onefastviking

Yes, but then you should be inspecting the whole car every weekend, nut and bolting the car, and doing spot checks thru out the weekend of things like lug nuts/studs, tire pressures, just a general peak under the car and check of all the fluids every session or two. I think many people get lured into not checking things because well, our Porsche cars do go so well for so long without much done to them. It's a blessing and a curse.

I admit, I may be more **** than most people from a mechanical standpoint.

Matt Romanowski

I'm with you on this one. I've always nut and bolted my cars before an event. A quick check to make sure all the subframe mounts are tight, engine and transmission mounts, suspension mounts, calipers, etc. only takes a half hour or so. It also lets you find little problems that will turn into big problems.

jakermc

I've added motor mounts to my nut & bolt check list!

fatbillybob

One of the things that contribute to stud failure is the condition of the mating surfaces of hub to wheel. Check to make sure these are are clean and flat no bubbling paint, corrosion etc... Hub centric wheels need to fit passively and cleaning on the hubs not get forced on overcoming friction by bolting the wheel down. Galling of threads by sliding alloy wheels over steel threads can mess with proper torque of nut to wheel. Those variences can dynamically induce stresses in the studs. I'm not saying that's the problem but those things can be.

FFaust

Older thread, but always relevant.

Care to share "your" best practices? Installation, Locktite, lube or not, replacement frequency if any, etc.

I broke 3 of the black Race-Studs on separate occasions last year. I always use breaker bar to loosen, and final torque by hand.

Spoke at length, and sent samples to Bill @ Apex, who was very supportive, but we could not determine a cause. I also NDT'd the surviving studs, but none were cracked. Threw the studs away and went back to bolts until now.

Apex have just now received a new batch of rolled-steel studs (v. the old cut steel kind), so I have a set coming.

I would really want to know if I am doing anything wrong.

FFaust

Thanks, I'll pay attention.

onefastviking

I use the black studs, in various lengths. I try to always hand start the first few threads to make sure they are on and threading without cross threading. Then it's usually buzzed on with electric impacts from there. Usually the first couple nuts are spun on 75-90% until the others are furth on and then I go back.
I do hold the bottom of the wheel so it's flush/even with the rotor/hub and NOT cocked sideways in a bind. - I feel this step is VERY important !

Then hand torqued to 95 ft lbs using my Snap On torque wrench that gets checked yearly to be sure it's not over/under torquing and of course using only steel lug nuts on the studs.

If they start to show some rust or galling of the threads I do address that before it becomes an issue. And I have had to throw away a few "questionable" nuts every once in awhile. They were probably questionable tho due to me getting in a hurry and starting one on a little cross threaded and then catching it before it damaged the stud. I do always carry extra nuts and extra studs with me.

When removing the wheel nuts, it's always done with the car in the air and an electric or air impact on remove. The occasional time I have had to loosen with a breaker bar and car on the ground I only loosen a quarter turn with the vehicle weight on it, then jack up that side and remove as needed. So no real stress on the studs that way.

When you hear how much those studs are rated to I really don't think it's the studs just failing, regardless of how strong you may be, - I think it's more a stress that is being put on it at some point. What point ? I'm not sure. But hope my procedure helps.

FFaust

Thanks, your procedure is pretty much my procedure, except for the loosening part, which is always done on the ground with a breaker bar in my case. But again, like you, just enough to get the nut started in reverse.

Studs installed with Locktite?

What about the use of anti-seize, which I don't use? Wheel bolts have free turning conical washers, studs use one-piece solid nuts...

Something is happening at some "point", but what. I kind of like Billy Bob's comment about having the mating surfaces perfectly "clean". Otherwise, the uneven surface could cause a false torque to be seen, which could then loosen up a bit and put a side-load on the studs once in use.