Spare wheel lug nuts

[btritschler1437]

Be careful when taking off and installing the lug nuts. A lot of these are capped and not solid steel nuts. If you strip the caps you will have a problem getting the nuts off. Also don't lubricate the stud, the nut will back off when you least expect it.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by tuckerdog1

I bring so many sockets ( and other tools ) when we travel, I could probably build ( or disassemble ) a suspension bridge. No worries.

Tuckerdog1

Around here we just let the truck drivers transporting oversize loads do the disassembling

Had one carrying a massive load knock down a section of I-5 bridge. Truck and load made it off the bridge but several vehicles, one towing an RV, ended up in the river along with the section of bridge.

[NorSnrub]

I have aluminum wheels and cross bar is too fat to fit lug nuts. Need to carry sockets and breaker bar.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Standard equipment in all my wheeled vehicles is a good old-fashioned 4-Way lug wrench. You can get a two handed grip on one and there's less chance of it slipping off often resulting in skinned knuckles or even broken bones in one's hand. I usually buy the one with the longest "Handles" so I get good torque.

I've seen these used in some tire stores to remove lug nuts that an impact wrench won't break loose.

FWIW, you always have the right sized socket and don't have to go rummage through the tool box after the first socket doesn't work. No need to start the generator, find an extension cord and the 4-Way doesn't need a fully charged battery.

Those forged 4 ways Don't fit all Alum Rims! Youroo!!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by NorSnrub

I have aluminum wheels and cross bar is too fat to fit lug nuts. Need to carry sockets and breaker bar.

Hit up a local tire store that sells custom wheels. They make a "4-way" that uses the thin-wall sockets but still has the cross bar design. Some of them even fold with the hinge being locked with a sliding sleeve.

[18CrewDually]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Hit up a local tire store that sells custom wheels. They make a "4-way" that uses the thin-wall sockets but still has the cross bar design. Some of them even fold with the hinge being locked with a sliding sleeve.

That's the one I carry. It's thin walled and the 2 opposite legs fold to make it compact. They sell them at alot of stores and Amazon.

[TitanMike]

There are even models that have a 1/2" square drive on them so you can use with any thin-wall socket needed for odball lug nuts.

Only way you'll ever catch me using one of the old-fashioned "L" shaped lug wrenches is if I need a weapon to beat something to death with. Too many scars on hands and at least one broken knuckle from my early years.

[RogerD]

The aluminum wheels on my toy hauler did not have enough clearance around the lug nuts to accept a standard deep well socket. I pulled it my first season without knowing this and only discovered it when I packed the bearing before storage. I had difficulty finding a thin walled socket to carry with me and I've since loaned it to Discount Tire, Pilot Service Center, and Roadside Assistance so they could repair my tires. I now have an extra one just in case they break mine.
Expect the unexpected in this industry.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by RogerD

I've since loaned it to Discount Tire, Pilot Service Center, and Roadside Assistance so they could repair my tires. I now have an extra one just in case they break mine.
Expect the unexpected in this industry.

Be sure and tell them NOT to use it with an impact wrench. Thin walled sockets are not built for use with anything other than a wrench handle, bar or ratchet.

If they ignore you and use an impact anyway, be sure to carefully look the socket over when they hand it back to you and make sure there aren't any cracks.

At the company I retired from we had more than one "Tire Tech" injured when the thin wall socket they put on the end of an impact wrench literally exploded and pieces entered various exposed areas of flesh. Sadly, one I know of lost an eye because he also made the mistake of not wearing his safety glasses.

[Jakieboy]

One of the best investments I ever made was a "Tee" wrench with four of the most common lug nut sizes. The wrench is almost indestructible, takes up very little space on our trailer, and has been used many times in the past 35 years. The shape of the four-lug wrench makes it easy to use on all size wheel lugs. The critical dimension on lug nuts is not the O.D., but the I.D. and thread count on the studs that project from the wheel hub.

[mnoland30]

Discount Tire put my locking lug nut on too tight one time. I could not get it off, and bunged it up while trying. When I took it back to them, they found a socket wrench that fit over it, hammered it on, and used a breaker bar and cheater pipe to remove it. I've never had to use that trick, but if you mess up one of those lug nuts with the fancy covers, it might come in handy. Just remember, you'll need an extension for the socket.

[Midnight Rider]

Checked today, my wheel lug nuts are not long enough to use with the spare wheel. I will have to buy a new set...

[Midnight Rider]

Does anyone know if we have conical or spherical type lug nuts?

[Bama Rambler]

The standard lug nuts on almost every towable I've seen are 60º conical configuration. There are some speciality configurations, but they are after market wheels.

[Midnight Rider]

Thank you!

[Pooneil]

I had one of those chrome caps come loose but not off. The way I had to change the tire was to hammer the socket onto the nut, Then once removed, to hammer the nut out of the socket. One I got the cap off, the actual nut underneath worked fine with a 3/4 socket.

Last time I bought a tire, Discount Tire gave me new solid closed end lug nut that takes a 3/4 socket. I'd like to get a full set of these. My dealer doesn't actually sell lug nuts, but referred me to an auto parts store, where I've only been able to find a set of 20.

Does anyone have a link to a site that sells replacement lug nuts for our A-Frames?

And for anyone that gets stuck with the bolts the hold the spare on the mount, the 3/4 nuts are the same size as the stabilizer jacks, so the stabilizer wrench will remove the easily.

[Bama Rambler]

I bought a full set of solid stainless steel acorn nuts from etrailer, and they worked great.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Standard equipment in all my wheeled vehicles is a good old-fashioned 4-Way lug wrench. You can get a two handed grip on one and there's less chance of it slipping off often resulting in skinned knuckles or even broken bones in one's hand. I usually buy the one with the longest "Handles" so I get good torque.

I've seen these used in some tire stores to remove lug nuts that an impact wrench won't break loose.

FWIW, you always have the right sized socket and don't have to go rummage through the tool box after the first socket doesn't work. No need to start the generator, find an extension cord and the 4-Way doesn't need a fully charged battery.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Pooneil

I had one of those chrome caps come loose but not off. The way I had to change the tire was to hammer the socket onto the nut, Then once removed, to hammer the nut out of the socket. One I got the cap off, the actual nut underneath worked fine with a 3/4 socket.

Last time I bought a tire, Discount Tire gave me new solid closed end lug nut that takes a 3/4 socket. I'd like to get a full set of these. My dealer doesn't actually sell lug nuts, but referred me to an auto parts store, where I've only been able to find a set of 20.

Does anyone have a link to a site that sells replacement lug nuts for our A-Frames?

And for anyone that gets stuck with the bolts the hold the spare on the mount, the 3/4 nuts are the same size as the stabilizer jacks, so the stabilizer wrench will remove the easily.

Check your local area for a shop that specializes in custom wheels and they should have the lug nuts you are looking for. Also, look in the phone book for a "Tire Shop Supply" store. They're the people that sell to the tire shops. Locally these stores also sell Truck supplies like tail light/clearance Lighst/mud flaps, etc.

FWIW, if all of my lug nuts were the two piece type with chrome caps I'd replace them all with the one-pieced chromed lug nuts. The two part ones are a major PITA.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Check your local area for a shop that specializes in custom wheels and they should have the lug nuts you are looking for. Also, look in the phone book for a "Tire Shop Supply" store. They're the people that sell to the tire shops. Locally these stores also sell Truck supplies like tail light/clearance Lighst/mud flaps, etc.

FWIW, if all of my lug nuts were the two piece type with chrome caps I'd replace them all with the one-pieced chromed lug nuts. The two part ones are a major PITA.

Thanks for the good advice Mike.