So I went to take off my race tires from an autocross yesterday and three of the studs on the drivers side rear axle completely stripped. The lugs went on fine when I put the wheels on. I am not talking just the threads either, the whole ends of the studs are completely destroyed. They look like they were stuck in a pencil shaprener. The lugs are destroyed as well. I have never heard or seen anything like this. Its like the studs were all of a sudden eaten away by something. Anyways, is there anywhere that you guys know of where I can get better quality studs that fit the 350Z?

 

Man I hope you didn't suffer the same mishap my dad went through when he had his SF Challenges put on. The lugs from xxxlution xxxxsports were for Hondas, but the installers didn't find out till they tried to unscrew it.

Try talking to Jason@Performance, and I'm a lil bit weary about reusing those lugs!

 

I will not be re-using the lugs. I don't think I had the same problem as your dad. I have probably changed my wheels and tires 20 times since I have had those lugs.

I ordered Nismo wheel studs and lugs from Jason today.

 

Very strange. Need some closeup photos.

 

^^^ I will take photos when I get the new studs in. I have the wheels on there with two lugs on right and two others on wrong. I don't want to take them off and strip them more until I have to.

 

What do you mean by the lugs went on fine? You did hand tighen them right? I don't see how the threads could get messed up unless an air tool was involved putting the lugs on. You torqued the lugs appropriately too right.

 

Yeah I put the lugs on by hand with a torque wrench. It was like something happened to the studs during the one day that the other wheels were on. I don't understand it either. The only thing that I could even fathom was that something got too hot and they sort of welded themseves together. There is no way that they could get that hot though, especially at an autocross.

 

Yeah I wouldn't think an autocross could do that. I would recommend some anti-seaze on the threads in the future if you aren't using it. Are your wheels hub centric? Were the lugs still tight when you took them off? Maybe the wheels started seperating from the lugs and backing the lugs off enough to mess up the threads and when you took them off it ruined the threads the rest of the way.

 

They were the OEM track model wheels. The lugs were still pretty tight too. I think if it would have started to seperate then all of the studs would have been affected. That still may be what had happened though.

 

im curious to see the photos as well!

 

Well I overnighted the Nismo studs and lugs from you yesterday so hopefully the pictures will be up soon.

 

Galled studs.

I had that happen several times on the SpecV until I was educated that you need to put some anti-sieze on the studs.

 

ding! ding!

 

ding ding ding.

 

I beg to differ. Please do NOT use anti-seize, or ANY lubricant on the threads. You will get overly high streach of the studs using factory torque specs. Torque specs are for clean & dry threads.

Not sure what caused your issue, but have you checked the accuracy of your torque wrench? Not saying you are doing the torqueing incorrectly, but they need to be tightened COLD, and do not turn the wrench any further once it clicks......I recently watched a "mechanic" on a Porsche add an additional 1/4 turn after I heard the click!

 

What are the factory torque specs on the Z? Just to make sure that I am not the stupidest man alive...

 

it depends on the lug nuts you are using...

the stock ones / nismo / general steel lugs are around 85 ft/lbs...

 

Ok good. Thats what I thought. So with my new Nismo lugs and studs it still remains at 85 ft.lbs. right?

 

I think I beat you on the "stupidest man alive" honor!

But, the shop manuel says 73-93 ft-lbs. I use 85 ft-lbs. I've changed my wheels about 50 times, and I only had to "chase" a few threads. I used a Snap-On re-threading die. It bends the threads back to shape. It does not cut any metal.

I use aluminum lug nuts now, and while they were once black anodized, they have lost all blackness! I track my Z a lot which cooks everything in the wheel well.

Here is a pic:

 

the aluminum lugs should only be torqued down a dozen times at most they say...

if you track your car and use open ended lugs like that I would highly recomend the longer hub bolts... those lugs are threaded all the way through... you might as well use them all...