So I’m watching the F1 series on Netflix (killer series!) and have some ?s about F1 & NASCAR wheel changes for you smart guys. 1. How are the lug nuts held onto the replacement wheel? Hot glue? 2. Is the socket slightly oversize, to ensure jamming it onto the nuts at speed, the nuts go into the socket correctly? 3. Are the lug nuts “beveled” to allow for the socket to slide onto them easily even if the socket is a little “off line”? 4. Are the threads really coarse to prevent cross threading? 5. Does the impact gun switch from loosening to tightening automatically, or does the guy need to switch it manually? I know these might be elementary questions, but I’m simply fascinated at how quickly these pit stops are. Thx!
Two different animals. F1 are center knock off lugs on a spindle and Nascar, at least used to (I haven't watched in years), use a 5 lug pattern with standard lug nuts on studs. The Nascar lugs are glued to the wheels and the top of the studs are slightly smaller and non threaded so as the wheel gets slammed on, the lugs hang on the studs once the glue breaks from the rim. On F1, the large center nut stays in the socket once removed and goes right back on. The air gun guy changes the gun from off to on while the wheel is being changed. On sports cars that I used to race/test with center knock off lugs, there was a large safety pin that was installed through the spindle after the lug was tightened to prevent the possibility off it coming off accidentally. Not sure F1 uses them, and if they do, they're so damn quick you don't notice them changing them. Both center lug and standard nuts are beveled a bit and the center lock spindle has very course threads. Pretty sure the Nascar ones are pretty standard.
Nascar Cup series switched from 5 lug nuts to a single center lug this year. The lower classes I think still use the 5 lug style wheel. The lug nuts being removed were allowed to fall onto pit lane and the new ones were glued to the new wheel, as Spang308 said. I think I heard the announcers say that 3M weather strip adhesive was the glue of choice. With the Nascar center lug that they use this year, and also the Indycar center lugs I think, the lug nut stays with the impact wrench. Pretty sure the F1 wheels are a different design and the nut stays with the wheel. There are spring loaded retainers built into the spindles to help prevent a loose nut from coming off completely but they don't always work as we have all seen. Youtube probably has all the other answers.
super glue, special socket bit(nascar used to keep the gun wide open between lug nuts before they went single lug) one side of the car is left hand thread the other is right to keep the wheels from coming off during acceleration.
Pretty sure F1 lug nuts are captive to the wheel and have been for some time. I believe they use a retaining ring / clip. Nascar used to be 5 lug glued to wheels. Not sure what they do now as for the 2022 season they changed to a single center lug wheel.
Thx for the info, guys. I thought I saw a YouTube clip where a wheel guy said his gun is programmed to go from lefty-loosey to righty-tighty with each squeeze of the trigger. So I imagine the wheel gun guy who, as the car pits, is seen twirling his index finger, while looking to the sky saying to himself “OK, lefty loosey/righty tighty, yes?” won’t last too long? On a side note, I never knew there was this much drama in F1; it’s like a rolling “Days of Our Lives.”
Tons of research and development used to go into F1 wheelnuts, ie tons of money. Teams designed every part to try to gain any advantage, including the spindles, wheels, nuts, guns, and sockets. The faster and more reliable they come off and go on, the faster your race can be. With near 2sec pit stops, it was working. Except for that one time Merc ground the nut smooth with the gun. However, the 2022 cars are using a spec wheel and wheel covers. I haven’t yet found if the wheel nuts and how they are captive to the wheels are also spec.
FIA Formula 1 rule book for anyone who wants to spend the time geeking out on the details. Looks like the wheels are spec but the retention of the wheels is open source or could be proprietary depending on the team. I've already spent too much time looking at this stuff today, so my curiosity will have to wait. https://www.fia.com/regulation/category/110
I was able to mimic the Red Bull pit stop when I changed tires on my FJR over the weekend; 2.0 seconds flat. That’s the exact time it took for me drop the 27mm socket on my toes…
MOPARs were like that. Then I discovered that my 1964 International Travelall and my 1956 Oldsmobile 88 had lefties on one side, too.
I remember trying to help a neighbor back in the mid 80's change a tire on her (even then) somewhat vintage car. I couldn't budge any of the lug nuts. Turns out they were righty-loosy.