Alloy Wheel Bolt Stud Alignment Tool

[DougX]

Having now got to an age where I struggle to get my Detroit alloy wheels off and on my 2005 XK8 (X100) I have found a company that supplies a wheel bolt stud alignment tool to assist with the process. I have been told that my wheel nuts are 1/2" UNF thread but not sure whether they are M10, M12 or M14 size. Does anyone know?
Also, I have to question whether the information given to me that the thread is 1/2” UNF thread is correct. Surely they would have been metric?

[Astromorg]

Doug, they're M12. The M indicates a metric thread and the 12 is the nominal overall diameter of the thread. As you rightly suspect, with very few exceptions the threads on the X100 models are metric and there are no UNF threads

[DougX]

I was hoping to purchase a pair of Car Alloy Wheel Bolt Stud Align Tool to assist with fitting back my alloy wheels. The supplier indicated the following “…….The information I have found online suggests it uses M12x1.25 nuts. These alignment tools are designed for cars that use wheel bolts not studs and nuts though so it will not work on your car.”
Therefore, they are suggesting that these items won’t be suitable. Does anyone know if there are any tool that does the same job?

[aaj]

Doug

Some time ago someone marketed (specific for Jaguar) something similar to this:

https://www.powerfuluk.com/catalogsearc ... t?q=rrw100

You will need to check with this company the thread & outside diameter & compare with your needs

Good luck

AllanJ

[DougX]

Great, this is exactly what I’m looking for. I have emailed them to see if they fit a XK8.

[DougX]

Unfortunately they only have M14x1.5 Easy wheel fitting tools. Anyone know of other suppliers of these tools that have M12 fittings?

[JimMann]

Hi Doug, not sure these are widely available, but perhaps should be given the average age of the driver these days. Anyway, a simple proposal would be to have a local machine shop or the local technical / vocational college turn up a suitable tool for you. The details to make two tools would be:
2 x 200mm long bars x 18mm diameter in a soft metal, i.e. brass or aluminium
Drill and tap one end of the bar with M12 x 1.25 thread 50mm deep
On the outside of the bar, knurl the top 100mm of length to offer a decent grip surface to screw the tool into position on the stud, Note by top 100mm I mean the end without the drilled / tapped hole incorporated - this allows you to have a decent grip to screw on / off the wheel hanger tool
This would provide you with two stud alignment tools, which you can use to guide the wheel on to the hub, either by using one tool at the 12 o' clock position, or both tools at the 11 and 1 o'clock positions
Hope this helps.
Jim Mann

[DougX]

Thanks Jim, now all I have to find is a machine shop. Pity I don’t live in the West Midlands, I’m sure there will be plenty there!

[Astromorg]

As I too feel the wheels get heavier each year, I thought I would get out to the workshop and do just as Doug and Jim have been discussing and knock a couple up, but then found it might not be as easy as I first thought

First, my decent diameter bit of bar will have to be reduced only be 18 mm to enable it to get through the holes in the wheel! That seems ok, but then contemplating the wall thickness left by putting an M12 thread through it, it seems to me that to cope with any leverage created by the weight of the wheel on the end of the guide, the bars should probably be as short as practicable and also of some pretty decent strength material. I think brass or ally might have a limited life?

Finally, having started thinking about the possible bending moments involved, I came to the conclusion that the bar should have a good flat, end to it and maybe a hex at the free end to allow it to be properly tightened in position to minimize any chance of bending the wheel stud if the fit is not solid.

Or am I overthinking the whole thing? It has been known

[DougX]

Armstrong, you have made some valid points. The thickness of the ‘bar’ then to insert the suitable size thread inside the bar may be an issue. Can it not be done in steel or something similar. Will this be strong enough?

[M100TWO]

I find it just as easy to sit on the floor wheel between my legs and get them under the wheel and push up locate on studs push on do nuts up job done.

John

[Astromorg]

A decent steel bar with a good fit screw thread (not a floppy one!) would probably be OK if the wheels were gently loaded onto the bar rather than just letting go of them once on the guide, ie minimising sudden/shock loading.
Length is a bit of a judgement call; ideally if the ends of the guides were outside the wheel arch that would let one lift the wheel on the most easily, but it would be a long lever on the wheel stud! I think one would need to do some measuring with the wheels off to see what wouldn't be so short as to be almost not much use!
Admittedly a more expensive solution might be to think about a wheel lifter (Google it). Among the many versions available, there are some at less than £100, though not exactly suitable for keeping in the boot for emergency use.

That's a new way to me John. I'll have to give that a go

[DougX]

Thanks Astromorg. Just undertaken a google search and seen that there are lot in the range of £500 - £600 which is a bit out of my budget, but seen a Sealey MPSD1 which is made for a motorcycle but it looks as if it may do the job I want it to do with a slight alteration to hold the wheel, and currently at one supplier at £56.95!!

[JimMann]

Hi Doug, Astromorg is correct in that the external diameter of my bar tool should be 18mm and on further checking, the tapped depth of the hole in the bar should be 50mm. I have corrected the dimensions in my earlier post.
The 50mm tapped depth will allow the bar of the tool to be screwed onto the hub stud and butt against the carrier, minimising the potential of the bending moment as the shoulder of the bar will be 'hard against' the hub face.
The reason I proposed 2 x bar tools at 11 and 1 o'clock positions, was to guard against the hanging moment (bending) by effectively splitting the load on the tools whilst you slide it up against the hub and get the first couple of nuts on.
The tool / bar could be in steel, but the soft metal has less chance of damaging the alloy wheel. If made in steel, the surface should be as smooth as possible so as to minimise the potential for scratching the alloy as it is slid onto the studs.
Note that most secondary schools these days have lathes in the technical workshop, so everyone has a school in their vicinity to ask!
Hope this clarifies.

[DougX]

Thanks Jim for your input in this matter. I have now to consider which way to go on this.