Changing from Lug bolt to wheels stud and nuts

[Spartan]

Hi everyone,


Well as the title says, I am getting to old to be chasing wheels around and decided that wheel studs might be a better option for me, especially with those phat arse rear ends on the car.



Yes I have one or two of the locator thingy's but they screw in ok, get bent with the weight of the rear wheels and then getting them out after is a nightmare.

No, I am not using spacers of any size and you may think...how often are you taking a wheel off


Well, let's just say between the tradies who drop screws and scrap on the road, to the roadworks people who take three to five years to complete a task and leave crap all over the expressway, once a month is not unusual lately.


To cap it off, the wife's car is also the same, but at least the wheels are smaller and lighter.


So, I figure with the plethora of conversion kits around such as M14x1.5 to M14 x1.5 or even M12x1.5/1.25 might be a workable plan. My rims are not the radius head/round dome style, but 60'/Acorn type.


This has been verified by two wheel specialist shops. Wheel nuts will not be a problem and I have no intention of using spacers, but I might fit a set of M series mags later if I can get the tyres on them.



I have seen a lot of Aluminium Alloy wheel nuts for sale, but I think I will stick with the steel ones myself.


Has anyone done this modification, have working knowledge of it or simply good advice regarding this conversion.



Thanking you all in advance, Jeff

[BimmerBreaker]

Studs are weaker, they change the stress point that occurs.

If the concern is reinstalling wheels, I would just use the wheel hanger tool in the toolbox. If you don't have one buy one for a few bucks. It's a silver shaft with a gray plastic shoulder on one side. You insert it into the hub where the wheel bolts go, hang the wheel, install a few wheel bolts then slide out the tool and install remaining bolts.

[Factory6speed]

I did a stud conversion on the f30. The problem that I didn't know about at the time is it blocks the adjustment screw for the parking brake. That's maybe not too big of a deal you would just have to take one of the studs out to adjust the parking brake. Maybe yours is good but you might want to adjust it before you put them in.

On the x I've just been using the two wheel pins and it's okay. Using one pin is about pointless, two makes all the difference. It sounds like you need to run a chaser tap through your lug holes and clean the threads out because everything should go in and out really easy. Really I don't know why I even did the stud conversion, the two pins is actually fine. I also use them during removal to avoid bending the brake dust shield when the wheel falls off.

The kits from Motorsport hardware are junk. I went with these they're pretty decent. Some people will say not to use titanium for this or that reason but it's been fine for well over 6 years.

https://www.mrgraceco.com/store/p68/...ONVERSION.html

Here is a pic of them and 531m wheels before I blew the car up. I did get the driveway pressure washed

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker

Studs are weaker, they change the stress point that occurs.

I would just use the wheel hanger tool in the toolbox.

It's just my opinion, but if studs were weaker, the "R" Series Mack truck I used to drive cross country in the Australian Army must have been in a league of its own . I don't see that particular reasoning at all, but it makes you wonder why almost all Euro cars use Lug Bolts .


As for the Hanger, I did mention that I have been using them and they were bending, but I never used two as mentioned after your comment, so I might give that a go.


Thanks for your reply, appreciate the input. Jeff

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Factory6speed

I did a stud conversion on the f30. The problem that I didn't know about at the time is it blocks the adjustment screw for the parking brake. That's maybe not too big of a deal you would just have to take one of the studs out to adjust the parking brake. Maybe yours is good but you might want to adjust it before you put them in.

On the x I've just been using the two wheel pins and it's okay. Using one pin is about pointless, two makes all the difference. It sounds like you need to run a chaser tap through your lug holes and clean the threads out because everything should go in and out really easy. Really I don't know why I even did the stud conversion, the two pins is actually fine. I also use them during removal to avoid bending the brake dust shield when the wheel falls off.

Some really damn good points there "F6S", I do have two bent wheel pins and that is from using one only each time. You are right about catching the dust shield to


I will head off to the Tool Shop and get an M14x1.5 tap and give all the threads a good clean and use a light oils as I do it. I think I will also get a full set of new lug bolts, maybe a bit better looking than the bog standard ones and all will be well once more in the land of X5.


An interesting point I would like to know, are all BMW mag wheels Conical/Acorn type angle? I did think that they were radius/ball type fitment on the earlier models.


Thank you for that info, I am going to order two new wheel pins today as well.


Jeff

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Spartan

It's just my opinion, but if studs were weaker, the "R" Series Mack truck I used to drive cross country in the Australian Army must have been in a league of its own . I don't see that particular reasoning at all, but it makes you wonder why almost all Euro cars use Lug Bolts .


As for the Hanger, I did mention that I have been using them and they were bending, but I never used two as mentioned after your comment, so I might give that a go.


Thanks for your reply, appreciate the input. Jeff

I went to using two hangers after using one and having it bend. Haven't had an issue yet and it's been years with lots of on and off.