tcracing

Could not find this on any thread, but maybe I did not look hard enough: why did Porsche change to lug bolts on the wheels? Was it a safety or cost issue? It is such a pain to take off and put on wheels on the 997 GT3 RS.

stout

Use the small aluminum peg in your toolkit, of, if need be, buy one. It was standard in all 986/996s.

Remove one lug, then screw the peg in to help you guide the heavy wheel. Most Porsche mechanics don't even use it, but should. Also a great way to prevent chipping a PCCB rotor.

I'm sure there are several reasons Porsche went to bolts (I know I am forgetting one of the main ones right now), but I have to say the integral washer and the elimination of the need to swap studs with spacers (such as the 5-mm factory spacers when paired with the red-washered "GT" bolts) are two very nice things.

I don't miss the aluminum lug nuts on steel studs. They were pretty, but most serious track deals and almost all racing bodies make you swap them for the steel nuts...

pete

tcracing

Pete, most of us use the lug nuts on our race cars, it is just a faster way to change the tires/wheels. We use the open, steel lug nuts, required by PCA Racing. I do see your point/s on lug bolts for street cars. It is just more time consuming to do the exercise you describe and unless you follow your suggested method, absolutely you will drop/rub wheel on a caliper or rotor sooner or later.

Thanks for the input, I like having you be part of our board.

Tico

mxdave74

Tico,
I have no idea why Porsche, BMW, etc use bolts instead of nuts, but also can't imagine how one can get frustrated hanging a wheel and inserting the bolts. For BMW or Porsche, I have never needed the "locating stud" to hang my wheel and start the lug bolts. Perhaps your pit experience (quick changes) with studs and nuts has conditioned you to be quick but imprecise. You should have no problem hanging each wheel before bolting it on. Just takes a deft touch... keep at it and you'll get the feel.

mooty

who cares about PCCB rotors or calipers, i have dropped and broke my little toe, bruised my ankles and knees... almost landed the wheel on my daughter too

mooty

once you have used studs and nuts, you will never go back to bolts again.
it's akin to using tire iron vs impact wrench to looser the bolt/nuts

stout

I dunno, I've owned Porsches with both setups at the same time and the bolts didn't bug me all that much (even when using the spacers and GT bolts)....and I change wheels and tires around on my own cars fairly often (though maybe not as often as you cats! ).

On the other hand, if speed is critical, studs are probably better. But I have to wonder if wheel-swap speed is *really* critical in anything other than endurance racing.

As for hassle factor, I think that aluminum peg eliminates most of it. I'm just surprised so few independent Porsche mechanics even know it exists.

Finally, I think I remembered what I was forgetting. Big part of the reason for the switch was assembly time, but I don't think the part *itself* is a big cost-saver over the old aluminum nuts. If you look at those bolts, they are actually a pretty nice piece. Heavy, as a result of being steel, but that integral aluminum washer is an extra mile...

Now, if one wants truly trick bolts for 997s, they are available in Ti...

pete

stout

BTW, Tico, if that's your stable, I really dig it.

Visually, those cars really work together...

pete

OldGuy

I love that peg

roberga

Having PCCBs I remind the non-porsche guy that the replacement cost of a rotor is >$5K... they use the peg

Austin

There are wheel studs available for your car but there's cost and sometimes headache associated with them (example, honing brake rotor bolt pass through holes). Most everything from Germany (maybe everything?) is on wheel bolts rather than studs these days. I have no 1 reason why, probably cost, and serviceability - ease of replacement.

P.J.S.

careful mooty... all that "studs and nuts" talk... one might get the wrong impression

mooty

austin makes some very very TRICK wheel bolts, bull tip and all. very cool.
i really want it, but then austin is right, you have to counter sink all the holes on rotors.... $$$$$

rufstuf

It is easier to swap out different spacer to adjust for wheel offset when using bolts. Just get shorter or longer bolts to match spacer. This is much more involve when using studs and nuts.

mooty

actually that's the opposite of all the ppl i know of.
many of us run studs long enough to go from 0mm to 20mm spacers. studs stays on, add spacers as you wish, put the same nuts back on.