From an engineering class I took years ago, a study had been done (either VW or Mercedes) on the clamping forces variants between wheel studs/nuts combinations and wheel bolts. It was found that they were both within 2 PERCENT of the same clamping force using the same base material for the construction of each. However, the tensile strength of studs can be controlled better/more accurately than with the bolts. It came down to the costs per unit. Constructing a bolt is cheaper/more cost efficient than the separate steps of constructing a stud AND THEN a nut to fit said stud. HOWEVER. if you strip a stud or wear out the threads from failure to tighten properly, you can fairly easily repair/replace it. You strip out the bolt usually means you also strip the hub which can be an expensive repair. You can machine a hub to accept a stud (which I have done). And can use also use better grade studs than the factory studs. Besides having a stud to hold the wheel makes it easier for you to find your nuts. JD

When I was in college, I worked as a tire installer and installed thousands of tires on all sorts of foreign and domestic vehicles. I found that not only were the bolts on European vehicles very high quality but I also never saw one ever get buggered up like the studs and nuts on some American cars. I think part of the problem is that the studs and nuts are incredibly cheap on many vehicles. The lug nuts on my Hyundai were so cheap that the outer sleeve on the lug nuts peeled apart the first time I removed a tire from my car. I replaced all of the lug nuts with solid steel acorn nuts. BTW, the steel wheels on the old Mercedes and Audis were so good that, often, I did not have to add any weight to get a perfectly balanced wheel when I installed Michelin tires.

I like studs and nuts much better, if you break one or strip it's threads, it's replaceable. If you strip the threads in a hub, it's buggered!!, also more expensive to replace the hub. See i'm from europe and i think bolts are crap lol.

Funny story...I bought a SAAB for my mom. One lug bolt was missing. My nephew (a diesel tech) pointed out to me that that stud would be a bitch to change. I ordered a factory bolt from a SAAB site. Issue fixed. Bye the way, ASE master certified here and love your channel. And I'm not fond of the euro bolts too. Usually there is a plastic starter stud for the wheels in the spare tire kit...

Sorry to bust your bubble eric but your whole less material and lower cost theory is wrong the real reason and only reason car manufacturers do things like this is to piss me off. I see the engineers in their big offices in their fancy suits laughing to one another saying what other useless designs can we add to this vehicle to piss mrgoodbar off?.... oh i know lets use 45 different types of fastners to attach one part and make it so that 20 of them break apon removal. Yeah that ought to piss him off real good. Insert maniacal laughter 😂😂😂

I use zip ties to hold my wheels on

As much as I agree that the bolts make wheel installation more difficult, I must say the I have never encountered a bolt on hub that had the threads stripped out or cross threaded. I have encounter many, many broken, cross threaded, and stripped out studs and lug nuts. Not saying it can’t happen, just saying it has never been an issue that I have had to deal with in the 30 years I have been wrenching on cars.

The tool to hang wheels with wheel bolts is A F#%KING STUD. There's your answer, by the euros themselves. Studs are better, we'll even sell you one to install our wheels! Why make me screw in a stud (by hand, BTW) to hang a wheel when it can just have them there already? It adds a step. Plus when you have a flat tire and you're working and ground level as a non-tech, changing that tire needs to be as easy as possible. Wheel bolts are the dumbest little problem I've ever seen on a car.

I totally feel you on this issue. I've driven and worked on older VWs all my life (newer ones still apply to the one piece lug bolts), and wholeheartedly agree a two piece design is far more superior with clamping force. The only 'pro' I can fathom is there is less build-up of rust on a one piece bolt because less moisture can accumulate between the stud and lug nut (as you know, making them a royal bitch to get off, if seized). However the back end of the hub on a VW is also known for siezed lug bolts, too.

I've tried to answer this question on my channel multiple times and the best I could find was it was a safety standard mandated by some long obscure governing body. Then it was just the way they did it from then on.

