Wheel Studs and Spacers - A Matter of Simplicity & Convenience

Many automotive enthusiasts have a tendency to hoard different varieties of wheels for their cars (You know who you are). The BMW community is certainly no exception to that. Since the 5x120 wheel bolt pattern stayed the same over so many different generations, there is a wide variety of options to enhance the visual appeal and originality of your car.  Wheel studs are a common upgrade for all types of enthusiasts. In motorsports of any level, it is common for racers and drifters alike to have multiple wheel and tire setups for a variety of reasons, and studs are a must. For the occasional track day, many enthusiasts will not want to scuff up a nicer set of wheels or burn through their street tires so they bring a second set of wheels with them to the track. Even streetcars can benefit from wheel studs.

Many enthusiasts have multiple sets of wheels and studs make swapping wheels a sinch.

For all enthusiasts, a basic wheel stud conversion paired with a set or two of wheel spacers could be hugely convenient if not a necessary option and we at Condor Speed Shop offer a wide selection of Studs and Spacers within our catalog of Motorsport Hardware Products.

Unlike wheel bolts which need to be fully removed and relocated properly when re-installing, wheel studs are retained in the wheel hub making wheel removal and installation a much simpler task. They are easily paired with different-sized wheel spacers as well which add overall track width or can simply be used to help dial in a specific fitment. Spacers may also be necessary to help increase the clearance between braking components. For track cars, we suggest running the shortest wheel stud possible for the thickness of the spacer. This keeps rotating mass down. Take a look at the chart below. Different-length studs will only work with a specific-sized spacer and vice versa which saves the hassle of having to purchase multiple sets of longer wheel bolts to match the desired spacer/wheel combinations. 

Being such a crucial item, it goes without saying that quality should never be compromised. Condor Speed Shop exclusively sells Motorsport Hardware products which are manufactured to the highest of standards and are utilized worldwide for many different performance applications. They feature a bullet nose-styled design and Allen Key insert, making them easy to install and torque down. We offer them in a variety of lengths as well as the two different thread pitches to match almost any BMW up to the current day. 

A few things to consider when converting to wheel studs would be safety and maintenance.

We recommend replacing them after each racing season or the road going equivalent to that stress and mileage. This suggested interval is largely dependent on the intensity and the amount of stressors you experience on the road or race track as well as the number of times your wheels have been installed and removed. It is also worth noting that per SAE standards, you need at least 6.5-7 turns when tightening and torquing the studs to drive and/or race safely.

There certainly are a number of valid reasons why many enthusiasts consider wheel stud conversions for their race cars and street cars as well. For race cars, they are basically a requirement while for the wheel enthusiast they can be very valuable.  The time and effort saved over time after installing them is considerable. Head on over to the Wheel and Spacers section of our website and see what different options are available for your BMW.