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Purchased a set of new tires for my after market knock off wheels. I don't trust the tire shop to take off the spinners so l decided to do it myself.
I removed the cap, the spinner and the adapter. I then noticed that the lug nuts do not look like they are actually holding the wheel to the hub. Ignore the sheared bolts, l have removed them.
Please see pics below.
I checked the other wheels and they are the same. It seems that the adapter is the only thing holding the wheels to the hub.
They are not original knock offs, so l assume they are bolt on. I bought the car a couple of years ago and obviously have not tried to take them off until now.
Did you jack up the car and shake the wheel to see?
Ed
No haven’t jacked it up yet, was hoping someone could tell me if the wheels are on correctly. Having a hard time believing that the spinner and adapter are holding the wheels on not the lug nuts.
The five lug nuts shown in your picture hold the wheel to the axle. They should not be the type nuts you have, they should be open ended lug nuts. Then the five 7/16 bolts hold the adapter to the wheel. Then the spinner holds the cone up against the wheel, then the cap covers the open end in the spinner. The spinner in no way holds the wheel on, just the cone. The adaptor is only on the wheel of this type wheel (bolt ons) so you have a place to attach the spinner. Read these instructions that come with the wheels.
The five lug nuts shown in your picture hold the wheel to the axle. They should not be the type nuts you have, they should be open ended lug nuts. Then the five 7/16 bolts hold the adapter to the wheel. Then the spinner holds the cone up against the wheel, then the cap covers the open end in the spinner. The spinner in no way holds the wheel on, just the cone. The adaptor is only on the wheel of this type wheel (bolt ons) so you have a place to attach the spinner. Read these instructions that come with the wheels.
PS, The bolts that are sheared hold the adaptor to the wheel. You're going to have to get some new bolts for that.
Thanks exactly what l needed. I’m going to see if l can make these lug nuts work. They look like the have a shoulder on them. If not l will order the open ended ones.
Thanks exactly what l needed. I’m going to see if l can make these lug nuts work. They look like the have a shoulder on them. If not l will order the open ended ones.
The reason for the open lug nuts is so they don't bottom out against the ends of the studs. If yours don't, they should work. I just like the open ones like the instructions say so you can see how far on the studs they are and know they have enough room to tighten against the wheel. And you don't need to order them, they are the same lug nuts used on regular wheels for decades. You can buy them at any place that sells auto parts.
Read those instructions and make sure you understand the opposite threads on the two sides of the car, and the direction you need to turn the spinner to get it off. When installed per the instructions, the spinner turns toward the front of the car to take them off.
(the "off --->" stamping on the wheel shows you.
The reason for the open lug nuts is so they don't bottom out against the ends of the studs. If yours don't, they should work. I just like the open ones like the instructions say so you can see how far on the studs they are and know they have enough room to tighten against the wheel. And you don't need to order them, they are the same lug nuts used on regular wheels for decades. You can buy them at any place that sells auto parts.
Read those instructions and make sure you understand the opposite threads on the two sides of the car, and the direction you need to turn the spinner to get it off. When installed per the instructions, the spinner turns toward the front of the car to take them off.
(the "off --->" stamping on the wheel shows you.
I had recently put aftermarket knock offs on my 64 & because I have the open ended lug nuts, I could see very clearly, that the studs were not long enough to pass thru the nut fully, so I had to get longer studs put on. With your closed end lug nuts, you can not see how much thread engagement you have. This is a pretty common issue, I would also check, you need full thread engagement in a lug nut, not just a few threads.
Last edited by Rob_64-365; Mar 18, 2018 at 11:02 PM.
Thanks exactly what l needed. I’m going to see if l can make these lug nuts work. They look like the have a shoulder on them. If not l will order the open ended ones.
I'm sorry but it's not the best picture but it is the only one I have showing the wheel installed on my car without the adapter, and note it has open end lug nuts. As you can see, the lug nuts are what is holding the wheel to the hub. The adapter mounts to the wheel and all the adapter does is proved a mounting place for the spinner. The adapter has nothing to do with securing the wheel to the hub.
Here's a bit of a tutorial on direct bolt-on knock off wheels you might want to read:
Note posts #4 & #5. and remember, anti-seize is your friend.
I highly recommend using open end lug nuts. Don't"see if you can make those work" You absolutely, positively don't want the the lug nuts to bottom out against the end of the wheel stud and you also want to make sure you have full thread engagement on the wheel stud and with the closed end type on your car now that's more difficult to know. A full set of proper, open end lug nuts (which will never be seen when the adapter and spinner are installed) should be less than $15. Very cheap insurance to know that the torque reading is that of the lug nut to the wheel and not of the lug nut to the end of the wheel stud.
I'm sorry but it's not the best picture but it is the only one I have showing the wheel installed on my car without the adapter, and note it has open end lug nuts. As you can see, the lug nuts are what is holding the wheel to the hub. The adapter mounts to the wheel and all the adapter does is proved a mounting place for the spinner. The adapter has nothing to do with securing the wheel to the hub.
Here's a bit of a tutorial on direct bolt-on knock off wheels you might want to read:
Note posts #4 & #5. and remember, anti-seize is your friend.
I highly recommend using open end lug nuts. Don't"see if you can make those work" You absolutely, positively don't want the the lug nuts to bottom out against the end of the wheel stud and you also want to make sure you have full thread engagement on the wheel stud and with the closed end type on your car now that's more difficult to know. A full set of proper, open end lug nuts (which will never be seen when the adapter and spinner are installed) should be less than $15. Very cheap insurance to know that the torque reading is that of the lug nut to the wheel and not of the lug nut to the end of the wheel stud.
Best of luck with it.
Thomas
Thank You, I will definitely get a set of open end lug nuts.
Thank You, I will definitely get a set of open end lug nuts.
I don’t know if all of those “acorn” style lug nuts are created equal but the cap on mine is made of thin metal, press fitted into the hex part so if the stud were to bottom out, it would just push the cap off.
I think you have wheel studs that are too short, & this extended style of lug nut is what the previous owner used as a soloution. This is more of a "band aid" than a soloution. They work, but it relies on a very thin strip of metal with a threaded extension. Here is a pic of my wheels before I put longer studs in. I think you may have this same issue if you go to a standard style lug nut, as you can see the stud does not pass thru the entire lug nut, which is not safe.
Take off one of your lug nuts and post a picture of the stud coming through the wheel. You may be fine the way it is, but you need to know.
Took off one of the lug nuts. There is shoulder that is recessed in the wheel. The wheel studs are long enough so that the nuts have plenty of meat to grab onto.
Took off one of the lug nuts. There is shoulder that is recessed in the wheel. The wheel studs are long enough so that the nuts have plenty of meat to grab onto.
I've never seen a knock off wheel like that, but you will definitely need that type nut instead of the open nut I mentioned earlier. That is a "mag" type nut that centers the wheel on the stud. You're ok with what you have.
Samman - my lug nuts that are similar to yours (post #13) use washers. It looks lik your wheels may be designed to use those, too.
Steve
Steve,
My lug nuts are slightly different, they are a little wider and have a tapered shoulder that acts like a washer, unlike yours which are straight. If l added a washer, the lug nut would not grab as much of the wheel stud.
My lug nuts are slightly different, they are a little wider and have a tapered shoulder that acts like a washer, unlike yours which are straight. If l added a washer, the lug nut would not grab as much of the wheel stud.
Took another look and you're absolutely correct. No washers for you.
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Knock Off Wheels
