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Track Prep - Part 2

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Might be a stupid question but why go with aftermarket wheel studs when the car comes with wheel studs? I always installed wheel studs on my BMWs but that was because they came with wheel bolts. Are the OEM studs not deemed to be strong enough for track use and repeated wheel changes?
 
AMPowerJ said:
Might be a stupid question but why go with aftermarket wheel studs when the car comes with wheel studs? I always installed wheel studs on my BMWs but that was because they came with wheel bolts. Are the OEM studs not deemed to be strong enough for track use and repeated wheel changes?
There are two specific reasons you will want to switch out the wheel studs if you're tracking the car heavily and using R-compound rubber. The first is the studs will eventually start to fail after repeated wheel changes, especially under track conditions where you don't always have time to let them fully cool. The second is the ability to run wider wheels or lightweight wheels with different offsets that require spacers to achieve the correct offset. One upside to the OEM GT350 studs is they are 14mm versus 1/2" on the S197 Mustang.

Here is what happens to the OEM 1/2" studs on the S197s. This is on a Mustang GT that I rented at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway a couple years ago and we were only on high performance summer tires, not slicks. You can see three wheel studs snapped in a high G sweeper. I also had one snap on my Boss 302 while torqueing it on a wheel change in the paddock (fortunately)

20130219_100359_zps97d7dda0.jpg

20130219_100409_zpsd5fa3ce6.jpg
 
492
387
DFW, TX
Are you guys worried about the high torque needed for the 14mm studs and using aftermarket lugnuts with a much smaller cone seat area. I'm thinking Ford made the seat much bigger for reason. Beyond the initial brinelling (I believe that is the correct term for this case...) that the small surface area, that it will lead to issues with high loads.

Granted, Ford may have done a bit of overkill engineering since the S550 got heavier.

I wouldn't mind getting some of the R replica wheels from N4S but they use the small cone seat lugs. I would even think about having the seats re-machined so I could use the Ford or the large seat Gorilla lugs made for the S550 Mustang.
 
I'm concerned about the seat area but I'm still going to try the R spec wheels. I believe the HRE FF15 wheels are in the same boat and there hasn't been any issues that I know of on the S550 cars. I also think the Forgestar wheels are similar. The manual states a torque value of 150 + or - 15 so using 135 seems reasonable.

Any idea when Vorshlag @Fair will measure your stock springs?
 
VoodooBOSS said:
I'm concerned about the seat area but I'm still going to try the R spec wheels. I believe the HRE FF15 wheels are in the same boat and there hasn't been any issues that I know of on the S550 cars. I also think the Forgestar wheels are similar. The manual states a torque value of 150 + or - 15 so using 135 seems reasonable.

Any idea when Vorshlag @Fair will measure your stock springs?
What lugs were they using on the Track Attack cars with the 1/2" studs? They were using the stock wheels.
 
voodoo child21 said:
Rick
You are using the Ford Racing 1/2" lug nuts with those studs right? I had purchased the long open Gorilla nuts that Filip sells as an option to the studs but the bulge is much smaller than the FRPP nuts and insanely smaller than the OEM 14mm nuts.
Steve

You might try Prestige http://www.prestigewheel.com/mainnuts.htm When I was changing out my 15 GT stock lug nuts for black ones I also found the Gorilla and others had a very small mating surface. Much smaller than the stock Ford nuts. But found some at Prestige that had the same mating surface as the stock ones. You'll have to search around on their site.
 
492
387
DFW, TX
VoodooBOSS said:
I'm concerned about the seat area but I'm still going to try the R spec wheels. I believe the HRE FF15 wheels are in the same boat and there hasn't been any issues that I know of on the S550 cars. I also think the Forgestar wheels are similar. The manual states a torque value of 150 + or - 15 so using 135 seems reasonable.

Any idea when Vorshlag @Fair will measure your stock springs?

They just told me the camber plates won't be in final production for a month, they are maxed out machining stuff...

I'd prefer to get the plates and the springs swapped all at once, but they wanted to take the car and measure the springs earlier. The trouble is getting a ride back home after dropping the car off, etc. While they are located in the same town they are at the opposite end from where I work.

It would be a good idea to know what the difference before I blindly swap them. I'm instructing/driving at an SCCA time trial/PDX event next weekend. After I do that and see how the car and my driving style work together, I'll let them measure the stock stuff.
 
Track day is finally here! ;D

4-pt harness and waterproof seat covers are installed:
IMG_20160523_195951098_zps1sx7alse.jpg

Homemade Cool Shirt system installed:
IMG_20160523_204757303_zpst3zpc1ew.jpg

Trakk Tape installed:
IMG_20160523_200014246_zpsrszcy59q.jpg

Track rims, tires and G-loc brakes installed:
IMG_20160523_200003095_zpsrj0q3gbu.jpg

GoPro video with external microphone is finally working (with Harry's Lap Timer):
https://youtu.be/cVbt1PgEDzE
 
VoodooBOSS said:
Very nice. Did you ever get your front tow hook figured out? I'm on track hiatus until my N4SM wheels arrive and won't be back on track until the TMO/HOD event at Sonoma on August 25th.

So close! I've got the prototype parts fabricated, but haven't welded it together yet. And I need to do some load testing before I put other people's pride and joy at risk. I'm pretty happy with the design though. It's going to be super stiff and is likely way over-designed compared to others.
 

steveespo

Lord knows I'm a Voodoo Child
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VoodooBOSS said:
Very nice. Did you ever get your front tow hook figured out? I'm on track hiatus until my N4SM wheels arrive and won't be back on track until the TMO/HOD event at Sonoma on August 25th.
What????????????????????? You better get back out there Mr. Duffy, run those OEM Michelins into the ground at Sonoma.
 
voodoo child21 said:
What????????????????????? You better get back out there Mr. Duffy, run those OEM Michelins into the ground at Sonoma.
Haha. Not until I get the safety equipment installed. I have a bunch of personal stuff going on through the middle of summer so that's the main reason. But I'm itching to get back out there on August 25th with the NorCal and AZ TMO crew. @ArizonaBOSS
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
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I hope those wheels show up soon!

I am down until the August events as well. Need to replace the transmission; have a spare sitting in the garage and will get to it next weekend. Also going to be trying out a slightly different setup so we'll see how that reacts at Sonoma.
 
ArizonaBOSS said:
I hope those wheels show up soon!

I am down until the August events as well. Need to replace the transmission; have a spare sitting in the garage and will get to it next weekend. Also going to be trying out a slightly different setup so we'll see how that reacts at Sonoma.

Are you going to attend the MiniNats at Sears in Aug?
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
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shelbyman1 said:
Are you going to attend the MiniNats at Sears in Aug?

Hi Shelbyman1:

Negative on that. Taking too much vacation time already this year plus tire/fuel budget is set. Maybe next year!
If you are available, join us at the TMO event on August 25!
https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=10464.0
 
ArizonaBOSS said:
Hi Shelbyman1:

Negative on that. Taking too much vacation time already this year plus tire/fuel budget is set. Maybe next year!
If you are available, join us at the TMO event on August 25!
https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=10464.0

Like you I have to budget for this stuff. The Mini's are our only trip north this year. Been going for a while now....maybe 10 years or more. Fun event and a great track to get out on. And my god what great scenery all around....good restaurants as well.
 

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