Lug Nuts Compatibility

[Rapid Red]

I think some of you are over thinking a really simple thing. Ford has been using 2 piece lug nuts for years (they were on the 85 Mustang GT I bought in 87) and they suck. The lug nuts on the Ford OE wheels and common aftermarket wheels, unless specified differently, is a straight 60 degree tapper. So finding replacement lug nuts is easy.

I bough a set of one piece chrome steel lug nuts that are slightly longer than stock off of eBay for $19.50 back in 2018. They work just fine on the OE wheels and the aftermarket wheels I use for autox. I have probably taken them on and off the car several dozen times without issue.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/24-CHROME-1-88-TALL-AMERICAN-RACING-AR-TRUCK-LUG-NUTS-WHEEL-RIM-SET-14MM-1-5/192497331945?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

On the fence here, 2 piece lugs ? Use an impact removing wheels, short burst, not hammering. Going on sung and torque, never having and frankly never knew of 2 piece lugs.

Will be watching these closely. You post Ford put them in use as of 85, 35 years now.

Second thoughts, seem to have stood the test of time. I'm sure the 2 piece lugs are not cheaper to manufacture, so what is the purpose?

Racing absolutely 2 piece lugs are a fail. Rotating wheels every oil change, not convinced they won't hold up.

But I will be the first to find out LOL

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[kz]

If you don't know a corporation does something (because there isn't much logic to it), there is only one correct answer - cost.

Signed, corporation employee for 20 years now.

 

[Bikeman315]

And you torque them to 150 ft lbs I assume?

It is not a given that any given lug nut will bear any given pressure.

Mackin Industries, when asked, say the max torque for their Monster lug nuts is 120 ft lbs (up from 95 ft lbs, which is what their packaging says).

If I torque to 120 and a wheel falls off due to the lug nuts shaking loose, can I blame Ford? No, Ford says I should use 150 ft lbs. WTF does the 120 number come from they will, rightfully, ask.

If I torque to 150 ft lbs and a wheel falls off due to the Monster lug nuts stripping due to the pressure, can I blame Mackin Industries and their Monster lug nuts? No, they only rate their Monster lug nuts for up to 120 ft lbs. At 150 ft lbs, they will shrug they shoulders and and say I over tightened them.

In the end I simply asked them if I could torque their Monster lug nuts to 150 ft lbs, as specified for the Mustang, but they did not answer.

Their answers, including "The specified torque spec from manufacturer is max torque that can be used on a lug nut when not being removed as often." did not make any sense to me, and I do not feel safe using the Monster lug nuts.

Anyone want to buy a set of used Monster lug nuts, colour blue?

You have a disconnect at Mackin somewhere. Recommending going significantly above or below a OEM manufacturers spec is a dangerous thing for any aftermarket manufacture to do. They would leave themselves to all sorts of litigation if something were to go wrong. But Macklin is a highly respected manufacturer with a long history so I just do not get it.

That said, and for your own peace of mind, get them off and use a lug that its manufacturer says can handle 150.

 

[mustanghammer]

Yes, with no concern for where I bought them or what they cost......they're lug nuts.

 

[mustanghammer]

On the fence here, 2 piece lugs ? Use an impact removing wheels, short burst, not hammering. Going on sung and torque, never having and frankly never knew of 2 piece lugs.

Will be watching these closely. You post Ford put them in use as of 85, 35 years now.

Second thoughts, seem to have stood the test of time. I'm sure the 2 piece lugs are not cheaper to manufacture, so what is the purpose?

Racing absolutely 2 piece lugs are a fail. Rotating wheels every oil change, not convinced they won't hold up.

But I will be the first to find out LOL

Two piece = a lug nut with a stainless cover that is pressed on. You can knock the cover off with a punch which leaves you with a hex that is slightly smaller. They "swell' after repeated use because the stainless cover get pushed farther down the hex on the lug nut.

I have no clue why Ford uses them. Maybe for the same reason that they use bolts with 15mm, 16mm and 18mm heads.

I think two piece lug nuts it is more of a US manufacturer deal. Our 2013 Honda Accord has really nice one piece chrome lug nuts. But then it is a Honda and all of the fasteners on that car are high quality.

 

[Michael_vroomvroom]

For reference, the answer from Gorilla Automotive when I asked a similar question:
"We only recommend the OEM manufacturer torque specs for our products."

Monster lug nuts will go into the trash.

 

[Michael_vroomvroom]

Reply from another firm, who also recommend 85 - 95 ft lbs per default for their lug nuts:

"I would not recommend any of the lug nuts that we manufacture when
torqueing to 150 ft lbs. They are not designed to be used at this high
of a torque spec."

