Titanium lug nuts?

[fierochris]

Hi i was removing my fuch wheels to get the numbers off the back
and as i was removing the lug nuts i got one off and i started looking around on the ground for it because i though id dropped it
it was so very light i didint feel anything.
so after admiring these
lug nut i want to know more so i took one inside and started
polishing it to see if it was aluminum but all that would come out
was a blueish bronze luster. not aluminum, not steel, infact the
material looks just like the titanium crank spindle my bmx bike
has. now say these are titanium. are these factory? is there an aftermarket manafacter for these? what did they cost new?

if they are not titanium and are aluminum then once again are they factory? do all 1985.5 euro 944s have them? if aftermarket who makes them, and who thought aluminum was a good substitute for
steel

now this was the first time i have ever taken my wheels off
this car. ive only had it for about two months so i really dont
know alot about it but i do know materials and these are not
a ductile steel or brass. but are alloy nuts.

[944 boy]

They are factory and I belive that they are an aluminum alloy. Crazy huh? Its fun to see peoples faces when you hand them a lugnut and they feel how light it is. They are not cheep to replace however. I got some for a buck a piece and felt good about it. I think the color is the coating/tyoe of alloy. I have never looked into what kind of composition they have exactly, someone might know.

[fierochris]

well if they are aluminum than they must be at lease a 7075 grade
or higher. i cant see someone making them out of 6061
i cant hardly see someone making them out of any type of aluminum
when someones life is relying on a soft metal like aluminum.
are you sure they are not Titanium? you would think DR. Porsche
would have been woried about these stripping out.
but titanium would have stronger treads then agian aluminum
is very easy to machine so maybe porsche's idea was not so bad

[SoCal Driver]

Grind on one and tell us what color the sparks are.

[fierochris]

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
Grind on one and tell us what color the sparks are.

im having trouble telling if that was a joke or a tip but ether
way. good idea! titanum does spark much more than aluminum
not sure what color to expect but ill tell you when i get back in to repost. ok i going out to see right now.

(note my car is nothing special and a little scrach on a nut
will hardly be noticed.

BRB

[fierochris]

ok here the news. i took one off and grinded a spot ( backside least visible) and i think its just aluminum. since there were no sparks at all.
and titanium sparks about like flint so the verdict is they are aluminum
not Ti now are these factory?

[BananaClip]

Probably.

I always assumed mine were aluminum because the edges are all nicked up.

[fierochris]

to me it just dont make much sence to use aluminum for lug nuts
but im also the same buy who could not make sence of my girlfriend
having me buy her four of the same shirt. oh well

[Razorback1980]

Yes, those were stock on my 86 when I bought it new. When I first took my wheel off, I thought they were plastic they were so light....and I said the same thing you did....my life is riding on these lug nuts! I still cringe when I take my car in for new tires and those guys put those impact wrenches on them. I make sure I go talk to the guy working on my car and let him know how much each one of them costs in case he decides he wants to strip one using that air wrench. Works pretty well, they never have put them back on with an air wrench after I tell them how much each one costs.

[fierochris]

now if i could just get the right key for the locking nut on each wheel

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally posted by Razorback1980
..... new tires and those guys put those impact wrenches on them. ...

Anyone attempting that when I go to get new tires for my car will get his ass kicked. Or at the very least, politely chewed out.

[Razorback1980]

Well, glad to see I'm not the only one with this concern. How do you POLITELY chew someone out?

[pkt1213]

What should I tourqe them down to?

[wizkid918]

i usually hear between 90-96 ft-lbs.

and fierochris, for what its worth, just because aluminum is soft, doenst mean it isnt strong. look at all the frames, and engine cradles now. aluminum.

[Dantilla]

Yes, the factory lug nuts are an aluminum alloy, and should be torqued to 94-95 ft/lbs.

When I have tires mounted I throw the wheels in the back of my truck and leave the car sitting on jackstands in the garage at home. That way I torque them myself and don't worry about a doofus with an air gun.

[fierochris]

Originally posted by wizkid918
i usually hear between 90-96 ft-lbs.

and fierochris, for what its worth, just because aluminum is soft, doenst mean it isnt strong. look at all the frames, and engine cradles now. aluminum.

true its used for larger peices and it can hold a load
but aluminum threads and high torking and retorking
are not a good mix.

[pkt1213]

Just like pastic cars melt when they catch on fire?

Sorry I couldn't help it. My best friend is obssed with his Fiero. All of his.

[AaronM]

Originally posted by WolfeMacleod
Anyone attempting that when I go to get new tires for my car will get his ass kicked. Or at the very least, politely chewed out.

Meh, Firestone has put tires on both my 924S (when I had it) and my 951. Never had a lick of trouble with them using the impact wrench. As long as they set it to the right torque it's fine.

(Britwrench is going to kill me for letting Firestone mount my tires...)

[pkt1213]

Why, they mounted mine? Well Bridgestone/Firestone did and they're awesome tires.

[AaronM]

Originally posted by pkt1213
Why, they mounted mine? Well Bridgestone/Firestone did and they're awesome tires.

Just that they aren't exactly the highest-caliber mechanics. And it was really a tongue-in-cheek coment anyway.