Swollen Lug Nuts?

[Wizzard77]

I have a 2015 built in December 2014 and ALL 20 of the lug nuts are now swollen. It's had 3 tire rotations at the dealership. What a crappy lug nut design. I'm out of warranty with 37k miles, I expect the dealership will just laugh at me when I ask them to be replaced without charge.

Ford has been using this design for several other vehicle models, if you search you will see MANY MANY complaints about this problem. Why. Why Ford. Just what don't you get about customer satisfaction?

I'm now a very dissatisfied customer with leaky window seals, swollen lug nuts, a passenger door that opens by itself, and memory mirrors that like to go full down; and I'm only 1000 miles out of warranty.

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[wildcatgoal]

New lug nuts are $35 folks. Could be worse.

 

[Need4SpeedMotors]

Recently happened to to a client of ours at the shop.

 

[Wizzard77]

Simple fix shows it's a poor design

New lug nuts are $35 folks. Could be worse.

The point is, you don't see Camaro owners complaining that they have two piece lug nuts that swell and must be replaced. The two piece design has been proven to have problems and yet Ford still uses it. The fact that a new set of chrome plated steel nuts (not two piece design) is only $35 shows that Ford is saving only pennies to provide us with a poor design. A lug nut should last the life of the vehicle, not be replaced every 4th tire rotation.

 

[NvrFinished]

If you are that worried about these type of lug nuts, keep the impact wrenches off of them and they will be fine.

 

[Wizzard77]

If you are that worried about these type of lug nuts, keep the impact wrenches off of them and they will be fine.

Ford dealers don't seem to know or care about swollen nuts. Good luck getting the 18yr old oil change jocky not to use an impact wrench when rotating tires.

 

[18psi]

Does the factory use impact wrenches when tightening them? because 5 of mine were that way when I rotated the wheels for the very first time. Really pathetic, if you ask me

 

[Eisman]

I had a similar problem with my old 2012 F150. I found the problem when I noticed cracks in the chrome coating on 2 lug nuts. When I brought the truck in for service, I mentioned it, and they ended up replacing 9 lug nuts that had swollen to the point of cracking!

So far the mustang seems fine.

 

[blipszyc]

So just had my '16 in for a Tire Rotation and the shop said my lug nuts were "swollen" as well. I'm sure they're using the wrong tool or size, but what can I do, as I can't rotate them myself. Anyway, If I'm going to replace them, I'd like to stay away from the 2-piece ones. Any recommendations for a replacement?

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

So just had my '16 in for a Tire Rotation and the shop said my lug nuts were "swollen" as well. I'm sure they're using the wrong tool or size, but what can I do, as I can't rotate them myself. Anyway, If I'm going to replace them, I'd like to stay away from the 2-piece ones. Any recommendations for a replacement?

Yes. There are like a hundred threads on this, but I'll save you the trouble of searching. Gorilla makes a really good set of either standard, single locking, or all locking lugs. Recommend looking into those.

JR

 

[robertwsimpson]

remember 4 years ago?

When this thread was made?

Good times.


I second the gorilla lug nuts. I have black ones on mine. Give Lethal Performance a call if you need any help! 1.877.253.8425

 

[3pdl]

fms-m-1012-n open end are $12 for 5 at summit

 

[Cobra Jet]

Class Action Suit against Ford for the 2-piece lug design; enter your claim as many others already have and case is still active:
https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/ford-lug-nut-defect

Be careful torquing:
For those not familiar with those lugs, some might think they are torquing the lugs to to spec, when in reality, the aluminum cap could have AND DOES spin around the deteriorated metal below it... Giving a false torque spec which can cause serious bodily injury and property damage IF a wheel comes loose at speed due to improper torque. Even without a torque wrench, it may seem like the lug was tight, but was never truly tight.

The lug metal under the cap gets corroded due to any type of moisture and worse if in a salt environment. When that happens, the cap swells, comes loose or gets distorted. The cap also will round itself due to turning or spinning on the metal below it.... The corrosion is also occurring due to there being (2) different metals, which causes electrolysis and accelerates corrosion.

For those that do not know - if you insist on keeping the factory lugs, any lug that has become damaged or swollen due to the poor design is replaceable for free by Ford under the 3/36 warranty. I know this as fact, as on my prior 2016 S550, ALL (20) lug nuts were replaced under warranty due to the damaged/swollen caps. I still have the work order with the tech notes.

 

[Ancona46]

Happened to mine because the idiots at the Ford dealer must have used an impact to put them on, I had a he'll of a time getting them off

 

[Less Weight]

Same thing happens to the lug nuts of other US car makes. Its because the service guys use the wrong socket size to remove the lug nuts. Example: a 13/16 socket should be used, instead some might use a 21mm. They both feel like they fit just fine but the 21mm over time will "swell" the lug nut.

Oh crap, I used 21mm thinking the entire car only used metric... Whoops. Wonder why automakers don't just stick to either metric or standard. Would make life much easier.

Regardless, thanks for the info; good to know for future reference.

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