Special lug nuts?

[Dmulder]

I have a crazy question for you. I am looking to get four special lug nuts fabed up. Can you tell me if the thread pitch is the same on all the mini studs?  I'm pretty confidant that they are 3/8 lugs. Also would anybody be willing to create 4 lugs for the 3/8 studs that are about 3 inches long?  I will take a picture of what I am looking for and post it. I really need them by sept 5th if possible.

[Dmulder]

I'm looking for something like this with the right size and pitch threaded hole. These were for the same purpose on a different car.

[MPlayle]

Must be for that allen-head bolt to be holding on a hub cap?

As far as I know, all Minis used the same 3/8" studs - just different lengths when using spacered drums.

[Dmulder]

Yes for the Allen bolt. Not for a hub cap though. I run tsd car rallies and I have a sending unit I mount to the lug nuts for accurate mileage readings.
In the past externally mounting it has been so much easier than gluing magnets to each wheel and mounting a sending unit on the underside of the car.
I'm wondering if I can find 3 inch long 3/8 lugs anywhere or if someone here could make a set up.

[MPlayle]

The trick with the lugs is going to be getting the correct seat face (taper) for the wheels in use.  There seem to be 3 different tapers possible for wheels on Minis: rounded, 60* angled, and sleeved (with different sleeve depths).

I imagine you will have to find someone to mill you a set.

Edit: You might try pinging jeff10049 on here and see if he has the ability to mill a set.

[MtyMous]

Hmm... if it's just a standard 60° angled seat and a 3/8" thread, then you'll probably be fine finding a set to fit just to hold the wheels on, but that whole specific length and having the solid neck tapped for the allen bolt is going to be tricky. If they can't be bought original you'll probably want someone to machine one. Not difficult really, but make sure you have good measurements, good materials, and a good machinist. What does the allen bolt hold on? Trying to wrap my head around the use. If the allen bolt holds something like a hubcap or other item on with the other 3 lugnuts, then you'll probably need to give those reference measurements to the machinist as well so that it all lines up when you go to mount it.

This may be a "pay-to-play" situation unfortunately.

[jeff10049]

I could make them for you however I am having a hard time finding a supplier of hex stock in a suitable grade and size for lug nuts id like to use 1045 or 4140 but dont need a 12 foot bar of it.  1018 regular ole mild steel is easy to come by but somewhat on the low strength side for lug nuts in my thoughts however some are made from it.  how about tack welding  piece of tube to factory nuts with the end tapped?

jeff

[Dmulder]

I thought about that too. I may end up going that route.

[jeff10049]

I found some metal at mcmaster carr in reasonable length. still might be cheaper, easier, lighter, and faster to tig some extensions on standard nuts. I can do either let me know if I can help the 5th of sept. might not happen for a custom made set but extensions on stock I could do by then or you should be able to find someone more local for that I imagine.

Jeff

[Dmulder]

Jeff,
Thanks for the offer to help and the ideas. My neighbor is a welder. When I asked him about extensions on the standard lug nuts he said " no big deal. We can do that this week."