Working for an Audi dealer for 10+ years I’ve gotten used to the wheel bolts, it feels weird to take wheel nuts off now. I think wheel bolts have more variables that affect proper torquing. One huge advantage to them is that in many cases brake rotors can be replaced without taking caliper mounting brackets off, you can just simply slip the rotor out from the caliper bracket

Never owned a mini so I haven't experienced the wheel bolt changing a tire. I have driven a relatives pretty quick even with a slipping trans/clutch. Thank you you just saved us from cursing and throwing tools over what? A wheel bolt.

I previously thought it was because the thread of a bolt is less exposed to contamination and corrosion. Now I believe Eric is right. It reduces the parts count and saves the manufacturer money.

I have worked with cars for about two years in Norway. Until now i didn't know that some cars had lug nuts instead of bolts, this would make my life much more easier.

I always figured because bolts were to easier to replace than studs and nuts when people tend to damage the threading when slipping on the wheel. But now that you really make me think about it why would the automotive industry make anything easier for DIY repair? Your answer makes more sense.

I'm pretty sure you're right, Eric. Also, from what I've seen on Volkswagens, the "special tool" is already in the vehicle's tool box. I just put on the wheel, screw in the bottom bolt a couple of turns by hand and it sits. Then you can do the other bolts.

Im from germany and basicly half the country drives vag cars. The other half drives BMW merc and some French Italian and japanese cars. So ive worked on a few european cars and i can honestly say i didnt like how they are build mostly. One of the reasons beeing of course the bolt and stud situation. Its a fact that its easier to put a wheel on with studs. The only advantage for bolts is, you can simply take longer bolts if you want to install spacers for example. But when you go to racetracks like the Nürburgring you see a lot of Euro cars that are converted to studs. There must be a reason for that. Or many reasons. One surely beeing that its just easier and faster to install a wheel. Especially if the car isnt on a lift where you can peek in the holes to see if you hit the hole. One reason why i like my japanese cars. Tools like you mentioned are another. Me and a Friend needed to change the thermostat onnhis mk5 Golf GTI. It was a hideous job. Took us a good 5h. On my 00 Civic it took me not even 1h.

The same way you were "amazed" when you saw wheel bolts instead of studs I was also like "what the heck" when I saw nuts and studs on a Japanese vehicle I worked on. It's just a habit and a different design and I find it no problem to get the wheel on the hub that required bolts. Cheers! Edit: Also, they tend not to rust like studs and threads that are exposed.

Thanks for the "super-special" birthday wishes. For whatever it is worth, I believe that the "Why lug bolts?" question is a bit less complicated and intriguing than it has been made out to be. The significant differences between a bolt and the stud/nut approach are: 1. The threaded area/intersection with the nut/stud is on the "outside" -- with the bolt it is on the "inside" (with respect to the wheel attachment "plane"). Therefore, although the threaded area gets plenty of road salt and grunge and so forth, even when a bolt it used, it gets less than the stud/nut -- particularly if there is no hubcap covering the wheel fastening. Never-seez gets washed away less quickly when not on the outside, as it is with stud/nut. 2. There is a sense in which, done right, the hole in the wheel into which the bolt is inserted to get to the threads in the axle "hub" can be "piloting" -- that is to say the hole in the wheel can "guide" the bolt threads somewhat into perpendicularity /alignment with the threads in the hub. Because fine threads should be used (separate subject, but similar reason all gear pullers have fine threads) the threads can possibly be cross-threaded -- helping alignment before starting is a good thing. So, although studs/nut are in some sense easier -- because you can hang the wheel on them and then tighten it onto the hub -- the bolts work out functionally a bit better over time. Most of the manufacturers that use bolts (VW, Audi) make an effort to have a small centering area in the middle of the wheel (around the bolt head going into the half-shaft). With a little practice, the wheel can be put on that and held in with one hand while the first bolt is put in, making it not that much harder than with studs. (And wheels/tires can be held up and bolted on, etc.) So the thought, by no means the worst one in these mostly really poorly engineered cars that are designed for the sake of the assembly line and saving micro-pennies on cheap wiring strategies and on plain steel fasteners where one small bit of stainless would be a lot less likely to rust and rot and and and and , is that on balance having the threads be in better shape over time is worth the relatively small hassle of putting on the wheel/tire. As noted, it isn't really a question of tension applied. Want more tension? --use a bigger fastener/fastening. It isn't really a question of ""parts count" -- making up a hub with studs isn't that different from making a hub with threaded holes. As to other arguments, you can heli-coil threads into a hub in an emergency. Hubs themselves aren't that hard to change with the right tools, etc. The question is whether, overall, there is less sorrow and trouble with the bolt approach and, particularly without high-quality old-fashioned hubcaps, fewer things actually go wreckish with the bolts.