So it looks like we have to be a bit careful about this, and not a) blindly assume (like I first did without giving it appropriate thought) that what the lug nut manufacturer recommends for our Mustang is correct, or b) assume that all lug nuts can safely be torqued to 150 ft lbs.

At least this company (Circuit Performance) gave a straightforward answer.

 

[Vlad Soare]

It's strange that they would manufacture lug nuts of a certain thread size, but which do not withstand the torque that's generally prescribed for that particular size. Because that torque value was not invented by Ford specifically for the Mustang.
I wonder if there's any car with M14x1.5 lug nuts whose manufacturer recommends 95 ft*lbs.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I wonder if there's any car with M14x1.5 lug nuts whose manufacturer recommends 95 ft*lbs.

No doubt it should be 150 for S550 Mustang studs and factory wheels. But I suspect 95 and even less is common on other cars based on this chart at Tire Rack.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=107

 

[WD Pro]

For reference, the answer from Gorilla Automotive when I asked a similar question:
"We only recommend the OEM manufacturer torque specs for our products."

Monster lug nuts will go into the trash.

Just as a heads up I am looking at McGard nuts.

Supposedly better at withstanding the elements than Gorilla.

McGard make the ford supplied locking nuts that we get on the Euro's so I've no concern in the torque value.

Only thing I need to check is that the OD of the bulge on the McGard nuts is smaller than Ford. Note that the OD of the ford nut is exaggerated by the stainless cover and a much smaller OD actually touches the wheel.

I just want to make sure that the silver rings left in the nut holes of the PP wheels are hidden with the McGard nuts. McGard tell me the OD of the bulge on their nuts is 25.52mm

WD

 

[Fly2High]

OP,
DO NOT USE NARROW SEAT LUG NUTS ON OEM WHEELS!!

I contacted both Gorilla and McGard on this. The narrow seat Gorilla should NOT be used with the OEM wheel. They told the vendors this. They are not sure why they do not correct the posting. They are suppose to say something like this - Will fit OEM or aftermarket wheel that have a 0.92" lug seat. Only if your seat is the narrow 0.92" should you use narrow seat lug nuts. The original seat is 1.2". You need to fill the seat on Aluminum wheels for proper fitment. It is not enough to have the seat angle and type and thread. The diameter of the seat must be filled. This is what they conveyed to me. They seemed to indicate it is not safe to use narrow lugs on a wider seat. Steel is different but we do not have steel wheels. You can get away with certain things on steel you cannot on aluminum. Can you get away with it? Sure you might but why run the gamble?

Contact the vendor and get the details straight from the horse's mouth. Jon Collier is a great guy at Gorilla and promptly responded to my questions. Very informative. Jeffrey Wade at McGard also was very helpful. Give them a shout out.

I have a set of aftermarket wheel for winter and purchased the narrower seat Gorilla because they have a 0.92" seat. Many aftermarket for the Mustang do. That is why the Mustang vendors carry them - to support those wheels.

Instead of posting here, ask the vendors what to use. I did. It doesn't matter what other have got to work for them. There must be a reason Ford uses a large budge acorn nut.

If you have aftermarket wheels that have narrower lug pockets, make sure your wrench or lug socket fits too. My VMR 710 have narrower pockets and were drilled for a 0.92" lug seat. They were made for the narrower lug nut. Our OEM were not. Their 1.2" seat requires the wider budge nut.

If you are unsure what fits, put some sharpie on one part and mount the wheel with the lug in question. The friction will remove the sharpie where contact is made. You can measure the seat using the wide lug nut or verify the entire seat is filled this way by marking the appropriate part.

Sorry to say this but I do not think McGard makes a narrower lug nut. It is not just the seat you should think about but also what size socket or wrench is used to install. I have a set of protector lug nut sockets and the OEM nut is a rather tight fit in the aftermarket wheels. Going to the smaller diameter Gorilla allowed me to go down one size in socket too giving me more room and less chance of marking up the aftermarket wheels.

All the best. Stay safe.

 

[WD Pro]

@Fly2High - It was Jeffrey Wade at McGard that was also very helpful with me - credit where credit is due

WD

 

[Fly2High]

@Fly2High - It was Jeffrey Wade at McGard that was also very helpful with me - credit where credit is due

WD

Could not agree more. Jeffrey and Jon were driven nuts by me with over a dozen emails apiece. In all cases, they were super cordial and informative and replied with great information and made me feel at ease about my purchase.

 

[Michael_vroomvroom]

I want my lug nuts to be blue. The nuts that are on now (not replaced yet) are blue and beautiful, like my car. I want blueeee.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I want my lug nuts to be blue. The nuts that are on now (not replaced yet) are blue and beautiful, like my car. I want blueeee.

Wouldn't mind some myself. Only blue ones I've seen are 12mm

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