Contemplating new ARP studs ... anyone with bad experiences?
 

After breaking studs and then reading on on the forum, looks like the studs that came with this car are crap. I'm now looking at making a $200 investment on new studs and lugs. Not to mention the time investment of installing the damn things. Few questions for you guys:

1) Anyone still have problems with ARP studs?
2) Anyone with brake ducting have studs break?
3) Anyone with BBK have studs break?
4) Anyone ever break a REAR stud?

My hypothesis is that the front studs overheat from braking. I'm not sure if it's worthwhile to go the studs route or just go and grab a BBK/brake ducting to lower temps.

Problem with brake ducting is that it's not something that I really am looking forward to installing on the car, whereas a BBK has extra bling factor :)

ARP is the tried and proven solution

1- nope
2- yup
3- yup
4- yup

Ultimately, it's your responsibility to make sure you're not cross threading studs.

We have ARP studs and lug nuts in stock and ready to go.

The ARP studs are worth every penny. Zero problems with mine, MANY wheel changes.

Mike I just searched your website for FR-S and the studs do not show up.

@CounterSpace Garage....

PM me and I'll have it invoiced to you directly.

Anyone else?

I'd love to go ARP, the only thing stopping me right now is the cost as I don't have acess to a press and I can't really have the car on jacks for a couple days while I drop the hubs off at a machine shop :(

But there's a reason just about every serious track car you'll see has gone over to ARP studs. They are the industry standard, period.

How hard is the install? The hubs are fairly easy to remove as I just did it this weekend. I don't think the front hubs need to come off, but the rears do. Alternatively I've read that non-extended studs don't require hub removal so I may have them machined down.

I have a 1-Ton press at work I can use. I also have this stud installation tool below. Do you think this is enough to get the job done? I can't see pressing the studs in straight but I do think it will be OK with this "puller" tool.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-22800-Wheel-Stud-Installer/dp/B000ETUD22"]Amazon.com: Lisle 22800 Wheel Stud Installer: Automotive[/ame]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...L._SL1500_.jpg

Here's a DIY thread:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21563

I can confirm that fronts can be done with the hubs in the car (remove the rotors though), and rears can definitely not. Stock studs can probably be done in the rear, but the ARP are WAY too long to have a chance of getting in.

Doing the rear on a Saturday wouldn't be too difficult. I used a brass hammer against the stock stud, and had someone else smack the brass hammer with a sledge. (Not hard, just enough to knock them out). Took maybe 5 minutes, then took the hub apart. Used a spacer I had to help install the ARPs. Just lubed up the spacer and lug then tightened it down. Worked great and went quick.

I had a bad experience with them.

I blame it partially on my lugs though. I had Kics R40 Open End Lug Nuts paired with spacers and ARP studs.

The lugs and studs went to shit after about a year or so. Granted, I took wheels on and off quite a bit for drift events and such. Also, since I'm in Oklahoma, the lugs and studs got exposed to some of the harsher weather.

If it were closed lugs, and I didn't take wheels on and off frequently, I think they would have lasted quite a bit longer.

Looks like i need shorter ARP studs... then I'll have the best of both worlds: easy install and less chance to strip.

This...:thumbup:

It took me 2 hours to do the whole car (and I did a suspension swap at the same time). I used washers and an old lugnut method to put new ones in. You can lightly tap the oldones out with a hammer. (keep wheel bearings in mind and take your time instead of smashing them out)
I had Ichibans and 3/10 of them spun in the hub. That was an expensive lesson. Only use ARP.