Wheel studs: What you need to know before making the switch

Wheel bolts or wheel studs? Exactly. 

When we called BimmerWorld to order some studs for our E46-chassis BMW M3, we figured it would be a quick transaction. But, as usual, things went deeper, and we learned a thing or two. 

One big takeaway: “User error is a massive issue with wheel studs,” BimmerWorld’s James Clay tells us. How’s that? Torquing lugs while hot–like immediately after a session. Stop doing that, he stresses, and follow the factory settings. (Spoiler alert: Proper torque for BimmerWorld’s studs and nuts is 75 lb.-ft., but always check the directions.)

And something else James stresses: Every piece of metal in this world, including lugs and studs, has a limited lifespan. Studs, he continues, are built to withstand a limited number of torque cycles. There isn’t an indicator, however, so he recommends regular replacement. 

On race cars, he figures 30 to 35 hours before swapping studs–the air guns used during pit stops are close, he says, but aren’t as accurate as torque wrenches. Even DE drivers, he continues, should implement some kind of schedule. 

So, back to studs. We learned there is more than one flavor, and the take-home message here is to talk to your vendor and figure out which one is right for you.

1. Street studs are the first rung of the BimmerWorld ladder. The bullet nose helps ease the nut in place, while a hex head at the tip aids installation. These studs feature a simple shoulder. They’re black zinc-coated, and at 75mm long, they’ll accommodate a 12mm spacer. Retail price is about $5.50 each. 

2. One notch up is the BimmerWorld Race Bullet Nose Wheel Stud. The big difference: The threads run out into midair, which helps with nut installation during pit stops. These studs also come treated with Dri-Loc locking adhesive. They’re offered in 82mm and 92mm lengths, and they retail for about $7 each.

3. BimmerWorld’s top, motorsports-grade offering is its Premium Race Bullet Nose Wheel Stud. As the name suggests, it also sports a bullet nose and features the Dri-Loc adhesive coating. These studs also have the same tensile strength as the regular race studs. 

We went for the top-tier studs. Wheel studs serve an important function, so we wanted the best ones possible and figured this wasn’t a place to save a few bucks. Those undercut mounting threads and that extra shoulder sealed the deal for us.

The Premium studs, however, receive mounting threads that are fully undercut to prevent the stud from cutting into the hub. The stud also features a pronounced shoulder so those undercut threads can’t touch the face of the hub. Adding that shoulder requires each stud to be cut from a thicker piece of material, hence a more expensive process. These studs are offered in 73mm, 82mm and 92mm lengths at about 10 bucks each.

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