Aluminum Lugnuts

Need to get smaller lugnuts for the new wheels. Opinions on aluminum. Worth the cost to save the weight? Any durability/reliability issues?

Ron did it. Saved a pound or two. No durability issues. I think one supplier advertises here on the rotating ad at the top.

Been using the same set 10+ years without issue. Be sure to get forged aluminum. CB

Ron got them for the Z, but he was too scairt to use them. The Porsche 944 S2 I had had titanium lug nuts and that might be an option.

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Originally Posted by backformore

Need to get smaller lugnuts for the new wheels. Opinions on aluminum. Worth the cost to save the weight? Any durability/reliability issues?

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What's the issue with the existing nuts?

I buy lug nuts from Summit by the bagfull, low prices, throw them away if they even THINK of cross threading. They make an open-end acorn that uses a small socket (17mm?). No problem fitting them into small holes on the wheels...I think these are the ones I buy:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-7540020/

I just see no value in aluminum, not at our level of racing. That pound ain't gonna make a difference.

"That pound ain't gonna make a difference."

However...that pound, and another, and another etc. do add up. Chuck

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Originally Posted by chuck baader

However...that pound, and another, and another etc. do add up. Chuck

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Some pounds are better than others...and are easier, cheaper, and more safe to begin with.

Aluminum lugnuts are "very last pounds", not "first pounds".

GA

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Originally Posted by Greg Amy

What's the issue with the existing nuts?

I buy lug nuts from Summit by the bagfull, low prices, throw them away if they even THINK of cross threading. They make an open-end acorn that uses a small socket (17mm?). No problem fitting them into small holes on the wheels...I think these are the ones I buy:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-7540020/

I just see no value in aluminum, not at our level of racing. That pound ain't gonna make a difference.

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I agree with this. Throwing away a lug nut and reaching for a spare is a hell of a lot easier than changing a stud on a hub....

I'm with Greg. the weight you save on aluminum lug nuts equates to roughly the same amount of rubber giblets I clean out of my wheels and fenders at the end of a race weekend.

I use some small-head steel lugnuts that use a 17mm head. Cost about $1.50 each, and I have a bag of spares in the trailer. It's real handy to just grab a few more if you drop your lugnuts in the mud while trying to throw your rains on 5 min before a race. I'd rather do that than strip a wheel stud trying to run muddy lug nuts on.. (Can you tell I hate it when I get mud on my nuts?!)

But yeah.. saving a 1/2lb of weight on such a high stressed item? I'd rather skip lunch on race day.

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Originally Posted by Matt93SE

(Can you tell I hate it when I get mud on my nuts?!)

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Then I'd consider getting dressed before changing tires...

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Originally Posted by Greg Amy

I buy lug nuts from Summit by the bagfull, low prices, throw them away if they even THINK of cross threading. They make an open-end acorn that uses a small socket (17mm?). No problem fitting them into small holes on the wheels...I think these are the ones I buy:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-7540020/

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I use the same ones in 1/2-20. I like the open ended ones as grit etc. is easily removed. And they are flat out cheap enough to toss when needed.

All the pounds do add up though. I agree the nuts can be the last pounds, but the "a pound doesn't matter" thinking gets you in trouble when you're trying to make weight or get as close as you can to making weight.

The important part of matching a lug nut to a wheel is the seat. You want them to match. You don't want the seat on the lug nut to be smaller ( the depth) than the seat on the wheel, this would cause the edges of the nut portion of the lug to dig into the seat and destroy the mating surfaces.

You can have a bigger seat on the lug nut and a smaller seat on the wheel, but not the other way around, as long as the are the same angle/degree ( most common is 60 degree).

My car came with, from the factory; I use replacement steel ones instead. Feel better about the durability, no question. My street car, OTOH, still has it's stock aluminum nutz - I don't change the tires quite as often as on the IT car.

DSR has steel nuts, BTW. May some day consider Ti, but this is fine for now. Still have plenty of other areas to tackle for weight.

Thanks for the thoughts. The issue, to answer Greg's question, is the stock lugnuts are 19mm and don't leave room for a socket on the new wheels (RPF1s).

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Originally Posted by backformore

Thanks for the thoughts. The issue, to answer Greg's question, is the stock lugnuts are 19mm and don't leave room for a socket on the new wheels (RPF1s).

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Use a thin walled socket or use 3/8" drive socket instead of 1/2"

I weighed my aluminums vs. gorilla steel tuner lugs.
Less than a gram difference.

I'll opt for steel.

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Originally Posted by joeg

I weighed my aluminums vs. gorilla steel tuner lugs.
Less than a gram difference.

I'll opt for steel.

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I'm not an advocate for aluminum lug nuts, but I suspect there is a bit of apples to oranges comparison here. If the two lugs are of similar design there is a significant difference in weight between the two parts.

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Originally Posted by philstireservice

Use a thin walled socket or use 3/8" drive socket instead of 1/2"

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or some of the 12x1.25 or 1.5 17mm hex nuts out there, or the "tuner" stuff that uses the special socket.

Ron--They are not of similar design. The Steelies are open-end tuner lugs; the aluminum are not (and are bigger),