That "special tool" is in the trunk of the car you're working on. It's a metal rod with a plastic piece toward one end. You jab it in a wheel bolt hole, then mount the wheel on the hub using the tool to hold the wheel up while you get your bolts started. Once you have a couple bolts in you can just yank the tool out and finish the rest of the bolts. You can get one in a junkyard for $1, it's amazing how "mechanics" never seem to know what this is for.

When an action lacks obvious reason. Look to money being the motivator.

I prefer lug nuts. Just make more sense.

Thanks for the super special happy birthday Eric 🤘🤙

My old FIAT 124 Spider had bolts affixing the wheels and pins extending from the hubs to locate the wheels when removing or replacing them. I really liked that system; tire changes were much easier compared to studs when the car was on jack stands instead of a service lift. The MINI in this video looks like a pain no matter what height, though.

As a former track day junkie, I installed a stud/nut kit on my JCW Mini. First, I could have a longer stud that left threads showing after tightening the bolt (a good thing on the track). Second, regarding clamping force and consistency, I found that the stud/nut combo maintained proper torque throughout the day versus the bolt, which tended to loosen, even when using bolts that had similar "heat related expansion" as the hub. Stud/nuts for me anytime over bolts.

I bet, if possible, European car makers such as BMW would gladly make those bolts out of plastic. Also a plastic brake rotors and brake pads would be their ultimate goal and dream. Lol.

Owning a Mini myself, and all my friends owning Euro cars, wheel bolts are all I've ever known in the 5 years I've worked on cars. It wasn't until I changed a tire on my Mom's CX-5 a couple months ago that I encountered studs. Studs are by far overall easier. However I've done wheel bolts for so long that I don't really have an issue with them either. Like you said, I think it's cost of production on one part versus two.

I've worked with both, there is only one difference i've seen aside from trying to get the wheel up (which I made my own tool for, bought a bolt, cut the head off and welded the shaft from another bolt onto it) is the amount of rust/corrosion between the two. It seems to me, that the bolts don't have as many problems with corrosion living in Michigan. I've snapped plenty of studs from acorn lugnuts that have rusted solid onto the studs from not having hubcaps or antiseize or just not being removed enough. There is one style of acorn in particular that seems to have this issue though, and the chrome capped lugnuts that swell and require either a 20mm or .5mm sized sockets. A good layer of anti seize seems to solve the stud and nuts problem of becoming a single unit however and is a better solution especially when combined with regular tire rotations (which we should all be doing but don't). The having to clean the mating surface people are talking about doesn't mean anything either. Both hubs/rotors will corrode over time, its metal you cant stop them, rims will do the same. The idea that you don't have to clean one over the other is nonsense, the rim has to mate to the hub/rotor no matter what holds it there, if you have 1/16in corrosion, its 1/16in corrosion, no matter bolts or studs, and you have to clean it.

The only good thing about wheel bolts is that it's already dirt easy to install longer wheel studs. ;p

The best answer i got from my mechanic was that the wheel mounting surface is much easier to clean in order for the wheel to sit on the break disk and hub firmly. This is actually a good idea if you wanna drive at high speeds which is the case on the german autobahn.

