I got my tires rotated on my 07 Fit Sport about a month ago, and a week or so afterwards noticed that one of the lug nuts didn't match. It was a generic looking open ended one, which definitely wasn't there before. I called the garage but of course they denied losing or mixing up a lug nut, and I can't really prove it.

This weekend I got new tires installed and while the lug nuts were off, i noticed that the non-matching one also has a different shaped 'interface' with the wheel. The Honda ones are curved, but this one has flat sides.

Is this a serious problem? I showed it to the guy changing the tires but he seemed to have no idea what I was talking about, so i'm thinking that maybe it isn't a big deal?

 

I usually stay away from dealers or other tire places installed. It's simple put your own tires. jacks are cheap. you need ball seated lugnuts especially oem rims.

 

Plus the open end lugnuts will make your stud rust

 

Thanks. Aside from rust, is a conical nut in an OEM spherical interface wheel going to be an issue?

 

You are correct. It is a problem.
Honda uses spherical ball seats on their lugnuts and the typical lugnut is tapered (usually 60 deg angle). You need to replace the lugnut with proper one right away.
And stay away from that tire shop.

 

just buy a new lug nut, should be a few bucks

 

Yes. The rounded lug nut is for oem wheels, and the conical shaped is for aftermarket wheels.

Honda sells lug nuts for $2 each. Just go pick one up. Or better yet, go to your local pepboys and pickup a set of gorilla wheel locks. Should cost you $20 for all 4.

 

what the heck. i guess first take care of the lugnut, then go back and give that tire shop a lot of sh*t because that's just wrong..

 

ahh just throw it back at them after

 

Haha ask them for a lugnut refund

 

you could remove one of the owner's lugnuts and replace it with the POS that his "pro's" put on your car. see how he likes it lol

you should probably check to make sure all your wheel studs are in tact and not cross threaded. it's a normal occurrence that sketchy wheel shops like the one you've described re-torque lug nuts with an impact wrench.

 

Uhhh.. Is it bad to use an impact wrench on the lug nuts? That's exactly what they used... I thought that was normal?

 

I'm thinking going to the sketchy shanty-town garages out in Flushing, Queens was maybe a bad idea?

Cheap though...

 

i learned the hard way and replaced 4 wheel studs because i used an impact wrench: 2 driver side front, 1 passenger side front, and 1 passenger rear in a single day. now i only torque them down manually, hand tight first, set the torque wrench to 80ft.lbs., then tighten using the 1, 3, 2, 4 method.

i agree, "pablo-manuel's general auto everything store" is cheap but you might end up paying more in the long run. i learned that the hard way too

 

Using an impact wrench on lug nuts isnt a problem as long as the shop uses "torque sticks", basically elongated sockets with varying thicknesses with torque ratings and socket sizes stamped into the metal at the end. They are also usually color coded. My shop uses them and the only time we ever strip a nut is if the idiot doesnt get it started by hand first. But this is very very rare. Ive been at my shop for almost 3 years and only seen lug nuts get stripped by us twice. We also always use anti-seize. Once the nut is tightened with the torque stick, we drop it down untill the tires hit the floor so they wont move, then go around once with a torque wrench set properly using a star pattern for 5 lug 1324 for 4 lug etc, then we have another person do it as a quality check.

Wal-Mart doesnt like having to pay for peoples shit so they make us do everything the proper way.

 

OK - couple questions then.

Would most autoparts stores sell an individual spherical nut?

If I want to retorque my bolts using a torque wrench, do I have to jack the wheel off the ground, or can I just loosen and retighten a bolt at a time while the car is on the ground?

Should I grease the threads?

Thanks.

 

You can simply remove the old nut and thread the new one on and torque. No need to lift the tire off the ground.
PS all threads that require torquing must be lubricated; in the case of wheel nuts a high temp grease or oil is needed. Use sparingly; gobs of lube aren't needed. And nuts should be started by hand to make sure they aren't cross-threaded.

 

I have a grease gun full of green 'marine grease' that I use on my bike - would that be appropriate?

Something like this: http://www.etrailer.com/p-L11402/Lub...Cartridge.html

 

Is it high temperature grease? . Tho high temp is used, especilly when racing, but a thin coat of your marine grease is probably OK unless you anticipate lots of heavy braking.
cheers.

 

i would use a lil anti seize if anything. lubrication usually changes torque readings due to the change in friction. also you might blow the tops off your lugnuts due to hydraulic action