junk
Full Access Member
Are there different lugnuts needed when going from factory Alcoa wheels back to steel wheels?
Lug nuts I'm really asking about lugnuts
- Thread starter junk
- Start date
OLDBULL8
Good Morning Ya'll.
On what. Yr model.
junk
Full Access Member
89 f350. I had alcoas and lugnuts from a 95 or so on my truck. Single rear wheel.
whiteboyslo
FNG
First, who would go from beautiful Alcoas back to icky steelies? Lol
I think they'll work. The main reason the Alcoas need the small nut size is to clear the caps. Threads are the same (obviously), so as long as the taper on the lugs isn't too shallow for the steelies, you should be fine.
Mike
I think they'll work. The main reason the Alcoas need the small nut size is to clear the caps. Threads are the same (obviously), so as long as the taper on the lugs isn't too shallow for the steelies, you should be fine.
Mike
junk
Full Access Member
That's my problem. The alcoa lug nuts don't seem to hold the steel wheels tight. I may have another issue I'm not seeing, but thought I'd check on the lugnuts first before getting crazy. I should add it only seems to be an issue on the front hubs.
I like the alcoa's but around here aluminum rims get to looking pretty cruddy pretty quick from winter road salt and stuff. Not sure what I'm doing for wheels, but my temporary steel aren't being held tight.
I like the alcoa's but around here aluminum rims get to looking pretty cruddy pretty quick from winter road salt and stuff. Not sure what I'm doing for wheels, but my temporary steel aren't being held tight.
OLDBULL8
Good Morning Ya'll.
Most steel wheels use a lug nut that is flanged. Alcoa's use a tapered nut. There are about three different taper nuts, long medium and short tapers. Those flanged nuts are very expensive, get em from a junk yard if possible, there is two different threads, fine and course, also two different sizes, 9/16" and 5/8".
trackspeeder
Stone crusher.
Factory steel and Alcoa/Ford alloy use the same tapered nuts.
uhh... steel wheels come off a ford?
junk
Full Access Member
Yip. The steel wheels came off an 88 ford. Even have logos stamped in them.
79jasper
Chickenhawk
I haven't dealt with Alcoa's, so I may be WAY off.
But aluminum wheels are usually thicker. Use less of the actual stud. Therefore a shallower but can be used.
Steel wheels being thinner need a longer or open ended but so it can thread down further.
So that could maybe be the problem.
I've accidentally popped the ends off chrome nuts from going to thinner flanged wheels.
Sent from my USCC-C6721 using Tapatalk
But aluminum wheels are usually thicker. Use less of the actual stud. Therefore a shallower but can be used.
Steel wheels being thinner need a longer or open ended but so it can thread down further.
So that could maybe be the problem.
I've accidentally popped the ends off chrome nuts from going to thinner flanged wheels.
Sent from my USCC-C6721 using Tapatalk
Knuckledragger
blowing chunks and grabbing porcelain
Let's not get too fancy here. You have 9/16-18 fine thread lug bolts. The 7/8 hex nuts from the aluminum wheels should fit correctly, but in your case something is wrong. If the mount holes in the wheel are too large, the nuts will bottom out on the hub and give you a loose fit. The way to fix that is to machine or grind off about 1/8 inch from the small end of the taper on the lug nuts. Or you could fabricate some thin wheel spacers to keep the nuts from bottoming.
Usually bottoming nuts is a good thing, but not in this case.
Usually bottoming nuts is a good thing, but not in this case.
