The Cal-look Lounge

Ok all you guys running Ercos with wheel studs rather than wheel bolts, what is the trick to mounting the wheels. I have checked the clearance on my 12mm studs, they are fine, but when I go to mount my (race weight) wheels there is interference between the studs and wheel holes. It looks to me like I need to enlarge the wheel holes as the studs are slightly out of alignment, is this the solution?

Thanks for any input :)

Most ercos I have fitted have had the same problem. I tend not to enlarge the holes with a Clearance drill as you never know exactly in which direction the hole is off pcd or spacing. I tend to use judicious 'force' with with a rubber mallet to Gently knock the wheel on to the hub. The hardened steel studs eventually broach their way through the soft  ali. It sounds s little crude, but always works and then you have an exact wheel to hub fit without the chance of offsetting the wheel to hub too greatly.

Many thanks Matt, I considered trying that but was a little concerned about damaging the wheel. I guess softly, softly is the way to go with this method. Another question for you then Matt, once you have mounted the wheels do you match mark the wheel/hub to ensure the wheel is mounted in the same orientation every time.

Yep... Make some kind of small identifying mark  ;)

Thanks again Matt :)

This is interesting. I have 14mm studs on both cars (maybe the difference?). ERCOs, Centerlines, BRMs, 5-Spokes, Torkers ~~~No problem, ever. Even when I had screw-in 12mm studs, there was never an issue. Could there be an issue with the way/quality of the stud insertion? Are they straight? Sounds pretty strange, to me.

have the knurls on the stud been turned down to be flush with the drum or do the proceed past the drum?  if they stick out, there is your problem. If not go ahead with above.

*edit:  I read your post again and am not not sure but my advice would only apply to press in studs.

Thanks for the input guys. I am using good, used, genuine drums and screw in studs, but there is obviously a small misalignment issue, it could be the drums/studs that are at fault or it could be the wheels.

Something does not sound correct to me, either. I had street weight ercos and press-in, sway-away studs mounted on my car for a few years and NEVER had issues with installation or removal of wheels.  The same studs work just fine with the 356 lemmerz that are on the car now. I would remove those screw in studs, throw them as far as you can and have some press-in studs installed properly. Good luck.

What Matt says. Mine are the same Pas and so are all the ones i take off and re fit on customers cars.

Thanks Jim I will get the mallet out ;)

Another one here - I had to open one or two of the holes in my Ercos with a file, just a little bit, and not on every hole either. I did it with the drums on the bench, made it easier to do, and when I'd finished I spray painted through the brake adjustment hole to put a dot of paint on the back of the wheel to ensure alignment, red on one side, black on the other.

As far as I understand it street weight ercos are countersunk on the
Face of the wheel which centres the wheel when tightened so th holes
Can be a little loose, race weight ercos aren't countersunk and use
A countersunk washer therefore they need to be a tight fit on the studs
To stay centred.
Matt

Thanks for the tip Neil, I like the idea of spraying the rear of the wheels.

Yes-

With my raceweight rims I have to make sure they are perfectly square or they wont slide over the studs- I got round this by loc-tighting one stud in each disc/drum, that I sit the wheel on, then I wind the others in after. I have loctighted the nuts onto the other 4 studs on each corner, so they come out like wheel bolts when I undo them. Hope that makes sense??

I had this problem too, a friendly local engineering shop milled them for me for £20 :)