simon's learning what to do with the polo thread

[Stuwey]

Audi/VW Wheel Stud Conversion Kits - Motorsport Hardware

[simon k]

ECS - 001467ecs08kt - Wheel Stud Conversion Kit - full set

I suppose with the H&R kit you still need the nuts. Also I like those smooth tip bolts too that cone down to the threads. If you're interested Simon, get a quote for shipping for 1 vs 2 and I might go in on it.

I do have a bunch of other things to spend money on before wheel studs - you'll also need to work out what length you need to clear your spacers and different wheels - IE this one (thanks Stuwey) says 75mm studs can go up to 12mm spacer 75mm Black Bullet Nose Race Stud Kit 14x1.5 - Motorsport Hardware

[sambb]

yeah I think it'll be a case of doing the stub axle spacers and then working out whether you even need longer studs at the rear, but at the front there's plenty of room to go outward by like 15mm if you are only on 205's and et40 or thereabouts. Probably will need different lengths front and back. I'll be getting on it. Tyre swaps at the track are soo hateful. Trying to hang the tyre on a short little hub centric lip whilst turning the rim and its spacer as you try to line up all the holes to get your first bolts through....meh. Anything that can speed/ease that process I'm in.

[simon k]

yeah I think it'll be a case of doing the stub axle spacers and then working out whether you even need longer studs at the rear, but at the front there's plenty of room to go outward by like 15mm if you are only on 205's and et40 or thereabouts. Probably will need different lengths front and back. I'll be getting on it. Tyre swaps at the track are soo hateful. Trying to hang the tyre on a short little hub centric lip whilst turning the rim and its spacer as you try to line up all the holes to get your first bolts through....meh. Anything that can speed/ease that process I'm in.

well I'll get these spacers cut, you can bung them in so you don't have to worry about wheel spacers so much.

the other thing you can do at the track is get a bit of 14x1.5 allthread, cut a couple of 6" lengths and use them as a temporary locator while you get a couple of bolts in, then take them out and put the rest of your bolts in. Not as practical as studs, but does save some cocking around.

EDIT: or grab a couple of bolts and cut the heads off... 14x1.5 allthread seems a bit of a rarity according to google

[simon k]

some bits and pieces if anyone is interested

here's the big-ass swaybar Jason made for me



and installed (the bilsteins went in the rear yesterday)


I had the the stub axle spacers made in 3/8" and 1/2"


1/2" version 485g / pair

3/8" version 357g / pair



came out nice, but I fiddled with the outline a little too much without checking the profile and had to file a tiny bit off to clear the mounting lug for the ABS sensor. The sensors were still a bit of an issue (as predicted by Sam), the angle they poke out at makes them touch on the original stub axle mounting on the rear bar. I also ran a drill through the mounting lug to give it a bit more rotation



left side installed, had to file the original mount plate a little bit, and trim away the forward part of the connector where it covers the flat bit that goes over the lug on the sensor - not a big deal, and once the sensor is installed the flat bit can't lift up anyway


right side installed, similar trimming around the back side of the connector, not a big deal


installed with nice new 12.9 grade bolts and 45lb/ft

[sambb]

good stuff Simon. Well I'm glad you tackled this mate. I'll be measuring up my tracks as accurately as I can tonight. The based on what rims/tyres I'm going to use on the track I'll have to decide whether to use the 9.5 or 1/2in plates. I think it'll probably be the 1/2in plates so those straight ABS sensors will be the go I think.
Did you machine an angle or anything into the spacers for geometry changes or will you go down that road later?
Did the cap head stub axle bolts fit under the hub OK? - thats what I was planning on using. So relative to a stock front end (no track widening) what are you looking at now for track widths, is it square front and rear or is the rear still a touch narrower?

[simon k]

the ABS sensors in my wanted ad are the closest I could find, it looks like they use the same socket (not that a soldering iron wouldn't fix that, but we'd have to find pigtails)

the cap head bolts are fine under the stub axle, plenty of room left (OK, full disclosure: I didn't check, but nothing scrapes now that the wheel is back on...)

no geometry changes machined into the plates - given it's like 5 minutes per side to put them in its nothing to pull them out, machine them and put them back in...

forgot pictures of my fully sick AliExpress TIP (thanks Gav) - was too short so I cleaned up and bored some old rusty pipe to make an extension

[sambb]

I wonder if a bit of heat from a heat gun wouldnt soften the sensors plug stalk enough that it could just be coaxed a bit straighter.

