Lug Nut Mystery

[packick]

I have a 2015 GT which I purchased new with the spare tire kit option and standard wheels. Recently I had a flat tire and went to change the tire but the lug nut wrench that came with the kit would not fit the lug nuts on the car. Apparently, the wrench is 21mm and the lug nuts are 22mm. So my question is: are the lug nuts supposed to be 22mm or 21mm and, if 22mm, did Ford give me the wrong jack/wrench? Thanks.

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[fmc_smt]

The lug nut cover is swollen , should be 21 mm . Common problem on Fords

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

Your lug nuts are swollen, due to the design. They're a two-piece lug nut that has a thin, chrome shell on the outside. Over time, and enough ugga duggas at the dealer or tire shop, the outer layer deforms and swells. There are a bunch of threads about this, but generally, you'll need to hammer a larger socket onto the lugs and break them free. Replace them with one-piece lugs from Gorilla.

JR

 

[ORRadtech]

No mystery. Crappy Ford lug nuts strike again. FWIW it's not just a Mustang thing. I've had to change them on my Edge and Fusion too. My daughter's Focus was going to need them too but it got totaled before I got around to swapping them.

 

[packick]

We thought about the lug nuts being swollen, but would ALL of them be that way. We tried the 21mm wrench on all of the lug nuts on the car and it would fit none of them.

 

[StangTime]

How does a 22mm fit on all the lug nuts? Loose on some, snug on others?
It's possible they are all swollen beyond 21mm.
Just replace them all. It's cheap insurance and the next time you need the spare, you know you won't have issues changing the wheel.

 

[WD Pro]

21mm is still loose on brand new Ford nuts, 13/16” is a much better fit




WD

 

[ORRadtech]

I replaced the ones on the Mustang with these. They provide a little bit of of theft protection and they look good. The others got basic solid chrome plated lugs.

 

[Biggus Dickus]

I replaced the ones on the Mustang with these. They provide a little bit of of theft protection and they look good. The others got basic solid chrome plated lugs.

I switched to these when I went to Forged rims on the Mustang (stockers are too big), but I also replaced the stock RS lugs because they went to shit as well.

 

[packick]

Would the torque on the Gorilla replacement lug nuts be the same as the originals, 150 ft. lbs.?

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

Would the torque on the Gorilla replacement lug nuts be the same as the originals, 150 ft. lbs.?

Yes.

JR

 

[Schwerin]

I must be immune to this somehow, I had an Escort for 10yrs and never had a lug issue and swapped tires every winter, and spring, also for track events. Same for a 2003 Mach1. None of my Escort/focus/Contour friends mentioned the issue either. I never heard of it till I got onto Mustang forums. My dads had F-series trucks since like the 80's and never had a lug nut issue.

 

[Grimmer]

Your lug nuts are swollen, due to the design. They're a two-piece lug nut that has a thin, chrome shell on the outside. Over time, and enough ugga duggas at the dealer or tire shop, the outer layer deforms and swells. There are a bunch of threads about this, but generally, you'll need to hammer a larger socket onto the lugs and break them free. Replace them with one-piece lugs from Gorilla.

JR

I changed my tires many times using a ratchet and socket with no problems... the first time I used an impact driver to remove them, at least 3 of them were ruined. The rapid impacts try to rotate the chrome shell around the solid core which deforms the chrome shell outward at the corners making a tight fit.

I replaced mine with these:
Gorilla 61148BCX Mustang Lug Nut Kit Factory Style Bulge Black Chrome 2015-2022 (cjponyparts.com)

Ford dealerships are most certainly using impact drivers, so they must be keenly aware of the issue. One wonders why they haven't done anything about it.

 

[StangTime]

21mm is still loose on brand new Ford nuts, 13/16” is a much better fit




WD

That's what I use too. No swollen nuts here (yet). I never use an impact wrench on them.
I will replace them when the 13/16 no longer fits.

 

[raptor17GT]

for a metric thread having the nut not metric, yeah that's bonkers!

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