Track Prep - Part 2

[StigsBaldBrother]

The first outing to the track was zilch, zero, nada. It was a very odd experience. I wasn't sure what to do with all of my free time before it went on the trailer.

Now I'll have something to do to kill all of that free time. Next track event isn't until May with Track Guys though.




Huge thanks to Nick from KNSBrakes for hooking me up with the new G-Loc brakes and the air/oil separators!!! I've never had better customer service.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Where's the camber plates, sticky tires and lowering springs? ;D

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

Where's the camber plates, sticky tires and lowering springs? ;D

Ha! I do have the sticky-ish tires.


I'm really on the fence about camber plates. I swore that I was going to leave it stock, but that was assuming that you could get to track specs with factory hardware.

I am building my own cool-shirt system though too. I'll post pics and parts list when I get it done. I even have temporary, waterproof seat covers to make sure the seats stay clean.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Will that be a NASA sponsored cool shirt?

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

Will that be a NASA sponsored cool shirt?

NASA engineered. That means it'll be over designed, twice the budget and at least a year behind schedule.

 

[cloud9]

The first outing to the track was zilch, zero, nada. It was a very odd experience. I wasn't sure what to do with all of my free time before it went on the trailer.

Now I'll have something to do to kill all of that free time. Next track event isn't until May with Track Guys though.


I have all the same boxes and need to get them installed before my April 30-May 1 date with a bunch of GT3s. Tell Jeff hi for me. I'm not sure if I'll see him before the Mustang Roundup in September or not. I just didn't have time to get my car ready to join them down in Hastings next weekend.


Huge thanks to Nick from KNSBrakes for hooking me up with the new G-Loc brakes and the air/oil separators!!! I've never had better customer service.

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

So the track prep didn't go so well...

The lug nuts that came with the Eibach spacer kit were garbage. They were torques to 150ft-lbs, just like the stock ones. 3 out of the 5 stripped when trying to remove them. I attempted to use an 'easy out' socket which acted more like rotabroach to the soft metal.


Luckily the hub unbolts from the backside.


I was able to drill out the studs from the front and salvage the adapter, rotor and hub sans three studs. The Ford parts website shows the studs as being available separately, but when you go to order them, they're not available. ARP does not have wheel studs available yet though. I was able to order a new hub, with studs, for the reasonable price of $120.

Thankfully I found out at home instead of at the track trying to replace a rotor.

 

[cloud9]

Ouch. Yea I'm going with the low end of the spec......150 ft/lbs +/- 15 ft/lbs. 150 just seems way too high. Glad you were able to save the adapter. I am going to pick up a spare front and rear stud to throw in the trailer until ARP comes out with theirs.

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

Ouch. Yea I'm going with the low end of the spec......150 ft/lbs +/- 15 ft/lbs. 150 just seems way too high. Glad you were able to save the adapter. I am going to pick up a spare front and rear stud to throw in the trailer until ARP comes out with theirs.

I think it had more to do with the inferior material properties of the nut than the torque value itself, but I do agree with you. If you find a stud by itself, please let me know. Another wheel hub at $120 is not a bad spare to have in the trailer though.

 

[cloud9]

I think it had more to do with the inferior material properties of the nut than the torque value itself, but I do agree with you. If you find a stud by itself, please let me know. Another wheel hub at $120 is not a bad spare to have in the trailer though.

Will do. I was hoping to wait and order spare hubs once FP comes out with ones that have ARP studs in them, like they did for the S197. Obviously won't be until ARP comes through though. Someone said changing hubs on the GT350 isn't quite as easy as it was on the S197. Any issues swapping the hub? The old ones just a single nut to remove then replace and torque to 251 ft/lbs.

 

[Berol]

Following the tread, and I'm sure I'll see you in May!

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

Will do. I was hoping to wait and order spare hubs once FP comes out with ones that have ARP studs in them, like they did for the S197. Obviously won't be until ARP comes through though. Someone said changing hubs on the GT350 isn't quite as easy as it was on the S197. Any issues swapping the hub? The old ones just a single nut to remove then replace and torque to 251 ft/lbs.

