Sponsored

Ford's famous 2 piece lug nuts

Dadillac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Threads
34
Messages
293
Reaction score
172
Location
Iselin NJ
First Name
Don
Vehicle(s)
2018 Ecoboost Premium manual
So being part of car forums for quite some time the 2 piece lug nut issue has been discussed at length. I assume that the Mustang's have these wonderful lug nuts? If so does every single one of these lug nuts end up deforming and causing nightmarish hell? Will these lug nuts, providing they are removed and installed in a proper manner, never have the issue? I am on the fence with just replacing them now before they can have an issue. But hate changing parts if it is really not necessary. So what is the word on the street from the guys who actually have them instead of a he said she said on other car forums? Thanks

Don
Sponsored

 

Semp1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2019
Threads
73
Messages
1,127
Reaction score
578
Location
Valhalla
Vehicle(s)
2018 Mustang GT PP1 Magneride
So being part of car forums for quite some time the 2 piece lug nut issue has been discussed at length. I assume that the Mustang's have these wonderful lug nuts? If so does every single one of these lug nuts end up deforming and causing nightmarish hell? Will these lug nuts, providing they are removed and installed in a proper manner, never have the issue? I am on the fence with just replacing them now before they can have an issue. But hate changing parts if it is really not necessary. So what is the word on the street from the guys who actually have them instead of a he said she said on other car forums? Thanks

Don
Just change them to black lugs buy gorilla if you have the pp wheels and be done with it.
 
Last edited:

ugstang17

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
1,329
Reaction score
694
Location
unknown
Vehicle(s)
none
Owned Fords with these lugnuts for decades. Ranger pickups, Lincoln mark8, Contour, Escort GT, and Mustangs. Never had any issue with them in spite of a little misshaping when taken off with an impact wrench not having the correct socket. And at that I had no failure of them holding the tire on the hub. There in lies he problem. Lazy tire techs unwilling to use metric sockets but rather use a close SAE equal. I would not speak of this if I had not seen it take place first hand. That is why the word METRIC has been stamped on the end of the lugnuts. The lugnuts were not designed to be taken on and off repeatedly for the purpose of tire wheel swaps for weekend trips to the track. They were designed with the concept that they would be removed for tire rotations/replacements and emergency situations with standard tools and properly fitting sockets.

$30 bucks gets you Gorilla replacements as mentioned above.
 

FruityJudy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2018
Threads
15
Messages
887
Reaction score
766
Location
South Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2018 Mustang GT A10
No problems with the car but just had 17 replaced on the 150. Who ever made the decision at Ford needs them shoved up there ass
 

Sponsored

TheReaper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Threads
5
Messages
553
Reaction score
285
Location
Mobile Al
First Name
Jesse
Vehicle(s)
2018 Shadow Black GT
Never had a problem on the 4 mustangs I've owned or any of my Fords. If you use an impact wrench then you deserve having your nuts mangled.
 
Last edited:

WildHorse

N/A or GO HOME
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Threads
216
Messages
8,462
Reaction score
6,533
Location
Home World: CLASSIFIED
First Name
ⓇⒾⒸⓀⓎ ⓈⓅⒶⓃⒾⓈⒽ
Vehicle(s)
'17 S550
Vehicle Showcase
1
If you use an impact wrench then you deserve having your nuts mangled.
This.I told the guy that installed my tires NOT to use an impact. He did. now the rears are 22mm lol.
 

BmacIL

Enginerd
Joined
Sep 21, 2014
Threads
69
Messages
15,010
Reaction score
8,920
Location
Naperville, IL
Vehicle(s)
2015 Guard GT Base, M/T
Vehicle Showcase
1
Get the Gorilla solid ones and never worry about it again.
 

Grimmer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2016
Threads
20
Messages
522
Reaction score
202
Location
Utah
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT Manual
I took mine off and put them on several times without any problems... I always used the correct size lug nut socket (even have a dedicated one with a Teflon outer sleeve to protect my rims).

The first time I used an air impact driver to remove them (I never use an air gun to install any lug nuts), I lost two of them. I believe it was the short sharp hammering nature of the air gun rather than the smooth steady push of a hand tool that beat the crap out of the outer shell and got it to move without the hard center.

