Wheel stud kit on order ... now worried about them breaking on the track?

[Tbonem3]

In regards to the wheel hub/lip surfaces-

I clean them with wd-40 and red scotch pad. I wipe it all away with a rag that's already somewhat saturated with wd-40, so I believe it leaves behind a thin film. This seems to keep water away, but not enough to attract dirt/sand/pebbles. FYI.

[Obioban]

I'm not taking a stand on the reliability of track studs or wheel bolts.

However.

I think a lot of people hugely over torque their wheels at track events by checking their wheel torques when they come in and everything is still hot. Hotter bolts/studs are longer, so the torque is lower. Once they cool, you're over torqued. Rinse, cycle, repeat every session, and you have hugely over torqued wheels by the end of an event.

[mrgizmo04]

BMW does not recommend it but I put anti seize on the lip.

If you don’t, dirt and corrosion will prevent getting a proper mating between the back of the wheel and hub. I would suspect THAT is what causes many wheel stud failures outside of the Apex wheel studs.


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The slight issue with anti seize is that it creates a wet environment for dirt and brake dust to stick to, so you have to clean those surfaces and reapply every time you take the wheels off.

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[r4dr]

I'm not sure if they are the first, but I'd definitely say they are the most out spoken about their product and known.

Absolutely need a larger sample size to know for sure, but it's crazy to me to think that we have all just decided this component that literally keeps the wheel attached is such an unknown and everyone is "relatively" ok with that idea.

Agreed. For anyone who hasn't read their technical material (though keep in mind they're also selling the tech): https://www.core4motorsports.com/tech

To me, a big entry for the "pros" column is that all OEM wheel studs, to my knowledge and in my experience, are press-in. These thread-in studs are only aftermarket conversion options as far as I can tell.

Does tire compound affect the studs' integrity as well? I feel like it wouldn't, since the entire hub/bearing assembly is what absorbs the massive increase in lateral forces from running R-comps or slicks, and the wheel itself is statically mounted on the hub face.

[bigjae46]

What is just as if not more critical than torquing the lug nuts properly is making sure the hub surface and back of the wheel is clean. Especially the hub lip where corrosion always builds up.

BMW does not recommend it but I put anti seize on the lip.

If you don’t, dirt and corrosion will prevent getting a proper mating between the back of the wheel and hub. I would suspect THAT is what causes many wheel stud failures outside of the Apex wheel studs.

Although warned many times, my buddy used the same studs for about 8 years and probably 100 track days. Don’t ask.


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[George Hill]

Core4 is the first to offer press-in for BMW right? At least they're the only ones I've heard of. The science and engineering behind it seems sound, but I'm also not an engineer and it's technical info posted by Core4 themselves. Need a larger sample size and more time before one can say.

I'm not sure if they are the first, but I'd definitely say they are the most out spoken about their product and known.

Absolutely need a larger sample size to know for sure, but it's crazy to me to think that we have all just decided this component that literally keeps the wheel attached is such an unknown and everyone is "relatively" ok with that idea.

[S14]

since last june, i've gone to the track 16 times and i run apex wheels/studs and had zero issues. i'm probably going to change over to the FCP set and do a full swap annually with their warranty. in 2021, i'll finally be joining in NASA time trials.

That's an impressive amount of track time for any season, let alone a COVID one!

I've run a bunch of different studs of the years and right now my car has Motorsport Hardware ones from FCP euro because I plan to warranty them every other season.

[r4dr]

Does removing nuts with an impact gun affect the life of the stud?

I would think removing is ok, but tightening is where you run into trouble.

I use a 20v impact on high torque to remove nuts, but switch it to low impact to put them on - then follow up with torque wrench. I have never reached target torque with the impact gun on low torque.


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That's a good question and I think you're correct. I use a 60 lb-ft torque stick but I always start them by hand. Gives me enough headroom +/- 60 lb-ft to then just follow up by hand.

[eacmen]

I as well switched from Apex to MSI studs after seeing more and more failures online. However, it seems even the MSI studs have failed a few times (especially if you believe everything in the "Broken Stud Gallery" on the Core4Motorsports website).

I do 10-15 track days a year, and probably remove/swap wheels on my car easily 50x a year, although I ALWAYS loosen nuts with a breaker bar before removing them with a gun, and only put them on just past hand tight with the gun and torque by hand from there. Never broken a stud in the 6 years I've been running studs and tracking this car. I know the MSI studs are used in Nascar and are designed to be gunned on and off, but since we're really installing them in an application not designed for studs, every extra precaution you can take is a good idea.

Does removing nuts with an impact gun affect the life of the stud?

I would think removing is ok, but tightening is where you run into trouble.

I use a 20v impact on high torque to remove nuts, but switch it to low impact to put them on - then follow up with torque wrench. I have never reached target torque with the impact gun on low torque.


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[BBRTuning]

I as well switched from Apex to MSI studs after seeing more and more failures online. However, it seems even the MSI studs have failed a few times (especially if you believe everything in the "Broken Stud Gallery" on the Core4Motorsports website).

I do 10-15 track days a year, and probably remove/swap wheels on my car easily 50x a year, although I ALWAYS loosen nuts with a breaker bar before removing them with a gun, and only put them on just past hand tight with the gun and torque by hand from there. Never broken a stud in the 6 years I've been running studs and tracking this car. I know the MSI studs are used in Nascar and are designed to be gunned on and off, but since we're really installing them in an application not designed for studs, every extra precaution you can take is a good idea.

[r4dr]

Core4 is the first to offer press-in for BMW right? At least they're the only ones I've heard of. The science and engineering behind it seems sound, but I'm also not an engineer and it's technical info posted by Core4 themselves. Need a larger sample size and more time before one can say.

[George Hill]

I don’t...I added that line in because as far as I can tell, in racing, “nothing” is fail proof.

Ahh far enough. We are about to use the Core4 setup in our shop car and have not heard anyone say anything bad specifically about press-in studs conversions so I am trying to compile as much info good or bad for them.

[jareds941]

Do you have any accounts of a pressed-in stud failing on a BMW?

I don’t...I added that line in because as far as I can tell, in racing, “nothing” is fail proof.

[Maxhouse97]

Yeah I figured as much, simply a risk tolerance equation.

[George Hill]

The endurance racing teams I'm close with have switched to press-in wheel studs. While certainly not failure proof, they are significantly better.

Do you have any accounts of a pressed-in stud failing on a BMW?