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Lug nut weight differences

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Old Dec 13, 2007 | 08:29 PM
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Default Lug nut weight differences

Tire installer told me not to use the wheel locks as they are a different weight than the other lug nuts on each wheel and will affect balance. Is he being too **** or will this weight difference make any REAL difference considering how close the lug nuts are to the hub?
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Old Dec 13, 2007 | 08:47 PM
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IMHO - that's one of the craziest things I've heard from a tire installer. Install the locking lug nuts if they give you peace of mind. The only time I wouldn't install wheel locks is if I'm at the track.
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Old Dec 13, 2007 | 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted by AlohaC5
IMHO - that's one of the craziest things I've heard from a tire installer. Install the locking lug nuts if they give you peace of mind. The only time I wouldn't install wheel locks is if I'm at the track.
Definately **** !
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 10:08 AM
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Thanks, that's what I thought!

Roy
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 10:15 AM
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Even if they don't weigh the same, they're a very short radius from the center of the hub, i.e. how much they will contribute to unbalancing the wheel increases proportionately (first power) with how far out they are. If the weight difference was out at the tire, it'd be noticable; at a couple inches from the hub, its effect is very small.
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 10:15 AM
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that is the best.

thanks for posting

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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 11:23 AM
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The tire installer used to work for McDonald's...the comment shows he's thinking, but with only one lobe...
Look at the GORILLA lug nuts/locking lug nuts. They're available through HOUSE OF WHEELS and other site supporting vendors. They're also available at your local DISCOUNT TIRE.
You can buy them in sets of 20, then there will be no difference in any of the lugs.
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 11:35 AM
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That is someone trying to act like they know something great that NO ONE else in the industry knows. LOLOLOL
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by nitrojunky
Even if they don't weigh the same, they're a very short radius from the center of the hub, i.e. how much they will contribute to unbalancing the wheel increases proportionately (first power) with how far out they are. If the weight difference was out at the tire, it'd be noticable; at a couple inches from the hub, its effect is very small.
That's exactly what I thought.
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 04:32 PM
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Take this as a compliment from your tire installer - he likes your rims - and he's gonna take them off your car since you don't have lock nuts on them
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 07:35 PM
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Default theoretically true, but............

Yes in theory the results are true, but the weight offset is so close to the centerline that its negligable. You can have your tire/rim combo balanced on the car or use an internal balancing product ( Equal) or device(s), which is what I do.
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 07:41 PM
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Originally Posted by 94legaleagle
Take this as a compliment from your tire installer - he likes your rims - and he's gonna take them off your car since you don't have lock nuts on them
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Old Dec 14, 2007 | 09:19 PM
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put 5 locks on each wheel


Yeah, I know, they actually do sell locks that way.
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Old Dec 15, 2007 | 07:17 AM
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If you don't feel any wobble at 150mph+, then I'd say it's a negligibly difference..... I have locks on mine
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Old Dec 15, 2007 | 08:01 AM
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Lets see, locking lug nuts are to prevent some one from stealing your wheels. PPL that steal wheels dont normally go to open and obvious places.

and ppl park their corvettes where? in the open obvious place, and in plain sight or in a lock garage at home. Not to mention it will take a low profile jack to get under a corvette.

So why do ppl use locking lug nuts ?
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Old Dec 15, 2007 | 08:35 AM
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I usually buy 100 lug nuts , weigh them and sort them by weight.
I keep the lightest forty matched weight nuts for my track days, 20 go on the car for regular days, 20 are for shows (one always needs to have unmarked new looking nuts for shows) and I sell the remaining 20 as a matched weight set on eBay.
The premium I get for the "matched weight" set of "Corvette lug nuts" with the shipping and handling fees I can get away with usually means my 80 lug nuts end up being free.....
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Old Dec 16, 2007 | 05:57 PM
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Originally Posted by 94legaleagle
Take this as a compliment from your tire installer - he likes your rims - and he's gonna take them off your car since you don't have lock nuts on them
Only if he can run faster than 1000fps.
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Old Dec 16, 2007 | 06:07 PM
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Originally Posted by rws.1
I usually buy 100 lug nuts , weigh them and sort them by weight.
I keep the lightest forty matched weight nuts for my track days, 20 go on the car for regular days, 20 are for shows (one always needs to have unmarked new looking nuts for shows) and I sell the remaining 20 as a matched weight set on eBay.
The premium I get for the "matched weight" set of "Corvette lug nuts" with the shipping and handling fees I can get away with usually means my 80 lug nuts end up being free.....
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Old Dec 16, 2007 | 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by rws.1
I usually buy 100 lug nuts , weigh them and sort them by weight.
I keep the lightest forty matched weight nuts for my track days, 20 go on the car for regular days, 20 are for shows (one always needs to have unmarked new looking nuts for shows) and I sell the remaining 20 as a matched weight set on eBay.
The premium I get for the "matched weight" set of "Corvette lug nuts" with the shipping and handling fees I can get away with usually means my 80 lug nuts end up being free.....
dang I should have thought of that. SO what do I do? Go to NAPA and buy a box of 50 open ended lug nuts for $55

No beauty caps so they are lighter
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Old Dec 16, 2007 | 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by rws.1
I usually buy 100 lug nuts , weigh them and sort them by weight.
I keep the lightest forty matched weight nuts for my track days, 20 go on the car for regular days, 20 are for shows (one always needs to have unmarked new looking nuts for shows) and I sell the remaining 20 as a matched weight set on eBay.
The premium I get for the "matched weight" set of "Corvette lug nuts" with the shipping and handling fees I can get away with usually means my 80 lug nuts end up being free.....
I know you don't do this, but by typing this you HAVE WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS !
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