[ece2k2]

I have Lenso alloys on my Swift. I purchased the alloys from Sai Iyengar (Bangalore) and installed them using a set of chrome finish lug nuts during Feb 2008 (paid around Rs.900 for a set of 16 nuts). The lug nuts started rusting from the first month and majority of them are now in a pretty poor shape needing a replacement.

When I asked Ashwin (Sai Iyengar Shopwala) about this a few months back, he told me that the rusting is just outside (aesthetic) and there is no functional problem about it - this doesn't seem to be true though. The rust is so bad and one nut got jammed yesterday.

As I am going for the replacement nuts, I would like to know if there exists some robust quality nuts and where from I can source them. Currently, I am at Coimbatore.

I seriously hope that the aftermarket alloys can be run using a better set of nuts and it is pathetic if we have to use such a set of nuts which deteriorates real fast . Thanks.

Mods, feel free to move my thread to an appropriate topic if needed.

[ph03n!x]

Deepak of Tyrestores (also a member) was telling me about the exact same thing you are facing. His advice is to have the nuts changed every 10-12 months, as all nuts seem to to rust, atleast in Chennai...

[laluks]

The nuts on my stock swift zxi seems to be okay after 2.5 years. Then will it not be a good idea to source the nuts from M.A.S.S. ?

[nitrous]

Im contemplating powder coating.
But, 'tyrestore' says it won't be cost efficient.

[ece2k2]

Originally Posted by laluks

The nuts on my stock swift zxi seems to be okay after 2.5 years. Then will it not be a good idea to source the nuts from M.A.S.S. ?

Does MASS have the compatible nuts in the first place ? Have anybody successfully sourced them from MASS anytime ? Pls respond guys ...

[Nikhilb2008]

The lug nuts coming with the car are different from the allen key bolts used on alloys like Lenso, etc....

With Aura, you could use the stock bolts(That was one of the best things about Aura). But with these imported brands, you need to use special bolts.

MASS will not have it for sure. Unless they source it from outside in which case the quality is suspect again.

[ece2k2]

Frankly, had I known this complication beforehand, I would have retained the OE steel wheels or I would have upgraded to the OE alloys (Aura). So, all those who are using imported alloys in tbhp really end up in changing the nuts once in every 10-12 months ?

[ece2k2]

Guys, do we get stainless steel lugnuts in India (like the ones in the following link):

Gorilla Automotive Products - Lug Nuts, Wheel Locks, Auto Security, Wheel Accessories

[lancer_rit]

Please do check the condition of alloy wheel lug nuts (female type unlike the OEM male type nut) every 3 months or so. If you want to use the typically available wheel lug nuts, please replace every 6 months.

Somehow, I had missed this thread and have now the exact same experience. Coincidentally, I also had got these chrome finish lug nuts from Sai Iyengar when I bought my alloys and tyres about a year back.

Today, I got a shock, when the A.S.S. called me (I had left the car for servicing in the morning), and told me that all my wheel lug nuts are rusted, and a couple of them have already cracked. Initially, I didn't believe it, but then I asked them whether they have similar lug nuts to replace with, and they said they only have the OEM bolts. So, I went to Sai Iyengar to pick up new lug nuts, and Ashwin told me he has had some complaints. He claimed that he had faced the problem himself - nut got jammed due to rusting. He recommended to use OEM nuts if it fits.
Finally, I got OEM nuts fixed since they fitted except that there is an additional key/adapter required to reach into the wheel lug holes...

Please see below pictures of how bad it got for me - I had wheel alignment/balancing done about 6 months back when the nuts were kind of ok.

[ece2k2]

hi lancer_rit,

thanks for sharing your experience. I am still running on the old lug nuts, which are in a really bad shape and hoping that they do not get jammed in the near future.

Even I was thinking of using the OE nuts on the Lenso alloys, but I am not sure how to reach them using the standard key and spanner - they seem to reside too deep if I put them in my alloy wheels and access to them seems to be nearly impossible. A mechanic suggested to grind the spanner, so as to decrease its head's thickness to insert it into the alloy wheels for fixing the OE nuts. Somehow, I am not convinced with this approach as the spanner will loose its rigidity if I decrease its thickness by machining. You had said that you used a different key for this purpose. Kindly explain and elaborate the methodology that you adopted - with pics if possible, so that I can try the same with my car.

