Auto locker failed, wheel fell off

[BonesDT]

LOCKER:

too tight was ok, too loose was bad

I spoke to 2 techs at Aussie and they basically confirmed this, so I think I'm going to leave the pumpkin sealed.

HUB CENTRIC RINGS:
I spoke to 1010tires.com. They make it obvious that they are pretty greedy about giving any help/disclosing any information without getting a commitment from you that you are going to buy from them. Long story short, whether I would buy or not, they were very unhelpful.

I called American Racing and they were able to give me the ring sizes of OD = 83mm (for the center bore of their 5/4.5 bolt patterned wheels) and ID = 70.30mm (for the Ford 8.8 hubs). The 4-pack of rings is part# H837030, and summitracing.com can order them for $7.69 despite not being listed on their site. However, because I got 72.69mm for AR's 5/4.5 center bore in my search, I am going to double check. AR should know their own specs, but, you never know.

LUG STUDS:
I got an email back from Moroso. They say they have studs for my application, but they are racing only, not for street, whatever that means. I spoke to ARP, and they were very unhelpful and couldn't help me with sizing, I'm going to have to measure myself. They ok'ed their street use, but they are "very long".

Should I get longer ARP studs and just use longer lug nuts? I would assume ARP would make the strongest studs in the world, and if I got the pricing right, they are only $13 for a 5-pack! I saw Ford Racing has some 'Stang racing ones for $100!! What's that all about??

Or, does anyone know where I can get simple replacement ones? I saw in "The Definitive Wheel Stud" thread that they are extremely difficult to find. I feel like I'm falling in that trap right now.

I'm going to try to limp my truck back home tonight and get some measurements and pics.

 

[JDraper]

Here's your wheel stud. http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=DOR&MfrPartNumber=970311&PartType=183&PTSet=A

$2.59 each from Advance Auto (Parts America)

 

[heathmo]

That's good to hear, I didn't know at first that it was too tight, I would have told you that sooner had I known, but good deal, and your warranty isn't voided, like mine. Even though I only drove maybe 2000 miles, I'm sure my warranty waved bye-bye when I neglected to install the thrust washers. I had no idea your studs would be that hard to find, I figured it was a pretty common part, we bought some basic ones at O'Reilly for my buddy's Grand Prix when we broke those and I'm pretty sure I did the same on my Corsica.

Well good news on the locker and good luck on your studs, at least once you have them it should be pretty easy to get back on the road.

 

[damarble]

Check that axle flange before you get too carried away, my axle guy says 8.8 shafts are notorious for bending flanges.

I use a hammer to pound out the old studs and press the new ones in by hand. They don't go all the way in but when you tighten down your lug nuts it sucks them into place.

 

[BonesDT]

Got my parts ordered. Thanks for the partsamerica.com link, but after I figured out DORMAN's part number (610-368), I was able to find them on rockauto.com and I favor them. Not so hard to find after all. Cost me $6 and change for 5 studs.

Sure enough, I measured the wheel and American Racing's center bore is definately more like 83mm and not 72.69. From summitracing.com I got a 4-pack of American Racing H837030 hub centric rings (had to special order on phone), a 20 new Gorilla 41187 lugs nuts, and Gorilla's 3434 adapter lug wrench socket. The socket is to fit in the tight hole of the wheels so I stop scratching the rims with the thick-walled stock wrench.

 

[BonesDT]

My wheel took the worst beating. What do you guys think of the lug holes in the wheels, are they ok?

You can see the space between the axle hub and the aftermarket wheel's center hole. The stock rims would hug this axle hub, called hub centric. Here, 100% of the stress is on the 5 lug studs. In addition, the wheel may not be mounted perfectly aligned.

I'm going to have to jerry rig something if I want to keep AR's plastic center caps with the hub centric rings, or just paint the hubs.

 

[JDraper]

I think I'd be replacing that wheel. If the holes are no longer round, the wheel could work itself back and forth and come off....:roll:

 

[BonesDT]

Here are pictures of my initial half-ass attempt to install wheel studs.

I used a metal bar to lock the axle shaft from turning while I used a breaker bar with an extension handle and a lot of pressure. I used a regular 1/2"-20 nut with some washers and no lube.

Result = cheese grated washers, stripped nuts, stripped & broken studs. It did give me an excuse to buy the "nut cracker" tool, which I've been eye'ing for a while. Pretty cool tool!

Unfortunately, I didn't take pics of the right way to do this, but you NEED the $30 wheel stud installer, which is a hardened washer with a beveled hole perfectly matched for a lug nut, and has grease bearings on the other side so it can turn under pressure with the nut as you pull the stud in. You also need to lub the studs up and you NEED an impact gun.

The last pic shows the American Racing hub centric ring on the axle. I have a lot more confidence now that that little piece of plastic is there. I think it makes a huge difference and is a must for any aftermarket rims.

I'm still getting some rough engaging of the locker at slow speeds and tight turns. It clicks in hard and unexpected. I guess this comes with the auto locker territory?

 

[damarble]

I'm still getting some rough engaging of the locker at slow speeds and tight turns. It clicks in hard and unexpected. I guess this comes with the auto locker territory?

With the Aussie, yes. I can't wait to get rid of mine. Even a regular Lockright is much better, even though it is almost exactly the same design. The difference is the springs IMO. A Powertrax is the way to go, close as you can get to that "open feel" without a selectable.

 

[Cstoliker]

May seam a little elementary and I am sure everyone knows but make sure the lugs are tightened in the correct order. I’ve seem supposed “mechanics” tighten lugs in a circular pattern only to warp the brand new rims they were installing. (Can also cause stud shearing too)

 

[DeRocha]

...I'm still getting some rough engaging of the locker at slow speeds and tight turns. It clicks in hard and unexpected. I guess this comes with the auto locker territory?

With the Aussie, yes. I can't wait to get rid of mine. Even a regular Lockright is much better, even though it is almost exactly the same design. The difference is the springs IMO. A Powertrax is the way to go, close as you can get to that "open feel" without a selectable.

When you installed your Aussie lockers where the tolerances on the loose or tight side? Mine were on the tight side and I don't even know my Aaussie is in the back.. It makes little noise, and doesn't slam on hard.

 

[heathmo]

For reference

Mine was probably on the loose side, I didn't recheck tolerances once I put in the thrust washers, it was definitely tighter than the first time around, but how much I'm not sure. But I would imagine mine is loose so I do get some unwinding from time to time. But not as much as I used to and not enough to set my ABS off like it did before. I think it would help a lot too if I didn't have those weak monoleafs that allow my rear axle to just bounce all over the place.