Why Lug Bolts?
 

- Why did some manf.s get rid of wheels studs with lug nuts on them?

That made it easy to hang the wheels & then tighten them (something that assumes greater importance at night way way back in the boonies)...

I had to wrestle with doing this on the front of my Vanagon yesterday - for some especially odd reason VWAG did use studs & nuts on the rear...

Is there any engineering reason for this?

Good question. I just removed the front tires on wifes '06 Jetta to check brake pads. Was a real pain to the the wheels back on. Virtually have to get down on all fours to visually align the holes.

+1 good question. I hate it when I have to do the wheels on the Boxster. But then when I found the same thing on the Jag, I thought WTF? I suppose they could be converted?

Cost savings I would suppose... Cheaper to sell hubs as a solid piece. Possibly it made it easier for some manufacturers to keep their hubs the same bolt pattern and type - lugs instead of nuts or vice-versa.

My Corrado and The M3 both were that way, total pain in the ass. Glad the 944 has studs as often as I swap wheels.

Handy for different wheels/spacers/etc. as the bolts can be changed vs pressing out and installing new studs.

Some cars come with a threaded post you can put in to hang the wheel on, that's much better than wrestling trying to hold the thing and thread one.

Yeah, like this one
Pelican Parts.com - Wheel Stud Pilot Pins, 14mm- 2 pack

with hub centric lug bolts are not that bad.

Not best for NASCAR wheel changes, but in my driveway it works

Somewhere I heard it was less distortion on the wheel but I don't see how bolts and studs would be different in that respect.

Thx for those suggestions, Llama & Tobra.

I considered a threaded removable hanger stud or post, but I think I can buy studs and add them into the hubs - that solves the whole thing.

It's lucky to own a cult vehicle... people are always making handy items for them

Wow, that's pricey. Thanks for a business idea.

I think we have a winner.

Rennline makes a stud kit, sold by our host: Porsche Boxster Miscellaneous - Page 13

I used it on my spec boxster.

If you work on Mercedes for a living, (which I do part-time), you get used to it in a hurry. MB has never used studs, AFAIK. And yes, it is a PIA but MB includes a threaded long pin in the factory tool kit for their cars that you hand-thread into one hole and then hang the wheel on that. Makes it a breeze. Every MB tech that I know has a couple on the top shelf of his tool box.

try jacking up Cayenne 20's. I'm ready for a nap after swapping out winter wheels for summer.

All of the later Porsches come with lug bolts instead of studs. I agree, total pain in the arse having to take them off and put them back on all day long. The pin is included in the tool kit by the way. On the ceramic brake equipt cars, you are supposed to use two pins to avoid chipping the rotors.
I think it is a cost savings for all the car companys to do it this way now.

All my Audi's have had lug bolts. Funny - I've never found this to be a problem. The wheel fits nicely over the the center hub and I can then align and insert bolt as needed. I find studs & nuts to be more difficult. Maybe it's just me...

it's not a new thing... my 57 buick has lug bolts. 9/16's lug bolts

Interestingly the later RUF cars come with studs and nuts.

That got me thinking... Is a nut and stud lighter than a lug bolt?

20 fewer parts to source, stock, and keep track of.