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clyde
07-10-2005, 05:00 PM
well, im convinced that the car's issue in Peru is not what we thought at first. Well, at least, not their fault entirely. Short version, lost some threads on a rear wheel stud. JohnV chased it down there and we were able to get a new lugnut to torque down. Talked to my tire shop this week. The owner apologized, told me to get a new stud and call him back to set up bringing it in to the guy that preps his race car to replace it.

Get to today's event. A nut on the left rear doesn't want to come off. Stud snapped near the outside, sowe only lost a couple threads. Put on another new lugnut, torqued. No problem.

Today's event, the cigarette lighter fuse blew again, so no GTech. Lost the video feed from the external camera sometime during my first run. JohnV had fuel stumble on one run. We couldn't get any more gas before I had to go to the line for my next run. Had a couple episdoes of stumble before spinning it. Twice. In the last 1/8th of the course. Somewhere along the way, John earned a rerun. He beat me with it.

Worked the course.

Came back to swap the wheels backf or the street tires to go home. One stud on the right rear (different than the bad one from Peru) refused to take a nut. Fux0r3d two nuts. Drove home with four on the right rear.

Got home, mowed lawn. Mower ran out of gas. Borrowed some from a neighbor. Got stung by a wasp or hornet on the leg. Got sting by another one in the armpit when I came by that way again.

rumatt
07-10-2005, 05:34 PM
That sucks. So wtf is it?

clyde
07-10-2005, 05:49 PM
That sucks. So wtf is it?

"wtf is is?" what? What's causing the studs to fail or go bad or whatever you want to call it?

Not 100% sure. There might be some crap getting into the lugnuts that's causing issues. They've been through about 45 wheel change cycles, so they may be getting stressed and soft. Going to replace them all and go from there. In the future, I'll probably just replace them all each winter for as long as I own the car. Some people are suggesting to me to use anti-seize, but I'm not sure if that would be the best thing. Some others suggested running a die down the threads each time before putting the nuts on to be sure that they're straight and clean. Overall, I think that replacing the studs on an annual basis will be less work.

bren
07-10-2005, 07:01 PM
That's crazy. I guess Mazda didn't expect people to change the wheels every single weekend.

Replacing them definitely sounds like the way to go.

Plaz
07-10-2005, 08:36 PM
Bummer.

Sting in the armpit sounds like the worst part, though.

dan
07-10-2005, 08:38 PM
are these OEM studs or did you add them?

clyde
07-10-2005, 09:09 PM
OE

John V
07-11-2005, 07:12 AM
My personal opinion is that the nuts are the issue. They looked to be pretty cheapie soft-thread jobs, and I think the frequent wheel and tire changes are causing threads to deform.

Realistically anti-seize should always be present on lug studs / nuts, but most people don't do it.

I agree with the stud and nut replacement though. I think they're just old and fatigued. I'll help... just need to plan some shop time.

JV

Roadstergal
08-02-2005, 10:22 PM
I guess Mazda didn't expect people to change the wheels every single weekend.

I've seen Miata studs last through multiple weekend wheel changes for years (autocross or track junkie friends).

Pinecone
08-03-2005, 07:54 PM
I agree, anti-seize on them, and replace the nuts on a regular basis.

Studs get replaced less often, but once a year on a serious comp car is not out of the question. Doing tire swaps on a regular basis is very had on the studs and nuts.

And as I proved, just because they seem OK, doesn't mean they ARE OK.

http://www.teamwtf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=144&Item id=1

rumatt
08-03-2005, 08:56 PM
I agree, anti-seize on them

I've never, ever done this. How often should it be applied?

The thing I don't get is that lubricating the nuts will allow them to get tighter before they hit a specific torque. I've had people that they should be clean, but *not* lubricated.. No clue who is right. :dunno:

Pinecone
08-04-2005, 06:14 PM
Normally torque specs are for clean, lightly lubricated assemblies.

I put a bit on, and when it looks like it has worn or washed off, I put a bit on again. The standard Al based anti seize shows up very well on non-SS studs.