Lug bolts

[Allen 1969]

Hi all. I currently have a 4 hole pattern hubs, but would like to have studs, not the lug bolt type. Is there a best fix for this, and is it it best to stick with the 4 hole pattern or get adapters for 5 hole? Thanks in advance for help or opinions

[Ol'fogasaurus]

An opinion is worth what you paid for it .

5 lug spaced far apart should be stronger than 4 lugs spaced close together (leverage).

You can get studs for 4 lug drums. They can be either a screw in stud or a stronger press in version. The same for 5 lug drums. You used the word hub which could mean potential hard use so maybe the press in version would be a better choice.

Consider what kind of use your car will receive and go from there.

[Piledriver]

Hi all. I currently have a 4 hole pattern hubs, but would like to have studs, not the lug bolt type. Is there a best fix for this, and is it it best to stick with the 4 hole pattern or get adapters for 5 hole? Thanks in advance for help or opinions

Welcome to the STF!

4 lug or 5 lug mostly depends on if you are into buying new wheels or just want to do better than lug bolts.
As far as strength goes, the stock lug bolts are about as good as it gets, just requires practice getting the tire lined up to put the bolts in.
(sit down facing tire/car, lift the tire on your toes to line up holes)

Some VAG products including Porsche models (Touareg/Cayenne) still use lug bolts out back.

Having the existing holes drilled and pressing in new studs is something any machine shop can/will do.
Most will balk at drilling for 5 lug if the hub/drum was not made for that, but you can buy them of the shelf pre-drilled from CBPerformance etc with several bolt pattern choices.

If you are also considering new brake drums or rotors that would be the better plan.
If you go with screw in studs (easiest) you can put them in with red or high strength green locktite, or better, have them brazed (tacked OK) to secure them.

[Marc]

And if the only reason you want studs is to make it easier to change a tire, you really only need one per corner.

With studs you must also ensure that you're using lugnuts that are big enough for the VW wheels so they won't pull through under hard cornering. Screw-in studs made for mounting "mag" wheels usually have m14x1.5 threads on one end and SAE threads (½" or 7/16") for the lugnut but there are both screw-in and press-in studs available which take m14x1.5 lugnuts - the ones from a `71-up Bus work well on stock rims. The Bus rear studs do too if you don't require extra length.
The drums should always be spot-faced where the heads of the press-in studs seat, if not the studs can tend to pull crooked since the drum's typically not flat there.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

If you are going to do the one stud trick then there is an older than me trick. Get a long bolt or stud then cut the head off the bolt, cut a slot in the end that you cut the head of then, when changing tires, take your new tool out of your pocket and hand thread it in place, the put the bolts in, remove the tool and install the last bolt. Faster than it takes to read this

Lee

[ALYKAT III]

Darn Fog ! What a great tip ! Wish I heard or thought of that about 40 years ago. Would have saved many,many hours of balance it on your toes time for me.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

The one I posted before was, as I remember, used for the old MOPAR cars that had both right and left hand threads and used bolt rather then studs and nuts hence the need for two studs. My first job was in ~'58 so I had the pleasure of working with pre and after WWII mechanics and learned some of their tricks.

Another similar one was used in quick tire change situations as I remember. One longer stud and a mark painted on the drum/hub to note which one was the locating stud. When you pulled the tire you tried to put the longer stud up on the top side if you had a chance.

Funny things you pick up over the years and forget about until just the right thing is said.