Center Lock Wheel Nut Torque for Lola F5000

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02.26.25, 9:22 AM
eugen

Center Lock Wheel Nut Torque for Lola F5000

HI there,
just a quick question for my soon to come first rollout/shakedown with my Lola Frissbee: what do you think is the recommended torque of the big center nuts on a Lola F5000 (in my case a T333). 300 ft-lbs? The taper is dry and the thread has copper paste. I use retainers/clips for safety, but I don't want to overtighten the nuts, that makes the removal sometimes unnecessary hard. What is your experience here?

And by the way: what is the recommended torque for the bolts/nuts that hold the hub in place in the upright? The nuts are locking nuts but on my other racecar (Argo Formula Car) I had them getting a little loose.

Thanks for any helpful tips and hints here!

greetings from Austria.................Eugen
02.26.25, 10:35 AM
Lotus7

If no one here has an answer, you might try the monoposto.com group, as they have members running vintage Indy and Indylights cars which may be similar to yours.
02.26.25, 12:33 PM
10rmotor

I don't know if this car is similar to others with centerlocks but be careful of the direction of the threads for installation and removal. Drivers right side and left side may be different direction threads!
02.26.25, 1:56 PM
eugen

Yes, thanks, you are right, the right side has different threads!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10rmotor

I don't know if this car is similar to others with centerlocks but be careful of the direction of the threads for installation and removal. Drivers right side and left side may be different direction threads!
02.26.25, 5:55 PM
J Leonard

Search for "wheel nut torque March 87C"
02.27.25, 12:50 AM
mikey

My Lola T91/50 F3000 is 450ft-lbs
02.27.25, 10:38 AM
eugen

thanks, quite some discussion about that! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Leonard

Search for "wheel nut torque March 87C"
02.27.25, 10:38 AM
eugen

thanks, good to know!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

My Lola T91/50 F3000 is 450ft-lbs
03.04.25, 9:06 PM
Brian Forster

This should be obvious, and I hope it is, but has the stub axle been crack checked? Besides their age and potential unknown history, all it takes is for a wheel to loosen up once and a disaster to happen with a fatigued axle.
03.05.25, 4:08 AM
eugen

Thanks, I replaced the front hubs with new hubs from https://www.lolaparts.co/ - the rear were not available so quickly. I checked the rear axels with a crack detection spray system, not sure how good that really works. But I plan to replace the rear axels in a couple of weeks anyway.

Eugen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Forster

This should be obvious, and I hope it is, but has the stub axle been crack checked? Besides their age and potential unknown history, all it takes is for a wheel to loosen up once and a disaster to happen with a fatigued axle.
03.05.25, 12:26 PM
J Leonard

Does Lolaparts.co know a torque spec? Maybe one of the NZIGP F5000 people in New Zealand would know the spec. What ARGO did you have trouble with?
03.05.25, 1:47 PM
eugen

Thanks, I asked but got no answer yet from the Lola guys. The Argo is an Argo JM8 (former F3) but was rebuilt with a V8 and Hewland FG400.

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Leonard

Does Lolaparts.co know a torque spec? Maybe one of the NZIGP F5000 people in New Zealand would know the spec. What ARGO did you have trouble with?
03.07.25, 1:34 PM
Saracen

Lola F5000 wheel nut torque

Was told by active Lola F 5000 racer they use 350 foot pounds with lube on threads, and loosen after event.
03.08.25, 3:24 AM
eugen

Thanks, that sounds reasonable! That is (what I heard in the meantime) probably how most F5000 and historic F1 guys handle this.

Many thanks! Eugen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saracen

Was told by active Lola F 5000 racer they use 350 foot pounds with lube on threads, and loosen after event.