are you using a anti-seize or lubricant on your studs? I've never had this happen to me but I make sure they are not dry. I've seen many people have this problem when they don't. Good studs and soft nuts are best. If the nut gets cross threaded you zip it off and throw on another. That's standard race car practice. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zNHChris Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I just did my lugnuts off the 82zt parts car. The chrome was a pain to blast off but they came out nice and clean. They are heavy steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Are you using a anti-seize or lubricant on your studs? I've never had this happen to me but I make sure they are not dry. I've seen many people have this problem when they don't. Good studs and soft nuts are best. If the nut gets cross threaded you zip it off and throw on another. That's standard race car practice. Cary Yes these were dry. In the past I've used anti-sieze but basically forgot when I installed these studs last winter. In talking with fellow racing engineers who have talked the bolt experts at work about anti-sieze they decided to use oil. I tried oil but it seemed to disappear after one use and again forgot to add anti-sieze. You do have to realize that anti-sieze will impact the stud stretch and the required torque. Anyway I know all this and I know why they siezed I'm just trying to find a brand or store to buy 'quality' nuts. Are you saying just use the bling crap off e-bay or whatever the autoparts store has when you say 'soft' nuts? Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apossiblehybrid Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 kics is a good brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Are you saying just use the bling crap off e-bay or whatever the autoparts store has when you say 'soft' nuts? I'm using standard diamond nuts. If you're wheels allow it I'd try any of the quality circle track parts. I've had people "help" me and cross thread the nuts and start to drive them on with an impact. And these can be backed off only screwing up the nut so far. I life the studs and the nuts every three years and that may help too. I'm sorta anal that way. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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