[simon k]

I wonder if a bit of heat from a heat gun wouldnt soften the sensors plug stalk enough that it could just be coaxed a bit straighter.

that wouldn't be an unreasonable thing to wonder.... might even be a sensible thing to try out.... go to it Sam!

[sambb]

yeah OK I will on Wednesday. I'll let you know.

[Sydneykid]

the other thing you can do at the track is get a bit of 14x1.5 allthread, cut a couple of 6" lengths and use them as a temporary locator while you get a couple of bolts in, then take them out and put the rest of your bolts in. Not as practical as studs, but does save some cocking around.

EDIT: or grab a couple of bolts and cut the heads off... 14x1.5 allthread seems a bit of a rarity according to google

I bought 2 pairs of these off Ebay last week for the 4 x VW's in the family fleet (my wife thought it was a strange birthday present ).



2pc Aluminium Wheel Hanger M14x1.5 Lug Guide Tool VW Golf GTi 1999-Onward | eBay


Cheers
Gary

[sambb]

simon I got the plates today. I did a bit of track measuring last night and it looks like the half inch plates are the ones, so I organised all the bolts etc and I'll have a go at massaging the sensor tonight.

[kaanage]

the other thing you can do at the track is get a bit of 14x1.5 allthread, cut a couple of 6" lengths and use them as a temporary locator while you get a couple of bolts in, then take them out and put the rest of your bolts in. Not as practical as studs, but does save some cocking around.

EDIT: or grab a couple of bolts and cut the heads off... 14x1.5 allthread seems a bit of a rarity according to google

What I've done is get some hollow 12mm aluminium tubing from Bunnings, cut a length of about 15cm and put some heatshrink over one end.
Metal Mate RCR 12 x 1mm 1m Aluminium Round Tube | Bunnings Warehouse

This lets me jam the tube into one of the holes in the wheel (the heatshrink holds it in place) and then easily get the other end of the tube into one of the holes in the hub which then guides me getting the wheel on. The aluminium is strong enough to hold the wheel in place, too, while you scrabble around for the bolts, especially if you put the tube into one of the uppermost holes.

It also helps hold the wheel on until you are ready to take it off when you are removing the bolts (rather than having it fall off at an inopportune time).

Best of all, you don't have to screw the tube in and out (plus it costs bugger all).

I'm happy to give one to anyone in Melbourne.

[sambb]

stud conversion for me - just have to fit your spacers first and confirm everythings spot on so I know what lengths to order.

[simon k]

finished putting in the B8s last night - I'd started on the fronts on Sunday afternoon, decided to do the right hand side first - had a bastard of a time getting it apart, the manual says to take the CV out of the bearing carrier. I don't have a 36mm socket so after realising there was no way to get the bearing carrier low enough to get the strut out of it with the long driveshaft in the way, I undid it at the gearbox end - no problem after that, except when I initially looked at the bolts in the inner CV I thought they were TORX drive, so stuck an TORX drive in one and promptly chewed most of the splines out, then I realised it was spline drive.... I got them all out OK, and the strut came out easily.

Monday morning I bought new (grade 12.9 hex socket) bolts to replace all of those yukky single use bolts - assembled the strut, had to bore a socket deeper to get the top nut done up, then went on with putting it in the car. The strut was easy enough to get into the bearing carrier, using a chisel to keep the collar open, but I couldn't get it to go all the way in. It stopped moving about 5mm from where it was meant to sit. I couldn't get it to go any further on Monday night so gave in.

Last night after dinner I was having another go, and must've given the right blood sacrifice (right little finger, first knuckle, a nice round patch of skin missing, about 4mm diameter - it's a nice one) because I had the bright idea of grinding down the back of a claw hammer and using that to pry the collar open and with one little tug the strut dropped to exactly the right spot. After that the left hand side was a breeze. I had a quick test drive about 10:30 and there was a clunk when I gave the wheel a sharp tug. The only thing that I wasn't sure was completely tight was big nut on the strut top, so I went to my mates workshop this morning and used his 02 sensor socket to do them both up properly - no more clunk

Don't those dampers work well!! it doesn't dive onto it's nose when I turn anymore!! brilliant!!