You can easily change the wheel bolts if you get thicker rims, than change your studs. For example: alloy wheels in summer and steel wheels in winter. Long bolts in summer and short bolts in winter. Also there are no exposed threads to rust.

I think you are spot on, here they call it ‘value engineering’ in our factory build I caught them ‘value engineering’ a lot of stuff out that is going to make maintenance harder in the long run.

volvo used to have nuts and studs on their older models

I think they do it because it's simpler and cheaper as well. You were nice about it, but the unusual moments where I deal with these versus normal lug nuts, I don't think it's as safe. Sure they have a tool to make it easier for the wheel to not fall off the moment the wheel bolts are out. I actually always think about it. Does this car have enough rust to help hold the wheel on to make this easier? Just enough to hold it in place is awesome. Any more than that and they are way harder to remove then rusty traditional wheels and studs.

Every day that ETCG1 posts a video is my birthday 🎂 and I prefer lugs and studs over just bolts because if you cross thread a lugnut, you change one lug and one stud. You cross thread a lug bolt and you nearly have to replace the whole hub. From a home gamer position lug studs and nuts are better.

Never considered this theory, but I haven't heard any other explanation. Makes perfect sense

Actually it is not just European cars, older American cars used them as well, my ‘53 Buick has them as did my ‘57 Plymouth, both of those cars had an alignment pin on the hub for easy installation. I actually think it is a good design because the threads are inside the hub & stay like new, these always come out with your fingers after the first couple turns, even on ancient old wrecks... I also had an ‘81 Mazda RX-7 that used them.

LMFAO. I've always said that about DAMN wheel bolts. WE ALL HAVE A BEEF W/SAID WHEEL BOLTS.

Sounds about right have a nice day etcg

Some good points have already been raised. Another benefit of bolts vs nuts is the size of the head (aesthetics). A smaller head isn't as obtrusive to the look of the wheel. MB uses 17mm heads and some are even smaller (Smart uses 15mm). There's no way to use lug nuts this small because the studs would be too weak. Nuts and studs do give more even/consistent clamping force, but for something as basic as holding a wheel on a hub, bolts are more than good enough. In my experience, the bolts (the ones MB uses, at least) are much stronger than the studs used on most American/Japanese cars (not that they couldn't make stronger studs). On the basis of cost. Not only are they probably cheaper to make, there's also a lot less labor to assemble everything (you save the step of pressing in the studs). Every little bit adds up (how many people does it take to press in 20+ studs on every car a manufacturer makes?) And I think we're all forgetting the most important reason the Germans do so many things differently: they can!

as a european i also would prefer lugnuts and studs, but another reason european manufacturers put wheelbolts on cars is so it's easier to switch to a different length wheelbolt when using different wheels which might requier using a longer bolt. i own a midengined porsche, and for the standard 17" wheels it comes with the bolt is shorter than if i was using the optional 911 gt3 wheels, which requier wheelspacers sobthey don't scrub in the wheelhousing. a bolt is easier to replace than a stud, so i guess that's another reason.

In the event that Murphy's Law applies double at minimum wage paying tire shops, I prefer more complete and cheaper to replace wheel studs. I mentally categorize wheel bolts with side post batteries, Pinto gas tanks, 2003 6.0L Power Stroke engines, and Ford's concentric slave cylinders.

i would say you hit the nail on the head with your reasoning. just FYI, the reason studs and nuts generally have higher clamping forces in engine blocks is due to the type of material the studs and nuts are made from. stock bolts are torque to yield most often, they are as cheap as they can get away with. they dont have a lot of extra strength to contain high power builds. my guess why the standard in racing is studs and nuts apposed to high strength bolts is serviceability. you strip the stud, its easier to replace and wont compromise the strength of the engine block. if you stripped the threads in the block with a bolt, you have to drill and put some sort of workaround in that can create weak spots.

