Please tell me all I ned to know about using steel lug nuts on a 911

[73911guy]

I'm thinking about replacing my worn out alloy lug nuts with steel ones. My questions are:

1. What is the difference between the unplated lug nuts and the (apparently unplated) black ones? Which ones are OEM? Which ones stay the nicest looking the longest?

2. Do you still use never seize on the threaqds with the steel lug nuts?

3. Do you use never sieze on the radiused area on the nut where it touches the wheel?

Thanks

Jim

[Spede]

Steel lugs are stronger than alloy ones. I would only use steel lugs on the track. I also use the steel open lug nut version.

[mmastro]

I put anti-seize on the threads, not on the mating surface of the nut to the wheel. The torque is higher for the steelies, too. I torque to 95 ft/lbs. Don't know which ones last longer as far as looks...

[ChrisBennet]

I use a little on the threads and on the radius surface.
-Chris

[afterburn 549]

they weigh too much

[Charles Lee]

most track people use them, less than $2 ea, used one are ok too......

[Early_S_Man]

Mike,

FYI ... there is no difference in the torque spec for steel or alloy lug nuts!!! Per the factory service manual ... 94 lb-ft for both.

[Grady Clay]

There are two steel lug nuts.

IMAGE LugNutSteel01.jpg

There is the early one (on right) used on 356 and 911/912 up
through ’67. The outer diameter measures 24 mm but
everything else is the same. The later one (on left) began in
’68 and is a current part. The OD measures 26 mm and is a
nicely manufactured forged part. It is slightly shorter.

The later one fits the Fuchs and all others properly.

There are some current BBS wheels where the 26 mm nuts won’t
clear the recess hole.

Note that the contact surface has a spherical profile. These are
not tapered.

Part of regular maintenance is removing the lug nuts for cleaning
and inspection. I put slight lube on both the threads and contact
surface – mostly for corrosion protection.

There is a VW part used on 914s that fits over the 19 mm wrench
surface. It is about as tall as an alloy lug nut and just pushed on
over the nut. They are plastic and serve to keep water and road
grime off the nut and threads. They will clear about 12 mm of
additional stud protruding from a steel nut.

Here is a slightly shorter version that clears 9 threads
protruding. It has an external hex of about 22 mm. If
some thief tries to remove the wheel without removing
these caps; all that will happen is the plastic cap gets
trashed – the lug nut won’t budge.
IMAGE LugNutPlasticCap01.jpg


The reason most track organizations want an open end lug
nut is so the tech inspector can see that there is full penetration
of the stud through the nut. A few turns of engagement isn’t
sufficient. MIL spec is 1 ½ threads through the nut and I suspect
ISO is the same. For lightweight track use you can turn off the
closed end of the alloy lug nuts.

Best,
Grady

[mmastro]

Originally posted by Early_S_Man
Mike,

FYI ... there is no difference in the torque spec for steel or alloy lug nuts!!! Per the factory service manual ... 94 lb-ft for both.

Thanks, Early S Man! I'm always learning on this BBS...I love it!

[Charles Lee]

getting some for my track cars, good info, Grady thx

[73911guy]

Thanks for the replies, everybody had good input. I posted this the night before the family and I left on an all day rafting trip down the Ocoee River in TN (Class III and IV+, including the Olympic section). I came back and found more information than I would have expected!

BTW, we all stayed in the raft!

Thanks again, everyone.

Jim

[aigel]

Where would one buy these steel lug nuts, say for my 81 SC?

George

[klaucke]

Pelican sells steel lug nuts. It's common for people to use the VW Transporter pieces, because they are cheap, steel, and have the spherical mating surface.

[Jbabic]

When Eric McKenna Gets online he can tell you. Something about losing his wheels on the track.

[911SCfanatic]

does pelican sell the open or closed steel lug nuts?

[Jack Olsen]

Open.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by afterburn 549
they weigh too much. I think a sig.should give everyone a idea what you have done to your P.car....1975 S, red duck,2020 lbs of quacking pwr (180 .t.t.g.)case is boat tailed,dowl pinned,vented,all ballanced to "0" grams.lexan rear window that I made,and stuffffff

If they weigh too much then are we to assume that your car does not have the "impact" bumpers on front and rear? Not going to worry about the weight of a few lugnuts over the 200+ weight of those bumpers, but then they were yanked off of my car when it was backdated!

Joe A