Best lug nuts...

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
Yeah you read this correct. There has to be a shank style lug nut for Race Stars that will hold up better than the crap I have been using. I have tried to source through McGard and they have close specs but nothing exact. Open end is what I am looking for.

I torque to 115 ft/lb. I change tires from street to drag and back at least 2 times a month. I use a nice cordless impact to drive down and then complete the final torque setting with a craftsman torque wrench to the value indicated.

Anyone found a reliable shank lugnut for use with Racestars? 1.380"x .685" shank on 1/2-20 NF thread w/ 1.250" washer direct drill. Thanks for the feedback.
 

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
Never mind. Found the source resolve for the problem. Oh how "tribal information" can often times bite one in the butt. Been using to high a torque setting on the Racestar Lug nuts.

For anyone not in the know...Racestar lugnuts specifically only require 85-95 ft/lb of torque when installing. Trying to meet a higher torque limit WILL CAUSE YOU TO SNAP OFF A LUG NUT AT THE SHANK.

This is specific to Race Star Shank style lug nuts used with Race Star wheels.

Problem solved. I received bum 411 at the track on torque specs for mounting drag wheels.

The folks at RACESTAR are great and easy to deal with on tech questions as well.
 

46addict

13726548
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Posts
1,832
Reaction score
56
Location
Lawrenceville, GA
Are you stripping the threads on the lugs you are using?

I believe the Haynes manual calls for 100 ft-lbs for OEM nuts & studs so the Racestar range isn't far off from the factory specs. If anyone ever needs that tidbit of info.
 

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
No. I do feel the threads on the shank lug nuts however feeling like they are slightly pulled as they are exhibiting some resistance when coming off. The acorn lug nuts for the street tire wheels go on smoothly and come off smoothly. Someone had given me a verbal spec at my local track that they were using which was clearly bogus for my application 9though it may have been acceptable for theirs). I was previously using 85-90 ft/lb but increased to a value of 115ft/lb based on that "tribal tidbit of hand-me-down knowledge" when I should have gone to Race Star's website under FITMENT and read the specifications for the shank style lug nut.

There are more threads in a shank style therefore the ft/lb rating does not need to be at the OEM 100+ ft/lb.

A LESSON LEARNED BY YOURS TRULY! LOL!
 

skwerl

tree hugger
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Posts
16,192
Reaction score
1,137
Location
central Florida
McGard makes the ones you want. They have the ones with the standard washer as well as the offset washer (for the uni-lug wheels).
 

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
McGard makes the ones you want. They have the ones with the standard washer as well as the offset washer (for the uni-lug wheels).

I saw theirs. Was concerned though because it specs .007" smaller in dia and .015" shorter in length. Doesn't sound like much to the masses but to a person who works on machining centers for a living that's huge. I'll check with McGard direct and see what they have to say about that. I plan on installing ARP studs after I finish getting the axle tubes welded in next month just for some added safety...and in the event I decide to run slicks next year. Thanks man.
 
Last edited:

Scott

Senior Member
S197 Team Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Posts
2,337
Reaction score
37
Location
King City, Ontario, Canada
I have been using the McGard open ended lug nuts on my Race Stars with 3" ARP studs.



McGard #63000 for multi-fit rims and 63004 for the direct fit Race Stars



 

skwerl

tree hugger
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Posts
16,192
Reaction score
1,137
Location
central Florida
The .007" smaller diameter is more than compensated for by the fact that they are better steel, not Chinese pot metal.
 

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
Thanks guys. That's the route I will go. I appreciate the 411. Ive got a Racestar set coming to hold me over until I can add the longer ARP studs and better lug nuts. Thanks again.
 

vinylinterior89

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Posts
40
Reaction score
0
I have the unilug Race Stars and when I used there lugs nuts, I drove 5 street miles and tried leaving twice to see if the tires would rub in those 5 miles, no burnouts, nothing crazy.... when i went to take the wheels off, 3 of the lug nuts were so scared up i couldn't get the washers off of the lugs!! The Race star lug nuts are way too soft so I throw them away and ordered the McGards. I drove to the track and home 60 miles round trip and made 5 passes with them and the lugs looked brand new!! Even with the slight size difference the McGards are def the way to go!!
 

tjm73

of Omicron Persei 8
S197 Team Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Posts
12,092
Reaction score
1,638
Location
Rush, NY
McGard lugs are made in America too. Near Buffalo NY to the best of my knowledge. I use them exclusively on y custom wheels. Used on my Draglites on my old 90 GT back in the day. Used them in the Racestar's I had on my old '05 GT. And just recently used them on my Weld RT-S wheels. Worth every penny.
 

JEWC_Motorsports

S197 Junkie
S197 Team Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Posts
20,471
Reaction score
1,596
Location
Texas
Why in the hell would you torque to 115 ft lbs? You torque to the size of the stud.. You should probably replace your studs if you have been torquing them like that. There is a good chance you will shear them off with a good launch.
 

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
Why in the hell would you torque to 115 ft lbs? You torque to the size of the stud.. You should probably replace your studs if you have been torquing them like that. There is a good chance you will shear them off with a good launch.

