thread engagement
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,014
Likes: 207
From: SoCal
thread engagement
Hello,
Long time FTE member, first time posting this forum.
I installed a set of mid-90's Explore 15x7 aluminum wheels onto my 1990 Aerostar, which came with 14x6 steel wheels. I noticed the mounting flange on the aluminum is a bit thicker than the steel wheel, so the lug nuts don't engage as many threads. I think I could get about 15 turns of the nuts on the steel wheels, but only about 10 turns with the aluminum wheels. Is this enough? Or should I install longer wheel studs?
An observation is that using the nuts from the Explorer, the type with a ridge below the hex body, I can see the end of the stud sitting a couple thread below the top of the nut. But using the original Aerostar nuts, the end of the stud is JUST flush with the top of the nut. I vaguely recall some aircraft requirement for at least 3 threads of the stud showing past the top of the nut.
TIA
Long time FTE member, first time posting this forum.
I installed a set of mid-90's Explore 15x7 aluminum wheels onto my 1990 Aerostar, which came with 14x6 steel wheels. I noticed the mounting flange on the aluminum is a bit thicker than the steel wheel, so the lug nuts don't engage as many threads. I think I could get about 15 turns of the nuts on the steel wheels, but only about 10 turns with the aluminum wheels. Is this enough? Or should I install longer wheel studs?
An observation is that using the nuts from the Explorer, the type with a ridge below the hex body, I can see the end of the stud sitting a couple thread below the top of the nut. But using the original Aerostar nuts, the end of the stud is JUST flush with the top of the nut. I vaguely recall some aircraft requirement for at least 3 threads of the stud showing past the top of the nut.
TIA
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
I've heard and/or read if you can get seven full turns and properly torque the lug nuts to spec you're good . I'm facing a bit of the same thing using a wheel spacer on a FF axle whose only real reason is to allow use of the Ford dog dish wheel covers on a soon-to-be-transplanted full floating rear axle on an E350 van.
BTW another tip I read and use myself is coating the studs with a "light machine oil" like 3-in-1 type of stuff. Higher viscosity may affect or the clamping force of the lug nuts regardless what the torque wrench says.---somewhat we want to avoid
BTW another tip I read and use myself is coating the studs with a "light machine oil" like 3-in-1 type of stuff. Higher viscosity may affect or the clamping force of the lug nuts regardless what the torque wrench says.---somewhat we want to avoid
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,014
Likes: 207
From: SoCal
Thanks JWA. 7 threads, with a 1/2-20 stud, that's less than 1/3" engagement. Sounds kind of short. If that's OK, then I may not have to worry with 10 threads, or 1/2" of engagement.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,014
Likes: 207
From: SoCal
Found two references (from sellers):
https://www.drivenproducts.com/blogs...ead-engagement
https://www.performanceplustire.com/...bout-lug-nuts/
Both say minimum engagement should be the same length as the width of the stud. So a 1/2" stud needs a minimum of 1/2" of engagement. So that would be 10 threads for a 1/2-20 stud, which is what I'm getting with both the fancy Explorer nuts as well as the plain stock nuts.
For racing or heavy duty use, more the better pbviously, and the stud should show at least 3 threads past an open nut.
https://www.drivenproducts.com/blogs...ead-engagement
https://www.performanceplustire.com/...bout-lug-nuts/
Both say minimum engagement should be the same length as the width of the stud. So a 1/2" stud needs a minimum of 1/2" of engagement. So that would be 10 threads for a 1/2-20 stud, which is what I'm getting with both the fancy Explorer nuts as well as the plain stock nuts.
For racing or heavy duty use, more the better pbviously, and the stud should show at least 3 threads past an open nut.
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,014
Likes: 207
From: SoCal
Based on their other numbers, with a 1/2-20 stud as example, they recommend a minimum of 1/2" engagement, which happens to be 10 full turns of the nut. So I deduce that a "turn" is a full 360 degrees.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 97,569
Likes: 2,005
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
I had the same problem with using 15'' mid 90`s, early 2000 Ranger mags on my 53 M100 with Ford car bolt pattern hubs. Using plain wheel nuts I don`t have a lot of engagement so I used matching wheel nuts from the Ranger wheels for full engagement on the wheel studs.
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