Allow wheels stuck on car.

[Roger Hayter]

Quite agree. It's much easier to get them on studs.

[Fredxx]

I'm indifferent. Some of my wheels have had spigots, and I can rotate the wheel on the spigot to align the bolt holes.

That way no hunting for a stud while juggling the wheel.

[F Murtz]

So use nickel grease

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Rust? So one wonders if the type of alloy has changed or maybe any plating on the nuts has worn off. Brian

[NY]

We'll have to agree to differ. For me, it's easier to locate one large hole on a wheel onto one large central boss, than to try to locate four holes onto four studs simultaneously. Having located the wheel on the boss, using both hands to take the wheel's weight, I can then transfer one hand to the centre to hold the wheel in place (I agree: otherwise it may fall off again) and use the other hand to rotate the wheel until the holes line up and I can insert a bolt to hold the wheel from falling off the boss.

There must have been a reason why most manufacturers all changed from wheel nuts to wheel bolts at about the same time, and I presumed it was done to make it (as I find it) easier to replace the wheel. Or is there another advantage with using bolts? I wonder if it's because the head of a bolt can be made conical (to mate with a conical depression in the wheel) which helps to locate the wheel more accurately on the hub: as each bolt is tightened, it centres the wheel about its bolt hole. Nuts with a conical profile are harder to make (they also have to be used the correct way round) so there is a tendency for the wheel to rest with each hole asymmetric about its stud, and tightening the nuts does not then correct that.

[Jethro_uk]

Not all manufacturers.

FIATs had bolts from the late 50s.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Brian, the wheel is located by a collar on the hub. The studs or bolts merely holding it on. It's between the hub and wheel where the corrosion occurs, jamming it on.

[Dave Plowman (News]

I have two cars - one with studs, one with bolts. Both alloy wheels. The last few everyday cars had bolts. Both cars have large heavy wheels. Neither is easy to change a wheel on. But on balance the studs better.

Of course this may vary with the design of wheel fitted to your vehicle.

If you look at commercial vehicles (trucks, etc) where you can assumed the fixing are higher loaded than cars, they are all studs and nuts.

The location of the wheel is done by the collar on the hub, not the fixings. But older steel wheels often had tapers on the nuts.

[newshound]

But the OP said that when it comes off, it comes off suddenly. When a wheel is stuck on the spigot by rust in the radial interface you have to keep wiggling it to displace the rust as you move it a little distance axially each time.

[T i m]

Isn't that only because it's 'hub centric'?

Most of my trailers are 'stud centric', including the one (I think) that uses Morris Minor hubs and wheels and so no real interference fit between the rim and hub.

Cheers, T i m

[Dave Plowman (News]

The collar is actually very narrow - or is on my cars. Once the corrosion is broken, it come off quite easily. Not like sliding something along a shaft.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Think that idea went out a long time ago except perhaps for very slow vehicles. Or maybe just with alloy wheels. It is easier to machine a concentric hole in the wheel to locate it accurately than rely on the studs.

What do current steel wheels use?

[NY]

As far as I remember, all the cars (*) I've owned have had bolts rather than studs/nuts, and have hung the wheel from a central boss about which it can easily be rotated until the holes in the wheel line up with the holes in the hub.

(*) Renault 5, Mark 1 and Mark 2; VW Golf Mark 2 and Mark 3, Peugeot 306 and

308

[newshound]

Oh. Last one I had problems with (steel wheels) the spigot was two or three times the thickness of the steel pressing so it took some wiggling.

[newshound]

I think they have all had bolts for a fair while.

[Dave Plowman (News]

It does vary, thinking of my older vehicles. I had a Bedford van (Vauxhall Viva) where the steel wheels were located on a shoulder - the worst vehicle I've ever had for wheels sticking on. But had studs.

It may also be tapered seats for nuts etc on alloy wheels are too weak - prone to cracking. Unlike steel, where they can be pressed.

[Vir Campestris]

Not always.

AKA

Andy