Hub was super easy to come out. 4 bolts and it slid right out. Access to the bolts is a little difficult, but just took a variety of wrenches and socket extensions to get to them.

 

[VoodooBoss]

So the track prep didn't go so well...

The lug nuts that came with the Eibach spacer kit were garbage. They were torques to 150ft-lbs, just like the stock ones. 3 out of the 5 stripped when trying to remove them. I attempted to use an 'easy out' socket which acted more like rotabroach to the soft metal.


Luckily the hub unbolts from the backside.


I was able to drill out the studs from the front and salvage the adapter, rotor and hub sans three studs. The Ford parts website shows the studs as being available separately, but when you go to order them, they're not available. ARP does not have wheel studs available yet though. I was able to order a new hub, with studs, for the reasonable price of $120.

Thankfully I found out at home instead of at the track trying to replace a rotor.

You'll be way better off in the long run not using spacers like that on track. No race cars run that setup that use double studs. While we wait for APR to come out with 14mm studs, and I've been asking them about it since last August with no luck, I had CoretX install their 1/2" APR stud kit on my GT350 for my new N4SM wheels.

https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=10221.0

 

[steveespo]

I have the Cortex studs put in my hubs, not too bad, fronts on the car, rears you have to pull the hubs off the carriers to swap. Got the time on the second one down to 45 minutes.
Using a touch of anti seize and 129ft/lbs torque to simulate the 150. Don't pull a wheel hot off the track and galling shouldn't be an issue.
Steve

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

You'll be way better off in the long run not using spacers like that on track. No race cars run that setup. While we wait for APR to come out with 14mm studs, and I've been asking them about it since last August with no luck, I had CoretX install their 1/2" APR stud kit on my GT350 for my new N4SM wheels.

https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=10221.0

Any justification for saying the spacers won't work? I understand that some racecars might not have them, but I can't say that all of them do not. This allows me to rotate tires front to back.

 

[krt22]

Yeah im wondering if the issue is the spacer itself or that its a bolt on spacer. Perhaps a standard spacer with extended lugs will be a better solution

 

[VoodooBoss]

Sorry, I'm referring to the bolt on aspect of those spacers.

 

[StigsBaldBrother]

Sorry, I'm referring to the bolt on aspect of those spacers.

I'll respectfully disagree. Since the spacers put the aftermarket wheel into the same exact location as the stock wheels, they do not change the way the load is distributed into the hub. The hubcentric ring handles the radial load and the wheel studs handle the moment caused by the lateral cornering loads.

The issue was with the material of the lug nuts. The studs in the spacers are grade 10.9, just like the stock studs. I made the assumption that the lug nuts supplied with the Eibach spacers were equal in strength, but I was sadly mistaken. I'll be replacing them with higher strength, higher quality lug nuts.

 

[JMAC]

I ended up getting Forgestar CF10 11' with same as factory offset front and rear to eliminate problem of spacers and studs on front. Toyo R888s which is what I think you have? Intend to switch rubber diagonally after three or four track days to extend tire life. A hassle, but at least I can go front to rear rotation.
I see you have R10 compound G Loc pads. Curious how they will compare to stock? Anxious to try out my stocks Saturday at Lime Rock.
I guess we need to watch our wheels after all the bad press this week......

 

[VoodooBoss]

I'll respectfully disagree. Since the spacers put the aftermarket wheel into the same exact location as the stock wheels, they do not change the way the load is distributed into the hub. The hubcentric ring handles the radial load and the wheel studs handle the moment caused by the lateral cornering loads.

The issue was with the material of the lug nuts. The studs in the spacers are grade 10.9, just like the stock studs. I made the assumption that the lug nuts supplied with the Eibach spacers were equal in strength, but I was sadly mistaken. I'll be replacing them with higher strength, higher quality lug nuts.

The double studs are the concern I have. The best way to do that is replacing the stock studs with longer ones and then use the necessary spacer. I edited my original post.