18 replies to this topic

[CallumAustin11]

Hi there,

 

Is it common or possible to change the wheel studs that come on 7.5'' brake discs? Need to fit spacers and not sure if I'm getting the wheel nuts on enough threads.

 

Thanks

[nicklouse]

Not that easy as you can’t go that long.

 

but if you are needing to use spacers you have the wrong wheels. Spacers are nasty.

[cal844]

Not that easy as you can’t go that long.

but if you are needing to use spacers you have the wrong wheels. Spacers are nasty.

I agree

[CallumAustin11]

Very true, however my wheels are already 6 x 10'' and they sit too far in the arches

[Midas Mk1]

Very true, however my wheels are already 6 x 10'' and they sit too far in the arches

You get arches to fit the wheels, spacers on the front of minis are a given no.

Have a google..

[nicklouse]

Very true, however my wheels are already 6 x 10'' and they sit too far in the arches

Wrong arches then.

[CallumAustin11]

I have the classic group 2 arches 

 

Look like this

[Midas Mk1]

There is no context to the above?

[nicklouse]

I have the classic group 2 arches 

 

Look like this

Perfect.

 

so let’s see yours.

 

from what you say they look like that.

[Earwax]

Purely in answer to the OP question. 

 

Hi CallumAustin11 - as you may see from the above answers - your question revolves around safety critical bits - so take extra care

 

In Theory

 

Yes, it is possible to fit longer studs.  Threading to at least the stud thickness IIRC - so for 3/8 studs -at least 3/8ths engagement.

If replacing studs on discs (any length) - be aware that some studs have mushroom type ends - and clearance can be an issue - wheels click or stop when spinning - so best addressed early

 

In Practice  ( Note all the warnings above I agree with for a road car - match correct studs and wheel nuts)

 

On race cars - if you can't get flat backed wheel studs - carefully grind the mushroom but don't over thin it. ( Easier to have some spares already done rather than try and do it in situ.

 

To ensure engagement and importantly full tightening when more than one type of wheel is being used , i drill through all the wheel nuts and tap the thread all the way through 

Another word of warning : the lug nut (wheel nut) taper /fittings can be different for different wheels so for example Contessa Nuts are different to more modern 60 degree tapered fittings

 

NOTE NOTE NOTE : on a road car with lovely chrome wheel nuts that are closed off on the end - it is hard to know whether the nut has bottomed out before fully tight - thus all the warnings about nut/stud lengths

 

AFAIK  Spacers on a road car are a big NO NO

[nicklouse]

Purely in answer to the OP question. 

 

Hi CallumAustin11 - as you may see from the above answers - your question revolves around safety critical bits - so take extra care

 

In Theory

 

Yes, it is possible to fit longer studs.  Threading to at least the stud thickness IIRC - so for 3/8 studs -at least 3/8ths engagement.

If replacing studs on discs (any length) - be aware that some studs have mushroom type ends - and clearance can be an issue - wheels click or stop when spinning - so best addressed early

 

In Practice  ( Note all the warnings above I agree with for a road car - match correct studs and wheel nuts)

 

On race cars - if you can't get flat backed wheel studs - carefully grind the mushroom but don't over thin it. ( Easier to have some spares already done rather than try and do it in situ.

 

To ensure engagement and importantly full tightening when more than one type of wheel is being used , i drill through all the wheel nuts and tap the thread all the way through 

Another word of warning : the lug nut (wheel nut) taper /fittings can be different for different wheels so for example Contessa Nuts are different to more modern 60 degree tapered fittings

 

NOTE NOTE NOTE : on a road car with lovely chrome wheel nuts that are closed off on the end - it is hard to know whether the nut has bottomed out before fully tight - thus all the warnings about nut/stud lengths

 

AFAIK  Spacers on a road car are a big NO NO

And to reiterate. 7.5” discs. You can’t physically fit studs much longer as there is a disc on the way.

 

but again there is no reason to use spacers if you have the correct wheels and arches.

[Icey]

I had to change the studs on our 7.5” setup because the studs that came with it were too short for the JBW alloy wheels we were fitting (no spacers). It wasn’t so much that it was obvious when test fitting but we had one wheel come loose (on the way to an MOT) so I measured (as I should have done in the first place - lesson learned) and there really wasn’t enough thread engagement to be safe.

I can’t blame the kit, I’m sure if I read the small print it would have said something like ‘suitable for steel wheels, check if different’.

As others have said (and I think I’ve posted before), spacers are not a great idea on a Mini. The wheels aren’t held hub-centric with a spigot/collar like modern cars, the wheels are centred by the lug nuts. Adding what is effectively a shim between the two friction surfaces is just bad news. Many will argue about the many thousands of miles they’ve covered without issue but having had wheel bolts sheer because of spacers (although not on a Mini), I wouldn’t want to take the risk.

[Cooper Mac]

As Icey says, I had the same problem with the studs that came with the 7.5” disks, there wasn’t enough thread engagement for the alloys I’ve fitted, so I had to fit longer studs.

[maccers]

I'm using a set of 10" Rose Petals from Mini Spares, they came with hub centric spacers and two sets of wheel nuts for use with different length studs. I need to use the spacers on the front to clear the caliper, and also on the rear I am using MiniFin alloy drum, I think its got the built in spacer, but seeing as they supplied 4 spacers, I used them on the rears as well, which does give much better clearance from the shock absorber. 

[nicklouse]

I'm using a set of 10" Rose Petals from Mini Spares, they came with hub centric spacers and two sets of wheel nuts for use with different length studs. I need to use the spacers on the front to clear the caliper, and also on the rear I am using MiniFin alloy drum, I think its got the built in spacer, but seeing as they supplied 4 spacers, I used them on the rears as well, which does give much better clearance from the shock absorber. 

Sorry just to correct you they can’t be hub-centric spacers as the drive flange does not have a lip to mount them to. The edge that they would have mounted on is angled so does not locate them. The Metro drive flanges were hub-centric with the four lugs on them which had to be removed to get most of the Mini wheels to fit.