lug nuts

[rhjames]

WARNING to those of you who are thinking of replacing your lug nuts with those fancy anodized nuts (from Canada--on eBay).

I bought a set, just to see what benefits/detractions there are with these nuts.

Benefits:

light weight as advertised

multiple colors

low cost

Detractors:

the surface area (where the lug nuts meets the wheel) is straight angle cut. Porsche OEM wheels (and I suppose aftermarket wheels as well) are ball seat. If you use these nuts on a Porsche wheel, the contact area is about the same size as a pencil lead. Think about it----it's a wonder I didn't lose my brand new 19's at DE last month!

your stud threads must not have any hint of dirt, thread crossing, or nicks in the threads, etc. In other words, they must be in perfect condition---imagine that on a 20+ year old car.....

torque values do not stay constant. Porsche requires approx 95ftlbs torque when tightening. If you try this with these alloy nuts, you'll nearly pull the threads right out of them.

Anodize(ing) will come off eventually with repeated installation and removal.

Bottom line?

Pass on these folks. Your wheels will thank you for it. Risking a wheel separation at any speed is a bad idea.

regards---rhjames

[T_MaX]

LOL, thats funny! Porsche Web Scout just did a write-up for our website about lug nut on ebay

[Danglerb]

I bought a set of Vertex off ebay, proper rounded ends, but I promptly got a lecture about them not being as good as Porsche lugs, but "should be ok". They look nice, but are still in the bag they shipped in, waiting on a convenient time like a wheel balance to put them all on. So yes I plan on using them, and many are happy with them, but I don't know enough directly to more than pass on the information I have and my own plans to use them.

All track stuff in my area requires open ended steel lugs that show the thread. Good reason for a set of track only wheels and tires.

928Intl collects up "good" used Porsche lug nuts and sends them out a batch at a time for anodizing, maybe this is a good way to go if you want to save the $8 x 20 cost of new Porsche lug nuts.

Whatever you decide on, use a bit of antisieze on the thread, and hand torque to 94 ftlbs.

[rhjames]

T-Max,

I was checking out your website and thought I'd pass along my research on the infamous lug nuts here.

NOT a great deal. OK for show stuff, but normal hard driving Porsche stuff, not so OK.

If you're tracking your 928 (or any car for that matter), steel lug nuts are the only way to go, Porsche brand or not.

Just make damn sure they have a ball seat, not regular angle cut seats.

Finally finished my S4 suspension/big brake installation. Not as bad as I had originally thought it would be.

Hardest part is removing/reinstalling the A-arm nuts (where they bolt up to the inner fender). No room to work wrenches on the nuts, but did manage to get a 1/2 drive torque wrench to turn the nuts one click at a time.

Big brakes are great, but need to replace the OEM rotors with drilled/slotted units.

On to the alignment rack and a little thrashing.

Getting better all the time.

regards---rhjames

[Rixter]

steel lugs are the only way to go, we have them in stock for under $30/set

[T_MaX]

Originally posted by Rixter
steel lugs are the only way to go, we have them in stock for under $30/set

Who is "we have them in stock for under $30/set"?

[Fabio421]

Both of my 928's came with aluminum lug nuts. I had never heard of such a thing before. Is this not stock?

[Danglerb]

Steel lug nuts are a track thing, and Rixter works at a HUGE east coast purveyor of bits of cars no longer on the road.

Aluminum parts have a finite life under stress, often very long, but I think it was in OLD DC3 aircraft some strong "beam" was found to have stress cracks after so many landings etc. Steel fails in a more lug nut on race track friendly fashion.

I think a variety of vehicles use the same size lug nut, so finding proper shaped ones in steel may not be too hard. $30 is like a buck each, so if you track, maybe thats the way to go. Personally I froogle everything out of habit.

[T_MaX]

Rixter works at a HUGE east coast purveyor of bits of cars no longer on the road.

Who, Who, Who! Come on spill the beans!

[Rixter]

Originally posted by T_MaX
Who, Who, Who! Come on spill the beans!

sorry, I'm so used to everyone knowing me
I work for dC Automotive, the LARGEST indoor Pcar dismantler in the US, 142k sf of Porsche parts under roof
call me if you want a set of lugs
800-579-2410

[T_MaX]

I don't need any L-nuts, but I'm always looking for P-car parts outlets! Do you guys have a website? Never mind I found it!

Check my website. I am putting together a Porsche Phone Book / Registry / Resource Center site.

It's still in the making, but you can get an idea of where it's going.