Thanks!

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by ece2k2

hi lancer_rit,

thanks for sharing your experience. I am still running on the old lug nuts, which are in a really bad shape and hoping that they do not get jammed in the near future.

Don't use the rusted ones. Atleast get a new set of the same crap which should last for 6 months. Jamming is the main problem, but look carefully at the cracked nut. In the odd case, the nut may just crack becoming safety hazard !!

Even I was thinking of using the OE nuts on the Lenso alloys, but I am not sure how to reach them using the standard key and spanner - they seem to reside too deep if I put them in my alloy wheels and access to them seems to be nearly impossible

Ashwin said there is a better quality set of nuts in the market which costs 3.2k for 16, together with its key/adapter. Don't know whether to trust this. Frankly, a guy selling alloys, must also provide nuts of the required quality, so that it does not become a safety hazard not to mention about the jamming.
What I am interested to hear from fellow bhpians if this kind of rusted nuts are widespread or limited in use by a few dealers ?

. A mechanic suggested to grind the spanner, so as to decrease its head's thickness to insert it into the alloy wheels for fixing the OE nuts. Somehow, I am not convinced with this approach as the spanner will loose its rigidity if I decrease its thickness by machining.

You're right, don't do it. Atleast my wheels nut holes are too small for this.

You had said that you used a different key for this purpose. Kindly explain and elaborate the methodology that you adopted - with pics if possible, so that I can try the same with my car.

The A.S.S. used such a adapter and different wrench to put on the nuts. I am to get one from them on Tuesday, then I can post about it.

[WasavaTyres]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

Frankly, a guy selling alloys, must also provide nuts of the required quality.

All dealers get thier alloy nuts from the respective importers alongwith the wheels. It's not the dealers who source them separately. Besides I've seen wheel nuts that came with HR wheels too getting jammed rusted and the owner having to weld another nut onto it to finally make it come undone.

For the allen key variety I doubt if there are much options apart from just making sure you don't overtighten it,most tyre shops use pneumatic imapct wrenches where the mechanic will keep the machine on until the sound of it changes and he realizes it will not tighten any further. You'd be better off getting them tightened by hand, 'cause torque wrenches would not be readily available at tyre shops.

As for alloys that use normal wheel nuts but cannot accomodate the regular wheel spanner you need to get something like in the pic below. Preferably taparia. The socket & 'distance' combo alongwith a ratchet and 2 ft length of GI pipe is what I carry in my car.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by WasavaTyres

All dealers get thier alloy nuts from the respective importers alongwith the wheels. It's not the dealers who source them separately.

Well Sai Iyengar explicitly told me that these wheel nuts are made in India, and mostly alloy shops are sourcing locally.
Given the rusting possibility (and Indian wet conditions), the normal wheel nuts seem highly preferrable to the allen key nuts - I mean the OEM wheel nuts didn't rust badly or get stuck in 5+ years. The bad quality allen key nuts rusted badly and a couple even cracked in about a year.

As for alloys that use normal wheel nuts but cannot accomodate the regular wheel spanner you need to get something like in the pic below. Preferably taparia. The socket & 'distance' combo alongwith a ratchet and 2 ft length of GI pipe is what I carry in my car.

Yes, A.S.S. used a similar arrangement. To make it simple, I asked them to get a set for me...

[ece2k2]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Im contemplating powder coating.
But, 'tyrestore' says it won't be cost efficient.

Not really I guess. If the powder coating can really help, the cost will be pretty low (atleast in the case of Coimbatore, where there are n number of workshops with powder coating facilities). But only thing is that the powder coating technology should not give up even when we use the wrench to loosen/tighten the nuts - don't know whether this will hold good on a long run.

[lancer_rit]

Finally, picked up the adapter and rod which is able to reach the OEM nuts inside the alloy wheel holes. Costed Rs. 333/- including taxes.
To me this seems a much better solution, than those low quality allen key nuts I made the mistake of putting at the advise of wheel/tyre dealer.

Excuse the poor quality from the cellphone.