Check your nuts: aftermarket wheels and minimum lug nut thread engagement. (1 Viewer)

[kendgray]

I initially used the OEM standard 60° conical lug nuts to mount up some Icon wheels. Rears were fine but the fronts only had 8.25 rotations worth of thread engagement. DOT claims minimum acceptable lug thread engagement should be >/= the stud diameter (for on road use). That means our 80's must have 8 full rotations of thread engagement between the lug nuts and studs. Only having 1/4 rotation over the minimum acceptable engagement considered safe for road use didn't seem like a great idea to me.

Swapping out to some extended thread M12x1.5 lug nuts now provides just shy of 13 full rotations of engagement before fully seated. I used these cheap dynofit lugs but do not have enough time with them yet to safely recommend them. They feel lighter than I would expect and lug nuts doesn't seem like the right place for weight savings. If anyone has a good source for better extended thread lug nuts it would be greatly appreciated.

If you check and find poor thread engagement please post what wheels you have and the amount of lug thread engagement rotations you have on your front studs. Maybe we can save a few folks from getting to watch their wheel pass them going down the interstate.

Wheels: Icon Rebound Pro's
Rotations: 8.25

 

[Broski]

First what year LC do you have ?
Early models have lug, centric wheels, late models 80 half hub centric wheels.

The picture of the lugs you posted the one on the right does not look OEM to me plus the one on the left looks like a hubcentric lug nut while the one on the right looks like a wheel centric lug nut.
Also if you added aftermarket wheels with a thicker flange, IMO the only way to get more thread engagement is to install longer lugs.
Changing lug nuts isn’t going to do it
I’m not sure how you’re getting more thread engagement with those longer lug nuts.

 

[Broski]

Thinking about it more.
The new wheels must be hubcentric and that’s why the aftermarket Lugnuts are getting more threat engagement. The square shoulder is actually dropping inside the wheel.

Post a picture of the wheels with at least one of the Lugnuts off.

 

[kendgray]

First what year LC do you have ?
Early models have lug, centric wheels, late models 80 half hub centric wheels.

The picture of the lugs you posted the one on the right does not look OEM to me plus the one on the left looks like a hubcentric lug nut while the one on the right looks like a wheel centric lug nut.
Also if you added aftermarket wheels with a thicker flange, IMO the only way to get more thread engagement is to install longer lugs.
Changing lug nuts isn’t going to do it
I’m not sure how you’re getting more thread engagement with those longer lug nuts.

This is a '96 HDJ and probably did have the hub centric wheels from the factory but had been changed to lug centric centerline wheels when I bought it. These Icon wheels are lug centric and use acorn/tapered/conical lugs. None of this applies to stock wheels, but some aftermarket wheels are thicker between the mounting surface and the lug seat. These lugs are lug centric acorns and achieve the extra thread engagement by having a shank that extends beyond the mating surface and extends into the wheel. In the photo I have the conical mating surfaces aligned so you can see how much would extend into the wheel.

 

[Broski]

Link to those lug nuts ?

 

[kendgray]

Link to those lug nuts ?

Linked in the second paragraph of the original post, let me know if it isn't working and I'll post another link.

 

[kendgray]

Also if you added aftermarket wheels with a thicker flange, IMO the only way to get more thread engagement is to install longer lugs.
Changing lug nuts isn’t going to do it
I’m not sure how you’re getting more thread engagement with those longer lug nuts.

Longer studs will increase thread engagement but moves that thread engagement further from the hub, giving the wheel/lug nuts more leverage on the base of the stud increasing likelihood of the stud failing. By using stock length studs with extended thread lugs like these you get the extra thread engagement with keeping that force as close to the hub as possible.

Seems likely that this style of lug nut would also do better if you were to lose a stud/lug. With the shank extending into the wheel, the wheel has less freeplay to loosen/damage the remaining lugs/studs.

 

[Broski]

Longer studs will increase thread engagement but moves that thread engagement further from the hub, giving the wheel/lug nuts more leverage on the base of the stud increasing likelihood of the stud failing. By using stock length studs with extended thread lugs like these you get the extra thread engagement with keeping that force as close to the hub as possible.

Seems likely that this style of lug nut would also do better if you were to lose a stud/lug. With the shank extending into the wheel, the wheel has less freeplay to loosen/damage the remaining lugs/studs.

Ya I get it now that I see what’s going on
I’m think they might work well with the WalkerEvens wheels I’m running.

 

[kendgray]

Ya I get it now that I see what’s going on
I’m think they might work well with the WalkerEvens wheels I’m running.

Awesome! If you do try them post up your results!

 

[Broski]

Good deal! If you try them post up your

Awesome! If you do try them post up your results!

I'm thinking these. I have used spacers from them and it was quality stuff.

ET Style Bulge Acorn Lug Nuts 12x1.5 Black

Shop for ET Lug Nuts at Lug Nut Guys. Extended Thread 12x1.5 Black lugs are great option for use with many types of aftermarket wheels and vehicles with short wheel studs. Common thread sizes 7/16-20, 1/2-20, 12x1.5, 12x1.25 & 14x1.5 Fast and Free Shipping!

lugnutguys.com

I think there the same specifications

I like that they use a standard socket

 

[Marvelicious]

I'm thinking these. I have used spacers from them and it was quality stuff.

ET Style Bulge Acorn Lug Nuts 12x1.5 Black

Shop for ET Lug Nuts at Lug Nut Guys. Extended Thread 12x1.5 Black lugs are great option for use with many types of aftermarket wheels and vehicles with short wheel studs. Common thread sizes 7/16-20, 1/2-20, 12x1.5, 12x1.25 & 14x1.5 Fast and Free Shipping!

lugnutguys.com

I think there the same specifications

I like that they use a standard socket

I had similar troubles with my Vision beadlocks on my 96 and used extended thread nuts from those guys. Probably that exact set. Longer lugs would work, but these work fine.