Dave, stud clip question?

[E55 KEV]

Some aftermarket rims do not fit flush against the rotor mounting pad due to stud clips. Is it ok to remove them? What are they for? Thanks.

[Mr.DJ]

Yes, they are okay to remove. They're there only to retain the brake drum/disc brake rotor in place while the vehicle is moving down the assembly line. They're eventually removed and discarded upon eventual brake inspection/repair.

[GoofyTimL]

Originally Posted by Mr.DJ

Yes, they are okay to remove. They're there only to retain the brake drum/disc brake rotor in place while the vehicle is moving down the assembly line. They're eventually removed and discarded upon eventual brake inspection/repair.

Apparently that should read. "They're SUPPOSED TO BE REMOVED and discarded upon eventual brake inspection/reapir." !!!

[ktek01]

Originally Posted by GoofyTimL

Apparently that should read. "They're SUPPOSED TO BE REMOVED and discarded upon eventual brake inspection/reapir." !!!

Only if they remove the rotor, if they cut them on the car there is no need to remove them.

[bling300c]

Originally Posted by ktek01

if they cut them on the car there is no need to remove them.

you are joking, right?

[DZeckhausen]

Originally Posted by E55 KEV

Some aftermarket rims do not fit flush against the rotor mounting pad due to stud clips. Is it ok to remove them? What are they for? Thanks.

As others have mentioned, they are a crude rotor retaining device. BMW and many others use an allen screw to retain the rotor to the hub. But many other cars have no retaining mechanism at all. It's not like the rotor is going to go anywhere, once the wheel is bolted on tightly.

It's fine to remove them. When installing my StopTech big brakes, I just pried up on the clips with a small flat blade screwdriver, then used needle nose pliers to bend and twist them until they broke off.

[djjasond]

I had them on both my Cadillac Escalade and my 300c. At both an America's Tire in CA and a Les Scwab in ID, they referred to them as "speed clips" and told me that they had to remove them for safety reasons with aftermarket rims. Both places made a really big deal about this. I am under the impression that it is very common to remove them when putting on aftermarket rims.

[DZeckhausen]

Originally Posted by djjasond

I had them on both my Cadillac Escalade and my 300c. At both an America's Tire in CA and a Les Scwab in ID, they referred to them as "speed clips" and told me that they had to remove them for safety reasons with aftermarket rims. Both places made a really big deal about this. I am under the impression that it is very common to remove them when putting on aftermarket rims.

That's because the factory rims (and some aftermarket rims) have a recessed area around the bolt holes that is big enough for the clip to fit inside. If your aftermarket wheel does not have this recess, the wheel will be prevented from laying flat against the hub and you will experience high speed shimmy problems.

[ktek01]

Originally Posted by bling300c

you are joking, right?

Turning the rotors on the car is the preffered method, and Chrysler made all of the dealerships buy on car brake lathes back in the early 90s.

[E55 KEV]

I have a little brake vibrations, rubbing and slight wheel shimmy during moderate to hard braking? I removed the front stud clips but still using the OEM rims????? I wonder what is causing it?