Interesting topic. Love your videos Also, my birthday is coming up in 6 days and itll be on Sunday D: one more year of ETCG1 til my birthday falls on a monday. Looking forward to it! :)

Studs and nuts every time, they provide better clamping force and are cheaper and easier to replace than a stripped hub, moreover they don't require the use of fake studs to get the wheel hung and lined up. The premium German cars are now designed for people that wouldn't know how to change a wheel, they lease the car for three years and then sign a new lease, just when all the cheap plasticky parts start to fail.

Put a cool name on it. Build it like $#@t and overcharge the poor soul that buys it.

You ARE.right! I just bought studs for vw golf..and lug nuts ..thank you Eric😎

Remember the early 5 lug VW Bugs, very easy to strip the threads out of the drum. I ran many VW off road cars and we always put studs into the drums. The drums on the VW were not thick enough to hold with more than 3 threads. I am surprised I did not see more street VW's with wheel bolt problems. The problem came when the wheel was over torqued or hit with a load from the side. Very possible to pull all the threads out on those early 5 lug drums.

Wheel bolts were a bad idea 90 years ago when Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth used them.

Y Yes it is my Birthday today :)

Hey Eric, apparently it is because german automaker want you to be able to clean the hub as good as possible when you remove the wheel. This way, you get a very clean surface and at «supersonic» speed on the autobahn, there is no vibration at all that could eventually cause the nuts/bolts to become loose and to lose a wheel. Cheers

I'm glad you asked the question and was also curious why the European tires have a more flexible sidewall and what tools would help changing them by hand.

If cost is the reason they would just pass it on to the consumer... it's at most a few bucks that could be added to the price of the vehicle so I would think it's a negligible... I'm sure there's some technical scientific reasoning behind it

They use it to prevent thread damage when installing and removing your wheels. Thats the main reason. Cost is second .

Eric, it’s my birthday and I’m glad it’s super special!!!

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one. Money and "Just because".

your probably right.... but I think European cars do strange things just to be difficult and sell tools.... multi level marketing.....

European engineers are just weird in my book: wheel bolts, Torx everything, oil filters that stick up with a housing - I don’t know. I’m thinking it’s just how the markets matured and that things are just how they are - kinda like Americans and our cubic inches, push rods and engineering goofiness. Still weird though...

i agree with you eric! love the videos by the way!

Thanks for the birthday shoutout Eric! This birthday has been even more super special than usual, so I appreciate that

Eric hit the point here. European car makers tend to make vehicles A: cheaply (lots of plastic parts) and B:overly complicated as possible, so that when (not if) those parts fails, youd have to go to the stealership.

In my opinion, I feel the wheel bolt design is better. The reason why is that once you get used to it, it's easier to get the wheel on than a studded setup. Here is how: lift the wheel and place it on the hub ring. After the wheel is sitting on the hub ring, just rotate the wheel until the wheel holes line up and just screw in the wheel into the hub. I find this overall easier than the traditional design. With the traditional design, you have to make sure to align every hole or else the wheel won't go on. With the bolt design, you just have to place it on the hub then rotate wheel as needed. Also, wheel bolts allow you to easily get longer bolts for different offset and spacer setups.

It probably has to do with the history of wagon wheels. Everyone knows those were held on with lug nuts in the America's, owing to the distance of service centers on the Oregon Trail.

I have both: an old Pontiac with studs and lug nuts, and a VW Jetta with wheel bolts. Removing and replacing the wheels on the Pontiac is much easier. Another issue with the wheel bolts is, if you don't have brake rotor retention screws, it makes wheel installation even more difficult. Because now you have to line up the bolt holes in the wheel, the brake rotor, and the hub. Whereas with wheel studs, you can hang the rotor and the wheel on the studs, and run the nut down. Easy!

