Thread: Alternate wheel nuts

I have found it better to use a single cut socket.

I'm going to get rid of the security nuts asap. The "key" is rounding off.
Regards Robbo.

The security nuts on my TD5 were 'well rounded' and nearly impossible to get off. $5 each for a set of secondhand non-security wheel nuts from wreckers in ALbany Hwy, Kenwick has been a good investment. Rotating wheels (for even tread wear) on the weekend was a breeze. Noticed on ebay a few times that they are also readily available. I figure the stress of not getting a wheel off due to damaged security wheel nuts when off-road is not worth the hassle. (Two other 'rover' wreckers in Perth also had them available cheaply when I phoned.) Kenwick was more convenient. Don't forget wheel nuts on spare wheel carrier are not for the the vehicle wheel hubs. They have a 'raised' centre dimple to remind you.

Hello,
Have you considered what the factory torque settings are for wheel nuts(103ft/lbs).
The basic instructions for wheel changing state "Fully tighten all the wheel nuts in an alternating pattern until all are tightened. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN by using foot pressure or extension bars on the wheelnut wrench, as this could overstress the wheel studs. Check the wheelnut torque at the earliest opportunity."
Try doing the wheelnuts up with a torque wrench and get a 'feel' for what is the correct tension. You would be amazed that not a great deal of tension is needed to hold the wheel nuts on.
In other words, just use the wheel brace supplied by Landrover and just use arm strength to tighten the wheelnuts.
I haven't had a wheel fall off any car that I have ever owned and all I did was follow the instructions.

Like it or not, it's that simple to preserve the wheelnuts on a Disco II

Cheers,

Jason

Yep - in total agreement about torquing up wheel nuts or tightening up progressively without using a 2 metre breaker bar

Thanks for the replies however we seem to have gotten a bit off track.....

6 of the wheel nuts on my Disco have the silver 'tin' cover damaged from past indiscretions....whether this has been from using loose fitting wheel braces or incorrect sockets in the past I do not know (Only bought it some months ago).....what I do know is that now, due the tin cover being rounded off giving a loose fit somewhere between metric and AF, I have to literally 'jam' the wheel brace onto the damaged wheel nut to loosen off ...which consequently then jams the nut into the wheel brace requiring a set of multi-grips or vice grips to get the nut out of the wheel brace before loosening off the next nut.

The other 14 wheel nuts loosen off and tighten up without any difficulty as the 'tin' cover is in good condition.

I'm concerned that 1 day, I'm going to get caught out bush with a damaged wheel nut that will be between 2 socket sizes or wheel braces so considered removing the tin cover to then have a steel, no-fuss wheel nut......

Look like I'll have to butcher the tin cover off and reveal what size the wheel nut is without the fancy silver tin cover.......I'll let you know.
Cheers

I too had difficulty with 2 of the "tin covered" standard wheel nuts being a bit out of shape and needed to "tap" them back into a hex shape before I could get the wheel brace on. I bought new replacements for the 2 damaged ones and then 4 more to replace the lock nuts at the same time. I also replaced the original lock nut on the spare wheel with a "spare style" nut, (convex head).
I have another spare "standard" nut I carry inside the car which has "lost" its tin cover, I'll measure the A/F size tonight and reply.

How can good 'ol Blighty invent the Spitfire, Football and Cricket, defeat Napoleons fleet in the Nile, kick the backside of the Spanish Armarda and create an Empire over 1/3 of the planets surface, hold the World Land Speed Record (Thrust SSC - 1,228kmh or 763mph) and be home to most of the F1 Teams then conjure up such a complicated wheel nut system for a car?

ok so the Charge of the Light Brigade wasnt a runaway success, then neither has every World Cup other than '66 been anything to write home about.... sorry off topic now..

Exactly 26mm A/F. The corner flats measure 3.5mm

linky to eBay

HTH