PICS please... You can see the one that you tried to post above here:

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z...cs1/wheel2.jpg

Do you have any others?

 

i tried as u should be able to see. i also stated yes please post the pictures in reply to zip having them. nothing to hide.. looking for answers. as for bitching thats a part of life, esp when there are no answers to a problem.

 

please know all i want is for my car to drive safe. at this point it does not. the only thing changed on my car (owned two years) is the wheels..

 

Here's how you post a pic (the hard way)...

1. type in "[IMG]" without the quotes.
2. Past the URL (no space between the URL and the ])
3. Then type in "[/IMG]" without the quotes (again, no space)...

There is a thread dedicated to showing one how to post pics...

The easy way is to just put your cursor over the thumbnail pic in your photobucket account, then highlight, copy, and past the exact text of the IMG Code...

 

THANKS FOR THE HELP WITH POSTING THESE. THESE ARE THE MOST UP TO DATE. EVEN TRIED THE NEW LUGS. [IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

 

So are we back to the forum on this now or are you still going to send me the pics tonight. As I said, looking at what you have sent me so far, it does not support a wheel issue, it supports a lugnut issue. First off how many forum members have Factory Reproduction wheels, how many have had wheel studs break. You keep saying Corvette spec, what is does that mean?? How about the lug nut should be a 12mm x 1.50 acorn nut just like the original one. There is not a special lug nut for a Corvette unless you happen to have a 80-82 or a midyear with knock offs. As I said on the phone, if the problem is the wheel then we will replace it with no issues what so ever. My problem is you keep saying the manufacture should just replace them because they are a manufacture and it is not that big of a deal. That is an issue, a manufacture does not just give parts away becauise you messed up, what you have showed me so far does not support your claim. Show me the pictures I asked for, if I am wrong and it is a wheel issue I will be the first person to say I am sorry and make it right, but I am not just going to roll over and send you a set of wheel because you wheel technician needs instructions. Now with that being said, if we get the pictures and it is 100% a lugnut issue, I will work with you on another set of wheels, but I will not give these to you, you will have to confront the company that installed them, I will help you with the information to prove your case with them. I have said this from the moment I first talked to you on Thursday and on Friday.
As far as my comment about your story, it did change, you stated on Friday that the lug nuts you used looked nothing like mine, and then on Monday you said they were acorn nuts just like ours. I explained to you in detail how the lug nut works and how the wheel is held onto the car, a wrong lug nut will cause the exact scenario you have. I would still like to help you, but as I said on the phone, you have to help me help you, what you have showed me so far does not support a defective set of wheels. Send me the rest of the pic tonight when you get home, along with the box the lug nuts came in showing the manufacture and part number.
Justin

 

I am still at work Justin. The members asked for the pics and i posted. I understand what you say, but I do need a vehicle to drive correct? How else will come to a conclusion?? I will send you all info as I said on the phone.

 

These are the only pictures we have seen so far. As you can see Bob they are not the best quality and I understand that since they are from you phone. In the pictures on the inside of the lug holes you see the rust, that is either a broken shank of a lug nut or it is where the lug turned against the rotor. You have painted rotors, the OEM lug nuts do not touch the rotor so something caused this. This is why we asked for more pictures, instead you have argued and so forth so these pictures and our conversation on Friday is what I have to make my decision from. If you have evidence that it is something other then what we are saying it is, please by all means let me see it. If in fact you are correct I would be happy to ship you a set of wheels asap. Instead we have wasted time by going back and forth over lack of instructions.

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

 

thank you for posting!! Guys any ideas?

 

It sounds like you used the wrong lug nuts. I was wondering this when I read your first post and was going to ask, but then the post evolved.

You should have a good recourse against the mechanic and shop (unless this is a friend of yours and not a professional shop). This is pretty basic stuff.

 

Please remove a lug nut and post a picture of the removed LUG NUT. I think I know what went wrong. I have to see the LUG NUT removed from the wheel before I'm going to give you the diagnosis. Ive seen this before!


I have dealt with ZIP (Justin) on wheels before and WOW! Nothing but excellent service. The after market chrome ZO6 wheels that purchased had a defect and BAM, he exchanged them out, with out any problems!

Everyone that I have ever had business with at ZIP have been a stand up bunch of guys and they have always given me great products and service.

BC

 

You mentioned acorn nuts... there are many pitch diameters of acorn nuts but here is the real deal.. even if the mechanic put the wrong nuts on which I suspect.. he never could have broken even a crossed threaded stud with 100 ft lbs.. its one of the reasons a torque wrench is used.. when the nuts didn't go on he pumped up the air gun to max psi multiplied through the air hammer and probably to 450 psi... he got the nuts on alright but he exceeded the torque safety spec and fractured the studs... As a C5 engineer I can assure you you can NOT fracture a stud with 100 ft lbs.. this puts the proper stretch on the tread both in major and minor pitch diameter...
Your mechanic ( Tire Guy ) is usually the lowest pay grade person in the food chain.. a real mechanic would have identified this problem with a simple pitch gage... The KID put the wrong acorn nuts on, cross threaded the stud, used excessive torque to get the nuts on and fractured the studs. plain and simple..

 

Maybe its just the camera angle or something but this does not look like it takes a standard acorn nut to me



To me it looks like it takes a shanked lug like this

 

Interested to see what this is...

ET is one of the guys that BUILT the C5, he knows what he's talking about. I hope you are at least open to the possibility that your mechanic put the wrong lugs on the vehicle. If that's the case, you have recourse against them and it should be pretty easy to prove with the help of the folks at ZIP, which it sounds like they're willing to give. ZIP has an excellent reputation on these boards and they wouldn't have gotten that by screwing people over. I know this is frustrating for you...

 

thank you all for the time & help! This was the third time they changed the stud now tho. I will try another mechanic next time.

 

E X A C T L Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats my thoughts!!!! If the lug nut bottoms out but the wheel rim is not tight,,,it causes sheering forces on the stud! Were thinking on the exact same plane!!! Your picture couldnt have demonstrated it better.. OP Is this the type of lug nut that your running?????????? If so, measure the shank of the nut and the thickness of the rim! I bet ya,,,,,,the rim is very very close to the thickness of the shank!!!

BC

 

no this is not the nut. mine had an acorn type of bottom. I believe this is the lug used.

http://www.tulipcitywheels.com/tcwst...t_detail&p=193

 

The marks on the wheels suggest otherwise.......

 

If the lugs he used allowed the wheel enough movement to sheer the studs, you would think there would be some play in the wheel when the lugs are torqued.

 

Bob,
I don't think it had acorn nuts, of course if I saw the picture of the nut then I would know for sure. If you look in the picture below you provided the hex of the nut goes all the way to what looks like a washer. If it were and acorn nut this part would not sit flush. It could just be the angle of the picture, but this is all I have from you so far.
Justin[IMG][/IMG]