Aluminum rims & lug nuts

[AirSpeed]

I recently rotated the front tires to the rear on my 72, I have aluminum rims and noticed the lug holes were smeared and the nuts have aluminum on the mating surface. Anyone know if this is normal for aluminum rims and should I be concerned? Is there a way to prevent this?
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[SS Tim]

Sounds like the wheel is moving around a bit. Assuming correct lug nut torque. Does the center hole fit tight to the hub or is there a big gap? If you have a gap, a set of centering rings will help a lot. Even though the trucks were designed as lug centric wheels the hub does pilot closely on the stock wheels. Finding aluminum rings can be a challenge but do help to center the wheel and even up the stud loads. Cross torquing the lugs is also a good practice.

[jhwkns]

I put a film of grease on mag nuts to keep them from galling up. IMO it also gives you more accurate torque settings.

[ole dollor]

i would also check the lug nuts again in about 100 miles, and do that a few times to make sure they are seated properly. and stay tight.

[RichardJ]

Sounds like you may have the wrong lug nuts for the wheels.
Pictures!!!

Example: If the wheel has a tapered seat and you are using a hex nut that allows the corners of the hex down onto the taper, the corners will tear up the aluminum. They make a bulge nut to prevent that.

[AirSpeed]

Thanks all! I checked the lug nuts and the taper matches the holes in the rims, I think I have been over tightening them, I had a tire come off once, it sucked and bent up the rear bed side as the tire went right into the wheel arch, ever since that I crank them down very hard.
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[SS Tim]

Use a torque wrench, a good one! You can easily have a 20-30% variation trying to guess it. Even a torque stick is better than just a breaker bar.

[RichardJ]

>>I checked the lug nuts and the taper matches the holes in the rims,<<

That's not the same thing I ask you.
If any part of the hex is down on the taper of the aluminum, you will tear up the aluminum. 100 lb of torque on the nuts will compress the alum a small amount. The alum, off the edge of the hex will not be compressed and the edges of the hex will shear the metal away as you turn the nut.

If you have the correct lug nut, you can tighten it until you snap the studs and it still won't tear the aluminum.

[oklalawnboy]

Anytime you have steel touching aluminum you will get galvanic corrosion to some degree. A little anti-sieze goes a long way.

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

>>I checked the lug nuts and the taper matches the holes in the rims,<<

That's not the same thing I ask you.
If any part of the hex is down on the taper of the aluminum, you will tear up the aluminum. 100 lb of torque on the nuts will compress the alum a small amount. The alum, off the edge of the hex will not be compressed and the edges of the hex will shear the metal away as you turn the nut.

If you have the correct lug nut, you can tighten it until you snap the studs and it still won't tear the aluminum.

None of the hex surface touches the taper, the hex surface is about 1/8th" above the face of the rim itself.
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[RexDodge]

Are you hand tightening or using an air wrench? The lug nuts hitting the wheel at high speed can gall the wheel. You can also check the fit of the lug nut to the wheel by applying anti seize to the lug nut (a very thin coat) and gently touch it to the lug hole. Check to see if you have complete contact, only bottom or only top contact. You should see complete contact. Anything else is a no go. Please post pics of your wheels (off the truck so we can see the lug holes) and the lug nuts. It's easy to miss match and create a big problem. We don't want you to ruin a wheel or worse...loose another! This link has some basic info that may help...but we need pics to really help. http://shop.mcgard.com/installation-removal

[Vintage Windmills]

There are different grades of aluminum, also forged and not forged. What did your wheel manufacturer use? You may see issues based on that but that doesn't mean its not acceptable as long as its minor. How deep are the grooves from smearing? If using antisieze you probably want to reduce the torque you are applying to the lugs since less of the torque is lost to friction.