Bolt = less unsprung weight and rotating weight? Saving a few grams on wheels really shows in terms of performance and economy, way more than removing the same amount elsewhere. A heavier wheel needs more energy to accelerate and brake and you need better suspension to deal with the forces. Also Compact size: the bolt goes right into the brake rotor and doesn’t stick out so you have more space for brake/suspension components or steering angle. I guess lugnuts are more foolproof and American companies don’t want to get sued if someone’s wheel came off because they just hand-screwed the nut on and never touched it for 10 years. :-)

Simple. Because Europe.

You know as a automotive mechanic that does make the most sense thanks

I do agree the bolt vs stud and nut is a pain to reinstall a wheel, and deductive reasoning seems logical. 👍

i think its because you are damaging the threads of the studs slightely everythime you put a wheel off and on.(alltough it's not a real issue in reality) You don't do that with bolts...

I owned a '49 Plymouth Deluxe that not only had wheel bolts, but they were left-hand threads on one side and right-hand threads on the other. Old cars are great projects if you have the time and the money for the project.

damage to the thread is caused with repeated tyre/tire changes when a hub has lugs. This doesn't occur with bolts and they are easier and cheaper to change.

I think you’re exactly correct! Both on the clamping force of a stud and a nut over a bolt, and also the cost savings. I also heard the opinion that they did it just to fuck with us, but I could be wrong;)

Eric... I was writing your exact explanation.... I think you're right-on.... it's a manufacturing decision not a design decision.

I have worked for Mercedes Benz for 21 years and have had this discussion with engineering and the statement I got from them was just tradition and they didn't want to change

when changing brake disks/drums it is easy to accidentally hit the studs and damage the thread, using bolts solves that problem, also it is easier to use wire wheel to clean the hub before installing a new disk when there are no studs.

Cost savings makes a lot of sense, I think it's easier to keep a thread clean if it's a bolt going into the hub than studs and nuts, plus it looks cleaner to just have bolts as newer cars have the wheel bolts exposed. My '75 BMW has nuts and studs and a chrome cover, but my 87 has bolts and no cover.

He Eric, in the toolkit is the plastic tool to put the wheel on. So no need to buy it it's there. Enjoying the videos.

Since the late 80's, I have made the same comment about using studs for head bolts and main bearing caps. I always get the deer in the headlights look. That's when I know it went right over their head so I shut my mouth and go back to work.

I had heard the Porsche first started using the bolts because when you press the studs into the hub flange it distorts somewhat. That distortion led to vibrations at high speeds. I don’t know that as fact seems like another logical reason.

Question is WHY NOT use bolts. As you said, more simple and cheaper solution that allows using different spacers and rim thicknesses. Taking the wheels off and putting them on is not that much different compared to nuts. Just requires a different technic.

You said it, cost is the main reason (cost in materials and cost in installation), but also a decrease in rotating mass. The wheel bolt alone is lighter than the stud/nut combination.

As always something new to learn. I am not familiar with wheel bolt. Hehehe I bought my son a lightning mcqueen toy and its a car with a wheel you can take off and on using the tools that comes with it. I thought that a wheel bolt was designed because it was a toy I was not aware about wheel bolt until you talked about it here at ETCG1 by the way the toy was a car where you can take off wheels and open hood and take off engine because I like my son to like fixing cars when he grow up. Also I don't have European car yet maybe next time and thats another thing that I look forward to. Again everytime at ETCG1 is part of learning. Thank you.

I work for AAA, and I can't tell you how many times I've had to go tow a car because either light service, or the vehicle owner, sheared off the bolt in the hub. And it's always the wheel bolts.

Yes Eric I'd say you were nearly 100% right with your assumption I also think it's probably because if the thread gets messed up it's easier to repair a threaded hole and replace a bolt than it is to press out a messed up stud and press back in the new 1

I used to work with old air-cooled VW bugs and dune buggys and the bolts were always a pain. Now that I’m restoring a ‘71 (and a little older) I’m going to purchase aftermarket studs that can be installed in the drums with a high-strength threadlocker.

