Get The 411 On Lug Nuts

Below you will find some basic information OriginalWheels.com has put together to help people understand what lug nuts are and how they work.

Almost everyone who has a car should know what lug nuts or lug bolts are, but if your like me and dont know too much about cars, well then I would suggest that you continue reading this article. A Lug nut is a fastener used to secure a wheel to the vehicle. Lugnuts are commonly used on automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles that use rubber tires. And we all know without wheels or tires on our car we cant get too far, in fact we cant drive anywhere without wheels . I would have to say the invention of wheels is probably one of the most important things created. If you think about it without wheels we wouldn't be able to use automobiles, so im sure we are all very grateful for the creation of wheels.

Believe it or not Lugnuts come in different styles, some of them are called flat lug nuts, shank lugnuts, tapered lugnuts, acorn lug nut, ball lugnuts, and many more. Lug nuts are normally used to secure a wheel to threaded wheel studs. Some are short lug heads so that the center cap on the rim can fit and some are long. Tapered lug nuts are used on most aluminum style wheels and steel rims. When installing your wheel you must make sure that the lug nut matches the thread pattern, pitch and seat because if you dont your wheels will not be correctly installed which may damage your wheels, and could cause a dangerous situation.

Three of the most commonly used lug nuts are conical seat lug nuts, shank style lugnuts, and ball seat lugs. Conical lug nuts are also known as taper acorn lugnuts, and bulge lug nuts. Shank bolts are also called mag lug nuts and should never be used on a conical seat because these are two different types of lugnuts that do not match which could cause the lug nuts to lose torque if they are not installed correctly. So if your wheels require ball seat lug nuts you need to use ball seats also known as spherical seats. Mag rims often have a 1/2 to 1 inch shank that is placed into the rim to keep it centered and is used with a washer that applies pressure to secure the rim to the axle. Some rims use lug bolts which are known as a bolted joint that screw into a tapped threaded hole. The taper is usaully 60 degrees and centers the wheel acurately to reduce the chance of loose nuts.

Make sure to only use lug nuts or bolts that are compatible with the type of lug seat your wheel requires. Use manufacturers specifications when installing oem wheels or rims to find the correct lugnuts and seat pattern. Improper installation can lead to loosing of a wheel, damaging your vehicle, and not only endangering your life but also the life's of others.