New Wheels installed BIG PROBLERMO!

[SHOfun 93]

Okay,
After taking my wheels/tires to be mounted at Discount, I picked them up and installed them late last night. No problems it seemed, until this morning.


I did notice last night that the factory lugnuts were so wide that I couldn't get a socket or a lug wrench around them to really get a good tightening, but tightened them down to where I THOUGHT they were good and tight.

My wife and I took off to the gym this morning and there was HORRIBLE grinding sounds coming from most of the wheels. So we babied it home and I proceeded to check for brake clearance, etc etc... When I would apply the brakes, the problem seemed to go away, therefore my first assumption was a loose caliper bolt causing contact of the caliper with the rim...but there was PLENTY of clearance between the caliper and wheel....

No problems when I jacked the car up and spun the wheel....hmmm..odd...then I gave the wheel a little wiggle....seemed tight enough...well I then investigated the lugnuts. I COULD SPIN 2 OF THEM OFF WITH MY FINGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I dropped the car down onto the wheel, even MORE lugs were able to be loosened with a slight turn of the wrench or my FINGERS!

I dunno if the loose lugnuts were causing the vibration of the wheel across the threads of the lugs, because there is NO problems with clearance on any of the wheels as far as brake calipers, hubs, or spring perch..

Has anyone heard of aftermarket wheels needing different lugnuts? It seems the factory "lip" that is on our factory lugs is preventing me from tightening the lugs correctly, that and I can't even get a lug wrench/socket around them.....I guess I will go look at discount for some aftermarket lugs.....any suggestions?

BTW, the tires are only 225/45/17, and they are the 40mm offset (which should be okay, correct?)


That's what I get for assuming that something would go smooth when it deals with a SHO!

 

[TrueBlue]

Both my sets of aftermarket wheels need different kinds of lugnuts, they have a dished bottom and a slightly smaller face which gives the clearance you need to tighten/loosen them. If you bought them from a private seller, see if they had problems or if they have another set of the nuts. If not, try a tire place by your house. Do the wheels require spacers? Missing spacers (or wheels installed over the wrong size spacers) can cause all sorts of clearance issues as well.

 

[Yamaha V6]

Pep Boys carries McGard lug nuts in all styles, with a chart, etc. Plan on spending about $8-10 per set of 4 nuts, plus about $25-$30 for a set of 4 locking nuts.

I just bought 5 sets of 4 (just in case) plus a set of lockers there for about, oh, $75-80 complete.

M12x1.5 IIRC, usually with the tapered bottom, but that depends on the wheel style you've chosen Jeremy.

You know the drill - address the problem you have in front of you before you go looking or worrying about others. You know you have a lug nut issue - take care of that first. Would hate to see your wheel go rolling past you when you come to the next intersection.

 

[SHOfun 93]

Yeah I don't think it is a brake clearance issue, since Eric had 13" Baers on his car with the same rims...
Thanks Fred....I will look into new lugs...I don't have a pep boys, but Oreillys and Autozones are everywhere..

 

[JaySHOguy]

With the rims I had on my '89, I had to use a thin-walled socket to tighten the lugs. A tire wrench or the heavy-duty impact sockets are too thick to fit into the holes.


FWIW, I used a 19mm(maybe?) 3/8" drive socket with a 3/8"to1/2" adaptor for my torque wrench. Fit perfectly for my use.

 

[SHODOGG]

yeah when my wheel came loose I had a really weird vibration and noise coming from my wheel too. You definitely need "tuner-style" lugnuts for the rims, though. I had to buy them for my 17's too.

 

[SHOTIME]

Sorry man, Guess I should have told you I replaced the lug nuts.

I bought all new ones.

 

[SHOfun 93]

No problem guys I will look around at the local parts stores today for them...

Fred is that measurement correct? Anyone else know?

 

[greenbeanmtx]

I had a set of konig divas on an rx7 i used to own and they required a custom set of slim lug nuts and every lug nut had to be tightened by a key that slid down between the wheel and the lug nut. I couldnt use my old nuts with the new rims. But i bought my rims directly from discount and tehy told me at the time of purchase i must buy these custom nuts. You might want to call discount tire and tell them what youve got and ask them. They are helpful with that stuff and can usually answer just about everything since they have those nifety computers in front of them with nothing but tire and wheel info. Good luck, Karson Oh and one more thing, so far ive purchased 3 sets of konigs all for different cars, and everyone of them requires those custom nuts. I guess it all comes down to the brand of wheel.

 

[Yamaha V6]

At the Pep Boys I went to, the McGard display had different threaded studs there for you to bring one of your lug nuts in to gauge.

Most parts stores would be able to tell you for sure, but I am fairly sure it's M12x1.5

 

[SHOfun 93]

You were right on the money Fred! I had to get a set of "tuner lugs" that ended up being too tall for the center caps, but a quick "adjustment" with a dremel took care of that....

Final Product...

(crappy night pic)

 

[DHMag]

Pep Boys carries McGard lug nuts in all styles, with a chart, etc. Plan on spending about $8-10 per set of 4 nuts, plus about $25-$30 for a set of 4 locking nuts.

I just bought 5 sets of 4 (just in case) plus a set of lockers there for about, oh, $75-80 complete.

M12x1.5 IIRC, usually with the tapered bottom, but that depends on the wheel style you've chosen Jeremy.

You know the drill - address the problem you have in front of you before you go looking or worrying about others. You know you have a lug nut issue - take care of that first. Would hate to see your wheel go rolling past you when you come to the next intersection.

Auto-Zone, Gorilla Lugnut Set complete with 4 lockers, 24.99

most new aftermarket wheels require the smaller diameter lugs to fit into the lug recess. more often than not, when you purchase new aftermarket wheels, the manufacturer tosses in a full set of lugs.

 

[SHOdownTN]

I really hate tuner lugs. I think they are anyways. The ones that have the lil key shaped like a allen wrench.
I work in a tire store and you wouldn't beleave how many of these get worn so bad that the key spins inside. Then if your lucky they can find other means of breaking them loose if not it comes down to eventually cutting the wheel off the car. Should never have a problem as long as they are removed by hand and tightened by hand. Most we have had that stripped were from over-tighting with an impact.
If you go to your local tire store you can get a hardend key for them so the key itself doesn't round. Much stronger than the one that comes with the nuts.
If you take your car to a shop be sure to tell them to hand loosen and tighten only.

 

[SHOfun 93]

Yes I tightened and loosened the lugs myself personally and know that they are not overtightened. These particluar tuner lugs have a "condomlike" overlay that goes over the lug in order to use my 5 star 19mm lug and breaker bar. No problems so far...