It's to separate the vertical loads on the wheels from the clamping force on the bolts. On a wheel using bolts, the center of the hub that sticks out into the center part of the rim handles all the vertical loads the wheel encounters while the bolts simply provide the clamping force, which provides a more mechanically sound connection since the bolts only have to deal with loads along the length of the bolt (clamping force). On a wheel using studs and nuts, the studs and nuts need to both support the vertical loads on the wheel and provide the clamping force, which means the studs need to deal with both loads along the length of the stud (clamping force) and horizontal shear forces from handling the vertical loads on the wheel.

I griped about it for about a week when I worked at Volvo but then it just becomes all the same, I don't know if I prefer it, but it does make cleaning the hub for brake rotors when they get rusty. The way I have found best to install the wheel is to put one bolt through with a deep socket on top of it, hold that with your thumb as you grab the spokes and lift it up and hold woth one hand while using the socket to thread the bolt with the other

I don't care much but it's nice to be able to just pop out and change a stud whenever you have to rather than changing a hub or trying to re-tap to fix bad threads. Plus the added bonus of resting the wheel on the studs while you screw them on instead of man-handling the wheels.

Germany has a overall length that studs can stick out. If you change your wheels from stock the studs will be too short or too long. But with bolts you can just change out the bolt for a longer or shorter bolt and get a perfect fitment.

I think you are bang-on with it being cheaper/simpler for the manufacturer using wheel bolts VS studs.

Being a tire tech, I deal with lug bolts frequently. They are usually rust stuck, and you can't access the threads to apply penetrate oil. Then during installation the wheel slips off the hub as you are monkeying the lug bolt in, usually resulting with a good pinch to the fingers. I heard the Europeans made them that way to save cost (VW) post WW2 and just kept it that way. These cars now are way expensive, why can't they just include studs and nuts along with the huge price? They need to move past the Dr Porche design from the 1930's, it's almost 100 years old now.

I agree with you. Not saying I like bolts over lugs/nuts. But I can fully understand the want to save costs. European cars tend to cost more to produce, so it makes sense they want to save money wherever they can.

Less metal = less cost = weight savings? I totally agree that nuts & studs make for more clamping force. Everything from high performance head studs to highway rig wheel rims are held on with stud & nut combo. Its the stronger way to go, but not the cheapest.

I think you're right...cheaper for the manufacturer (more money in manufacturer pocket) and more expensive, labor-wise, for the customer (more money in dealer pockets). For serviceability, it's better to have studs. Also, if you have bolts, you then have to have a mechanical fastener to hold on the brake disk which is not required on studded hubs (see the disk behind Eric).

Thanks for the super special birthday wishes Eric!

Eric, I'm european, and the use of bolts does make you buy another tool, where you got one from? Just use a socket, geesh. Well, you got that right, costs, also weight, also is a lot cheaper to replace a broken/xthreaed bolt, just get a new one and tap the hub (not a good idea but solves the immediate problem. Clamping force is relative, for obvious reasons, they have the same clamping force if the bolt, stud and lug nut are of the same material spec and same threading. I'm not saying bolts are better, there are lots of reasons why we use them, and they have proven to work as well as the complicated stud/lug nut option.

On my birthday, I watch all your videos. Thank you

Short but sweet, like a wheel bolt! I prefer stud and nut, and If you use softer nuts than studs, (this is sounding sleazy now), you will rarely need to replace a wheel stud. However you cross thread a wheel bolt and yes, you need a new hub, or the skills and equipment to fix it, and still not be sure its right.

What u said,plus they are easyer to replace. Lug bolts,lug nuts and the studs they go on technically have a service interval. Because they will stretch over time so that mean they wil weaken or loosen more easily. Plus dont forget the corrosion aspect. But it is one of those things no one pays attention to.

Thanks for the bday wish, I agree with you 100 on this topic. Anyone who needs proof can watch the hoonigan channel.