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driving with only 4 lugs?

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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 12:31 PM
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Default driving with only 4 lugs?

i went out to wash the car and while i was washing it .. the powerwasher attachment sprung out from the thing and nailed my rim (never happend before, ever) .. i was totally po-ed .. until i looked at my wheel closer and noiced i only have 4 of my 5 lugs .. weird .. must not have tightened it well last weekend

.. i know i need to replace the one thats missing but would it be ok to drive it (i re-tightened the other four) while i wait for a reaplcement or replacements .. i had the ones that came iwth the polished wheels .. so .. i dont know if i can just get one.

.. thoughts?

the only reason i ask is 'cuz it's my DD ..
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 12:41 PM
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The stock polished wheels come with lug nuts and a decorative plastic lug nut cover that screws on to cover the lug nut hole.

Are you missing just the pretty cover or the lug nut itself?
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 12:44 PM
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Just don't race your car until you have that remaining lug nut. You should be fine until then, but DO make sure the others are torqued to spec.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 12:59 PM
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Does that decrease unsprung weight?!

You should be fine on a DD, just take it slow and get a new one ASAP
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:17 PM
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I'd take it really gently until its replaced

Not quite a Vette story but on the F4 Phantom we used to have 9 locking lugs that secured the wing at the fold. It was the pivot where the old Navy jets used to fold the wings on a carrier. We had a couple of failures of the 9th lug. The change in stresses was such that the outer wing was subject to massive failure. we lost an outer wing of one of our jets on a combat sortie. 8 were good but the 9th was critical.

I'd be very wary of the different stress patterns with only 4 attached. Unlikely to cause massive failure I wouldn't think but it may damage the wheel if you run at speed.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:20 PM
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Why don't you go to a tire store and see if they'll give you one ugly lug nut to use till you get a new one? Or go to Pep Boys and buy one for about 2.00 to use till you get the one you want. Why risk damage to your wheel for such a small fee?
jeff
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by JeffC5
Why don't you go to a tire store and see if they'll give you one ugly lug nut to use till you get a new one? Or go to Pep Boys and buy one for about 2.00 to use till you get the one you want. Why risk damage to your wheel for such a small fee?
jeff
i was thinking of doing just that ..
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Rogue Wave
The stock polished wheels come with lug nuts and a decorative plastic lug nut cover that screws on to cover the lug nut hole.

Are you missing just the pretty cover or the lug nut itself?
im missing the pretty thing .. ooo soo pretty.

ok yeh .. the lug itself is gone ..
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Dave68
Just don't race your car until you have that remaining lug nut. You should be fine until then, but DO make sure the others are torqued to spec.
done and done .. first thing i did once i realized the one was gone.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by NSTG8R
done and done .. first thing i did once i realized the one was gone.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 04:31 PM
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We all know how you drive. LOL Better get that lug nut ASAP! AND, check the others!
jeff
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by JeffC5
We all know how you drive. LOL Better get that lug nut ASAP! AND, check the others!
jeff
... me? .. nawwh .. I'm not compared to some people lurking around here.


actually i picked up a set from discount er i mean advanced auto for like 5 bucks and to be honest .. i like them more than the stock ones

im thinking of replacing all 16 of them.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by JeffC5
Why don't you go to a tire store and see if they'll give you one ugly lug nut to use till you get a new one? Or go to Pep Boys and buy one for about 2.00 to use till you get the one you want. Why risk damage to your wheel for such a small fee?
jeff
what's wrong w/ the one's from pep boys, that's where all of mine came from

12x1.5mm open-end cone seat lug nuts for about $1 each
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 11:46 PM
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No problem driving it with four lug nuts. Just take it easy.
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Old Jun 4, 2006 | 12:40 PM
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Several years ago I owned a ZR1. We spent a night in a motel on a trip. When we left the motel the next morning, I noticed a thumping sound when we were on the freeway. I thought it was a flat spot from sitting overnight. It didn't go away, so I found an off-ramp, and checked around. It seems someone had tried to steal a rear wheel, and had removed FOUR of the five lugnuts. They couldn't remove the locked one. We had driven about ten miles at freeway speeds. I pray every day for a long life to the engineer who designed the Corvette wheel lugs. After the stop I took one lugnut from each of the other wheels and put them on the wheel and drove home.
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Old Jun 4, 2006 | 01:57 PM
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im thinking of replacing all 16 of them.
All 16 LOLOLOL
jeff
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Old Jun 4, 2006 | 02:12 PM
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I drove on mine with four lugs on the front wheel for MONTHS and had no issues. I don't know if it makes a difference on the front or back, but I never stopped driving it hard...
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