As mentioned above. Buy the Gorillas, they are inexpensive, they are solid, available in chrome or black to suit your taste, and trouble free.

If you don't buy the Gorillas, then don't use an air impact gun on the OEM Ford ones...ever...
 

Cobra Jet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Threads
705
Messages
16,230
Reaction score
17,942
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 EB Prem. w/PP and 94 Mustang Cobra
Yes, all of the S550’s have the POS Ford lugs...

Which is pot metal covered in a “chrome” aluminum cap. The caps can fall off, they are easily damaged when removing or reinstalling and if any moisture gets under the cap, the cap will swell due to the pot metal creating a chemical reaction between it and the aluminum cap. Ford is aware of the problem. If your lugs have become prematurely damaged, they are covered under the 3/36 (on my prior 2016 S550, all 20 lugs were replaced by Ford under warranty for the very issues noted)

There is actually an active Class Action Lawsuit against Ford regarding those lugs (search on this site for the thread with the info and join if you haven’t).

Be very careful, if the factory lugs have deteriorated, torque readings will be FALSE... because in some instances when torquing the lug, the cap will spin instead of the actual lug nut.

Replace with aftermarket choices that are SOLID lugs, not capped lugs.

Link to review with class action link:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/one-piece-lug-nuts.111648/#post-2374048
 

Sponsored

barron64

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
416
Reaction score
498
Location
Auburn, AL
Vehicle(s)
2018 Mustang GT convertible PP1, 6sp, 2006 Toyota Tundra Dbl Cab 4x4, 2009 Acura MDX, 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
I used a Makita 18v Li-ion impact gun to remove my wheels and yes, the stock oem lugs will not stand up to this. Probably made worse that they are torqued to an insane 150ft/lbs. Replaced mine with USA made, McGard lifetime warranty lug nuts. Considered Gorilla lugs but they are produced in Taiwan... Been on a buy American path lately.
 

DickR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Threads
3
Messages
1,400
Reaction score
507
Location
Raleigh
Vehicle(s)
2018 Ruby Red GTPP MagneRide 301A 10A and 1997 GT
FYI regarding the 13/16" Gorilla lug nuts don't be surprised if your new or "like new" 6 pt 13/16" sockets don't fit without forcing them on the lug nut. I haven't figured out whether this is due to lug nuts "quality" or Craftsman/Kobalt "quality".

I ended up with two full sets of new Gorilla 13/16" lug nuts and just over half fit my 13/16" deep thin wall and impact socket collection. All fit an old well used Craftsman standard depth 13/16" socket (those sockets are much deeper than my newer Craftsman standard depth sockets).

All the possibly oversize Gorilla 13/16" lug nuts fit my 21 mm 6 pt sockets with little if any "excessive" play.
 

samd1351

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Threads
107
Messages
870
Reaction score
1,519
Location
Olathe, KS
First Name
Sam
Vehicle(s)
2017 Mustang GT, 1999 Ranger
We have a F-150 in the shop today getting the lug nuts replaced. I know part of the issue is the use of air tools instead of hand torquing the lugts nuts properly. We took the truck to the shop to get new tires and the tire shop had to break three of the nuts off. The Ford dealer insisted they "followed proper proceedure".
 

Grimmer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2016
Threads
20
Messages
522
Reaction score
202
Location
Utah
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT Manual
I've watched some tire shops "follow the proper procedure" by hammering the lugs on with an air gun, then spot checking them with a torque wrench. Which only does an incorrect spot check that the static torque is at a minimum level to pop their torque wrench. It does not ensure that they are not over torqued.

I'm still on the factory tires and dred the day that a shop has to mount new tires and destroy my rims in the process. I'm leaning more and more towards mounting them myself, but would still need to find a shop to computer balance them.

Until now and hopefully until that day there is not a scratch on any of the rims...
 

boB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2018
Threads
15
Messages
1,040
Reaction score
1,016
Location
FL
First Name
boB
Vehicle(s)
2019 GT PP1
Highly unlikely the lug nuts are pot metal, even the class action suit notes the base material is steel. Pot metal has no specification but most of it is zinc/aluminum/copper which would not hold 150 lb*ft. The lug nuts are also highly magnetic which is not a characteristic of pot metal.
Sponsored

 
 




Top