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[02rsxpilot]

Wanted to share my experience with motorsporthardware.com this week, in case anyone else in the future is looking at stud conversion kit options.

First off, my kit is being delivered today, so I'll follow up with thoughts on the actual product when it arrives and when I've installed it.

Bottom line for anyone looking at doing this too, MSH responded to an email from me asking for a recommendation in about 30 minutes. They answered my questions and made a clear recommendation specific to my intended use, and they even offered me a good deal. I placed the order late in the day, and I kid you not, 19 minutes later I had an "Order Complete" email with tracking info. Despite being eligible for free shipping, which usually means slow (I'm looking at you AMAZON), they sent it two-day priority, so I'll have the kit on my door step today. That blew me away, and is enough for me to highly recommend them to anyone else looking into anything they sell.

I'm just super pleased with the experience, and in a marketplace where I could have easily bought from four or five other highly-reputable vendors, that's a big deal. Looking forward to getting the kit and doing the install, probably in a few weeks when I have the wheels off again.

[VMRWheels]

[A_Squared]

I just installed the 75mm kit with their 19mm Lugs. I was very happy with them until I noticed that after I washed my car, it seemed like the coating on the lugs was fading. It looked as if the soap or wheel cleaner (meguiar's that I've always used) had eaten away at it. I need to contact them to see what kind of warranty they offer.

[Fifty3bags]

I have a set from them as well and I love them, I've taken my wheels off probably 20 times since I installed them and they've already paid off. I have noticed that sometimes the lugs get kind of a white film over them, I'm thinking its from my lug nuts though (I have the black studs)

10/10 would buy again!

[A_Squared]

Originally Posted by Fifty3bags

I have a set from them as well and I love them, I've taken my wheels off probably 20 times since I installed them and they've already paid off. I have noticed that sometimes the lugs get kind of a white film over them, I'm thinking its from my lug nuts though (I have the black studs)

10/10 would buy again!

Yea that's exactly how my lugs were starting to look after one wash, but when I looked closer they actually looked corroded. The stud kit is great, their lugs....not so much. I contacted them last night and got almost an immediate response. They don't warranty their stuff and basically their is nothing I can do. All they offered me was a very minimal discount on their "new" lugs. Not spending anymore money on their lugs as it appears to be a quality control issue. It would probably be cheaper for me to powder coat the lugs I have than to buy new ones from them again. If I were to do it over again, I just wouldn't buy any of their lugs. I'll try to get some pics later to show you guys what they look like. Even the shop I bought them from was surprised it happened.

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by A_Squared

Yea that's exactly how my lugs were starting to look after one wash, but when I looked closer they actually looked corroded. The stud kit is great, their lugs....not so much. I contacted them last night and got almost an immediate response. They don't warranty their stuff and basically their is nothing I can do. All they offered me was a very minimal discount on their "new" lugs. Not spending anymore money on their lugs as it appears to be a quality control issue. It would probably be cheaper for me to powder coat the lugs I have than to buy new ones from them again. If I were to do it over again, I just wouldn't buy any of their lugs. I'll try to get some pics later to show you guys what they look like. Even the shop I bought them from was surprised it happened.

It is a wear and tear item. What do you expect?

My studs and lugs look like crap, but they hold the wheel

[A_Squared]

I get that it's a wear and tear item but I'm talking in a span of one week this happened. Literally put them on and washed the car a few days later and they looked like they do. Where it's faded isn't even where the socket catches. That part will get scuffed up as expected but this is at the tip of the lugs.

[02rsxpilot]

Well, I decided to install the rears today, and can confirm a little of what you guys have said. First off, the black coating isn't very durable. I don't know how it'll hold up in washing, but on both the studs and the lug nuts, it was pretty easy to scratch off just with my tools. Like kgolf though, I'm not too concerned about aesthetics.

What did bug me was on my first install, one of my lug nuts deformed:



Admittedly, this is the result of not seating my socket all the way, but this happened when I was tightening them down, not torquing them, so it didn't take much force to deform the nut. It would no longer accept a 17mm socket, but thankfully an 18 got it back out.

I could file the deformation off and use it again, but I've reached out to MH to see if they'll replace it. If these nuts are that malleable, I may look for a different set of more OEM quality.

Overall though, I'm not unhappy. The length is about right, although there's definitely more metal than OEM.

For kicks I also weighed five lug bolts versus five studs/lugs. The OEM bolts are 0.68 lbs per wheel. The studs + lugs are 0.90 lbs. per wheel. So there is a really minor increase in unsprung weight.

I installed mine with some medium threadlocker from Harbor Freight. The bottle was red but the fluid came out blue. The kit Apex sells comes with "permanent" threadlocker, but when I googled it there didn't seem to be too much concern about which type you used. I torqued the studs to 25 ft/lbs.

Anyway, I'm always a little nervous when I do a new mod, but I drove it up the street and back and neither of the rear wheels fell off, so that's a good sign. I rechecked torque and everything was fine. Still, I'll probably be extra alert until I've done some freeway and or a track day with them.

