Thread loss!

[Jms81661]

time for longer studs

So I would think 1/2" spacers then I should get new studs that are 1/2" longer?

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[Bluestem]

Okay, this has my curiousity peaked. I picked up some 1/4" spacers on here the other week with the intent to add them once I put new tires on next year(was planning on going to a 255/75/17 tire), not interested in bailing on the Dynapros yet as I thought they performed well this past winter, figured I'd put at least 25000 miles on them. I was doing my oil change this morning and tire rotation so I figured I'd put a spacer on to see the difference in thread engagement.

So without the spacer you get 9 full turns of the lugnut and with the spacer I got 5. What are the opinions on this. 5 full threads at 1.5mm each = 7.5 mm or about 1/3 of an inch of engagment. Again not planning on putting them on at the moment.

 

[HenryMac]

Hi Blmpkn,

The Ford Rule is three exposed threads.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

The 3 exposed threads method works great on old school regular open lug nuts.

But most folks are running enclosed mag wheel lug nuts... and there are no exposed threads on an enclosed lug nut.

 

[HenryMac]

Okay, this has my curiousity peaked. I picked up some 1/4" spacers on here the other week with the intent to add them once I put new tires on next year(was planning on going to a 255/75/17 tire), not interested in bailing on the Dynapros yet as I thought they performed well this past winter, figured I'd put at least 25000 miles on them. I was doing my oil change this morning and tire rotation so I figured I'd put a spacer on to see the difference in thread engagement.

So without the spacer you get 9 full turns of the lugnut and with the spacer I got 5. What are the opinions on this. 5 full threads at 1.5mm each = 7.5 mm or about 1/3 of an inch of engagment. Again not planning on putting them on at the moment.

9 turns x 1.5mm = 13.5 mm
13.5mm = 0.53 inches
ref. chart on post#3 of this thread shows min = 7/16 inches = 0.4375 so 9 turns is good

5 turns x 1.5mm = 7.5 mm
7.5mm = 0..29 inches
ref. chart on post#3 of this thread shows min= 7/16 inches = 0.4375 so 5 turns is not adequate

This is all a bit of crap shoot. The grade of material of the stud and of the lug nut all factor into this. My advice would be to contact a lug nut manufacturer such as Gorilla and ask them.

Gorilla Automotive Products

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Okay, this has my curiousity peaked. I picked up some 1/4" spacers on here the other week with the intent to add them once I put new tires on next year(was planning on going to a 255/75/17 tire), not interested in bailing on the Dynapros yet as I thought they performed well this past winter, figured I'd put at least 25000 miles on them. I was doing my oil change this morning and tire rotation so I figured I'd put a spacer on to see the difference in thread engagement.

So without the spacer you get 9 full turns of the lugnut and with the spacer I got 5. What are the opinions on this. 5 full threads at 1.5mm each = 7.5 mm or about 1/3 of an inch of engagment. Again not planning on putting them on at the moment.

Hi Chris,

This makes sense the way you calculated the thread engagement. However it does tell what the minimum thread engagement which which you can get away using. Purchase a standard lutnut from the auto parts store and thread it on with the spacers. If this standard lugnut has threads showing you would probably be okay. Does the spacer MFG suggest longer studs? I have never been a fan of wheel spacers, but folks are running them and not reporting any failures or wheel separation.

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Bluestem]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll just end up getting new studs to be safe. Like I said I was more curious than anything and thought it might be helpful to do a little experiment.

So now after a cursory search of the googles, I can't seem to find out the length of the stock wheel studs, anyone know what this might be without knocking one out of my hub?

 

[Trigganometry]

Standard lug nuts will not engage enough threads using spacers. You will end up stretching the studs when torquing to 100 ft pnds.

They do make “necked” lug nuts to compensate for the thread loss as seen in photo.

 

[HenryMac]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll just end up getting new studs to be safe. Like I said I was more curious than anything and thought it might be helpful to do a little experiment.

So now after a cursory search of the googles, I can't seem to find out the length of the stock wheel studs, anyone know what this might be without knocking one out of my hub?

Got a dealership close to you? Call the parts department... if they have a stock wheel stud, go over and measure it.. or just buy one.

 

[Jms81661]

Standard lug nuts will not engage enough threads using spacers. You will end up stretching the studs when torquing to 100 ft pnds.

They do make “necked” lug nuts to compensate for the thread loss as seen in photo.

Woah! This would work? I was thinking only a 1/2"-3/4" spacer would be enough but I didn't want to change the lugs. So I ended up going with 1" spacers cuz they have new lugs on them.

 

[Jms81661]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll just end up getting new studs to be safe. Like I said I was more curious than anything and thought it might be helpful to do a little experiment.

So now after a cursory search of the googles, I can't seem to find out the length of the stock wheel studs, anyone know what this might be without knocking one out of my hub?

I was in the same boat as you. I only wanted to go with a 1/2" or 3/4" spacer and realized I should change the lugs. So opted for 1" Bora spacers from Stage3 cuz they come with new lugs on them. I just didn't want to get into the whole deal of what size are our lugs and how bigger lugs I'd need to install. Just lazy I guess, and my math skills are a bit hazy. So I went with 1".

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