New Tool - Wheel Hangers

["Steve D'Gerolamo" <steved3@xxxxxxx>]

Necessity (and old age) are the mother of invention.  BMW wheels (since the
mid-70's) have attached to the wheel hubs with 12mm lug bolts.  I've always
had a little trouble lining up the wheel holes with the holes in the hub to
mount the wheels, even with the slight hubcentric lip.  BMW gives you an
alignment arbor in the factory tool kit but I've never used it.  Add a pair
of wheel spacers (I sell lots of these with the Movit brake kits) and wheel
installation is even more difficult.  Mounting four snow tires with 16"
steel wheels will give you a hernia!

I'm currently producing a prototype set of stud-like wheel hangers which
will thread into an opposing pair of lug holes in the hub (adjacent holes
on 4 lug cars).  These will have a knurled end lip for easier grip and
threading by hand and a positive stop once installed into the hub.  Install
the pair of hangers, slide on the spacer and wheel, and install and hand
tighten the other 3 (or 2) lug bolts.  Remove the wheel hangers (there's a
slot on the end of the hanger for use of a screwdriver if the stud becomes
stuck) and install the 2 final lug bolts.  Lower the car and torque to
factory spec.

The wheel hangers are made of a 300 grade stainless steel (no plating to
wear off or mar your wheels) and the smooth shank (except for the knurl on
the end) is less damaging to the alloy wheels and paint than exposed stud
threads.  This is the reason I decided to have these machined from stock
rather than modify existing studs or bolts which would be much cheaper to
produce.

These wheel hangers (M12x1.5) will fit all 3/5/6/7/8 series BMW's
(excluding the pre-77 5 series), some Saabs and VW's and just about all
Mercedes cars (excluding the S & M class cars...no jokes please!).   SD
(PS- first run should be available by mid-July. The M14x1.5 size for larger
Mercedes and most Audi and the M12x1.25 for Ferrari will be run in August)
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Steve D'Gerolamo - The Ultimate Garage
201-262-0412 / steved3@domain.elided / http://www.ultimategarage.com

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