Wheels Spacers and Front End Vibration

[soonercruiser]

Originally Posted by Sinbad

Which anti-seize do they recommend for wheel nuts?

I usually only find one brand hanging at the auto stores.
Not sure what brand it is.

[soonercruiser]

My Subaru racing son this morning recommended...
THAT IF YOU WERE GOING TO USE WHEEL SPACERS....
Just have longer studs installed on the hub, rather than two sets of nuts!

Personally, I found TWO NUTS very useful!

[NitroPT]

Originally Posted by soonercruiser

My Subaru racing son this morning recommended...
THAT IF YOU WERE GOING TO USE WHEEL SPACERS....
Just have longer studs installed on the hub, rather than two sets of nuts!

Personally, I found TWO NUTS very useful!

If you do this you need to more frequently check your nuts.....

Seriously it is a good idea but most wheel spacers are aluminum and during tracking a car the wheel even steel will flex (very small degree's nothing drastic) as well the aluminum spacers and the lug nuts on a studded assembly will start to become lose.

I run longer studs and wheel spacers on one of my MINI's and after a few laps at Leguna Seca I need to re-torque them.

As for anti-size on lug bolts or studs I am always very cautious of applying it because of the chance getting anti seize on the rotor or pads.

I prefer more often to carefully apply and use GIBBS.

[soonercruiser]

Originally Posted by NitroPT

If you do this you need to more frequently check your nuts.....

Seriously it is a good idea but most wheel spacers are aluminum and during tracking a car the wheel even steel will flex (very small degree's nothing drastic) as well the aluminum spacers and the lug nuts on a studded assembly will start to become lose.

I run longer studs and wheel spacers on one of my MINI's and after a few laps at Leguna Seca I need to re-torque them.

As for anti-size on lug bolts or studs I am always very cautious of applying it because of the chance getting anti seize on the rotor or pads.

I prefer more often to carefully apply and use GIBBS.

Do you have to use a mini torque wrench on Mini????

[NitroPT]

Very funny Frank......

[soonercruiser]

MYSTERY SOLVED!!!!

Before the final resolution, I got another front end alignment, and front wheels balanced.
*Because I pulled away from the house, unknowingly with the driver's side front tire down about a month ago, and I drove back to the driveway...I had them pull the driver's front tire off and be sure I had not damaged the sidewall. (Yes, I have done that before, driving too far.)
Usually there would be rubber crumbs laying in a pile inside.
NO DAMAGE SEEN!

So, this morning I drove 40 miles to my TRUSTED fav dealer...going no faster than 55 mph.

I had written the tech out a sheet of what I had done, attached to the Wilwood instructions and diagrams, and an explanation why I had to use wheel spacers.

BOOM! No longer than 15 minutes and test driving, he comes and wants to show me something!

**Although I had the right idea by going from half inch spacers to a whole 1 inch....the tips of the OEM hub lugs were still hitting the back of my Am. Racing wheels.
It did not feel like it when I mounted the wheels.
**But, the tell tale sign was that I had driven enough on them now, that the lugs made an indention on the back of the alu-min-ium wheels.
Here is a picture!



Sooooo....Yes, I could easily mount the wheels and torque them down; but, it all depended on which lugs I torqued down first as to the flushness of the mounting.
This would also explain why, when every time I took off and remounted the wheels, the wiggle through the steering wheel at 60 mph felt different....better or worst!

NOW REALIZE, that although I did match up these American Racing Torque Thrust wheels based on specs like lug pattern, offset, etc. ......they were a VW match. Which means that the VW lug pattern probably closely matches the locations of the cut-outs on the back of the wheel. (But not Chrysler)

You might ask....why not just grind the cut-outs on the back of the wheels??? (Would have to rebalance the wheels)

I asked for the best, easiest fix, and he said cut/grind off the OEM lug nuts a little.....rather than using even wider spacers.

When done, he noted that for some reason the rears only needed a little rounding on the edges....
While the fronts required a short cut, plus rounding.

Drives perfect now at 70 mph+!

[NitroPT]

Wow! this thread as fun!

hey Frank good fricken thing you didn't use thread locker (locktite)on any of the wheel studs....can you imagine..ROLMAO!?

[soonercruiser]

Originally Posted by NitroPT

Wow! this thread as fun!

hey Frank good fricken thing you didn't use thread locker (locktite)on any of the wheel studs....can you imagine..ROLMAO!?

This ole guy that worked on my PT has been there I started going there back in 1997....when I bought my Dodge Caravan.

He's just a lifetime of knowledge, and even the one that figured out that it was the transmitter for my door poppers that was draining my battery!

I'm sure he even has a fix for locktite lugs!
I saw a nice size sledge hammer sitting there!