UPDATE: MH said they'd never seen that but would send me a new lug nut right away. Again, customer service is winning me over.

[02rsxpilot]

Feel obliged to post an update on this. Long story short, the shop that did my M3 control arm install severely overtorqued two of my driver's side bolts, and after breaking two of my own tools trying to free them, I took it to the local tire shop and after much work they finally broke them loose. In the process though the bolts have deformed yet again showing these things are probably not hard enough for the application. For now I'll back the studs out and use my OEM bolts.

If I could do it over again I'd buy a different kit, probably from Apex.

[_Ryan_]

Originally Posted by A_Squared

I just installed the 75mm kit with their 19mm Lugs. I was very happy with them until I noticed that after I washed my car, it seemed like the coating on the lugs was fading. It looked as if the soap or wheel cleaner (meguiar's that I've always used) had eaten away at it. I need to contact them to see what kind of warranty they offer.

Why would they warranty your mistake?

Originally Posted by 02rsxpilot

Feel obliged to post an update on this. Long story short, the shop that did my M3 control arm install severely overtorqued two of my driver's side bolts, and after breaking two of my own tools trying to free them, I took it to the local tire shop and after much work they finally broke them loose. In the process though the bolts have deformed yet again showing these things are probably not hard enough for the application. For now I'll back the studs out and use my OEM bolts.

If I could do it over again I'd buy a different kit, probably from Apex.

Did you have the TUV/ISO certified studs or the older ones?

I have their kit, I use the long studs and have had no issues when cleaning with my normal Bowdens Own wheel cleaner.

[Kgolf31]

No stud is really ever meant to take over 90 ft-lbs of torque.

[chris82]

Originally Posted by 02rsxpilot

Feel obliged to post an update on this. Long story short, the shop that did my M3 control arm install severely overtorqued two of my driver's side bolts, and after breaking two of my own tools trying to free them, I took it to the local tire shop and after much work they finally broke them loose. In the process though the bolts have deformed yet again showing these things are probably not hard enough for the application. For now I'll back the studs out and use my OEM bolts.

If I could do it over again I'd buy a different kit, probably from Apex.

That's simply unacceptable. They probably used an impact gun and torqued them to well over 100ft/lbs.

I was not sure if my summer wheels would fit without spacers (luckily they did), so I was doing a LOT of research on stud kits and I narrowed it down to the GLS Top Studs or the kit from VAC Motorsports. I've never heard of either of those breaking. They're just a little more expensive that's all. Considering the trouble you already went through with one kit, might be worth it to spend a little more next time.

GL

[A_Squared]

Originally Posted by _Ryan_

Why would they warranty your mistake?

Did you have the TUV/ISO certified studs or the older ones?

I have their kit, I use the long studs and have had no issues when cleaning with my normal Bowdens Own wheel cleaner.

Can you enlighten me on what mistake I made other than washing my car?

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by chris82

That's simply unacceptable. They probably used an impact gun and torqued them to well over 100ft/lbs.

I was not sure if my summer wheels would fit without spacers (luckily they did), so I was doing a LOT of research on stud kits and I narrowed it down to the GLS Top Studs or the kit from VAC Motorsports. I've never heard of either of those breaking. They're just a little more expensive that's all. Considering the trouble you already went through with one kit, might be worth it to spend a little more next time.

GL

I'm past my second year with Vorshlag Studs, no issues.

[_Ryan_]

Originally Posted by A_Squared

Can you enlighten me on what mistake I made other than washing my car?

Used a chemical cleaner on a painted product without testing if it would damage the finish first....

[A_Squared]

Originally Posted by _Ryan_

Used a chemical cleaner on a painted product without testing if it would damage the finish first....

Meguires states it's safe for all painted wheels and surfaces. Not the first time I've used the product over several platforms. Nonetheless, not impressed with MH. Glad you had a good experience.

[E82MSport]

For another point of reference I have these on my car and have held-up quite well even through 2 Michigan winters. They do have a slight chalky appearance after all this time. I'm more of a function over fashion kinda guy and these have paid for themselves in convenience.

I've probably R&R'd my wheels over 50 times and they show very minimal wear. Meaning the black isn't coming off.

If I was to show my car I would probably dust them with a light coat of matte black while the wheels are mounted on the car just to bring that deep rich color back. I would never want paint on the actual torqued threads as this could cause improper torque readings.

http://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-pr...l#.VRXwFfnF_TA

[e36addict]

I have MH studs on all three of my vehicles and have had no problems. Of course, I also don't use abrasive cleaners, and I know how to properly torque wheels/seat sockets on the nuts.

[Pyrat 2]

Also running MH studs. No issues.


http://motorsporthardware.com/produc...-bmwminilotus/

[02rsxpilot]

As a follow up, I pulled my front studs to check threads and everything looks good (no damage from the monkeys at the shop over-torquing). Got two more nuts, and an extra just in case, to replace the ones that got mangled. Will be re-installing with fresh thread locker when those arrive. Overall still very happy but I do think the nuts could be a bit more durable.