Yes I think I explained "Why the hell..." in reply #2. In my world its called "tribal information". That is information taken as factual (whether it be correct or not) from a person regarded as an expert in an area only to find that they have given you bad information that has been handed down over the years.

Did you ever hear the one about the woman who was showing her daughter how to make grandmas extra tender Thanksgiving Day Turkey? On the old ragged recipe card there were directions to cut the right leg off. The daughter asked why. The mother stated "I don't know honey, but that's how grandma did it, so we do it that way". Little did the mom realize that the card had been folded over near the bottom for years until it tore off so it would fit into the grandmas recipe file box. Had she looked in the bottom she would have found the missing portion with the words "...when using the smaller baking pan". Because of this she was providing tribal information to her daughter.

100 ft/lb is the factory specification on lug nut torque from the Ford factory. The lug studs themselves would indicate signs of pulled threads if there was issues to be concerned about. While the aftermarket Racestar lug nuts (made of cheaper grade metal) showed signs of pulled threads when taking them off this last time, the lug nuts used for the street tire rims freely go on and come off with no issue. Now that I have contacted Race Star (I bought the wheels used or I would have known the Race Star spec) and found out only to use 85-95 ft/lb of torque, I know why.

The reason however Racestar can specify a lower torque limit is due to the increased thread count on the shank style lug nut vice the factory style acorn lug nut. The additional thread contact more than makes up for this allowing a lower specification to be applied. This is in accordance with Racestar who I spoke to directly about the matter.

I have no issue sharing my mistakes so others can learn from them. I have learned in life that Pride (aka EGO) is a very dangerous thing when one bases his or her entire life on it. A little pride will go a long way. A lot of pride will get one killed. So I am happy to share my errors of this nature so that younger men and women fortunate to come into this sport far earlier than I did can learn from it and not make the same mistakes themselves. If bruised pride is all I suffer from at the expense of saving a younger man or woman's life because they thought they knew everything but were too prideful to ask, then I have won a lifetime of achievement.

Upgraded ARP studs and McGard lug nuts are in the works as well as some high quality open acorn style lug nuts for the street tires.

Have a great and safe week.
 

redfirepearlgt

forum member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
2,497
Reaction score
263
I have the unilug Race Stars and when I used there lugs nuts, I drove 5 street miles and tried leaving twice to see if the tires would rub in those 5 miles, no burnouts, nothing crazy.... when i went to take the wheels off, 3 of the lug nuts were so scared up i couldn't get the washers off of the lugs!! The Race star lug nuts are way too soft so I throw them away and ordered the McGards. I drove to the track and home 60 miles round trip and made 5 passes with them and the lugs looked brand new!! Even with the slight size difference the McGards are def the way to go!!

Thanks. I ordered Racestar replacements to hold me over. I am getting ready to order the McGards and the ARP 3.115" longer studs this week. Thanks for the feedback.
 

fdjizm

Drag Queen
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Posts
19,536
Reaction score
341
Location
NY/NJ
Bump, wassup mofos!
I got some racestars for the rear and have been reading about the softy racestars lug nuts (which are on the way to my house, fuck me right?)
Anyway perusing the eBay and found that gorilla makes the exact same size that race star produces. I know the McGards are good stuff but if I can get the exact size I'm kinda of leaning that way. Anyone use these? Gorilla is good shit too, right?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gorilla-84087-Lug-Nuts-1-380-Shank-1-2-20-Open-End-4-Pack/192674669101?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Gorilla 84087
Shank Length: 1.380 in.
Shank Diameter: 0.685 in.

McGard 63004
Shank Length: 1.365
Shank Diameter: 0.679

And why do these fuckin things come in packs of 4? I feel like it's the hotdog/bun scam.

ahh Weld make some that fit too.

Weld 601-1416
Shank Length: 1.380 in.
Shank Diameter: 0.687

which one to get!?
 
Last edited:

skwerl

tree hugger
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Posts
16,192
Reaction score
1,137
Location
central Florida
They come in packs of 4 because not every car uses the same number of lugs per wheel but every car has four wheels.

Use the McGard. End of discussion. Nothing else comes close.
 

fdjizm

Drag Queen
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Posts
19,536
Reaction score
341
Location
NY/NJ
Yea after some more searching I’m reading the gorillas are China made too and rust.
Don’t the majority of cars have 5 lugs? anyway found a nice deal on eBay for McGard and got 3 packs.
 

fdjizm

Drag Queen
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Posts
19,536
Reaction score
341
Location
NY/NJ
So I got the good McGards and the racestar shitlugs, both have play in the hole for the lugs. McGard has a bit more.
I am going to make some sleeves to take up that space, my OCD won't let me run them like that.

Kinda feels like I am creating a big impact wrench out of the wheel with the amount it moves around the lugs, I can't image that is great for hard launches.
No bueno and a bit disappointed in the loose tolerances with these wheels.
Yup, I am aware everyone runs them like that just seems shitty. And pretty sure I can do something about it.
 

Latest posts

Support us!

Support Us - Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Sponsor Links

Banner image
Back
Top