Thread: Wheel nuts with sheet-metal chrome jacket- why is it so?

As far as i am aware there is no good technical reason for the practice, which is quite widespread, except that it is probably easier to get a good finish on the sheet metal jacket than it is on the machined nuts, and also allows a closed end which would be a lot cheaper using a jacket than machining like that. Some of them may use stainless steel jackets that are probably more durable than chrome plating.

I think the whole idea is purely cosmetic.

The simple answer is looks - they are not normally chrome but the jacket is stainless steel - well they are on my RRS. Straight chrome nuts tend to shed the chrome after a while and look shabby and we cannot have a RRS or Disco with shabby nuts.

With your nuts with stainless covers to not use 12 point sockets - always 6 sided hex sockets - less change of slipping. Always do final torque and untorquing with a manual socket and bar - once use it is OK to use a rattle gun to speed up the process.

Hammering on the right size hex socket will often fix a slipped cover - forces it back to shape to fit the underlying nut BUT obviously you need a plan to remove the socket if it sticks.

If a cover cannot be fixed, it can be removed using a cold chisel and hammer. The plain underlying nut is about 1 or 2mm smaller that the nut with stainless cover on it.

So never use 12 point sockets and never use a rattle gun to torque or detorque the wheel nut.

Ah that all makes perfect sense- the nut is machined with a through-hole instead of a blind one, much easier, and yes I now recall that the jacket is stainless rather than chrome plated. Lining a deformed jacket up on the hex and knocking a single-hex socket over it does indeed get the job done but the socket is then of course very difficult to get off without damaging the alloy wheel- easy solved in the shed of course but a right pain at the side of the road. I need to start insisting that mechanics and tyre fitters not use the rattle gun on them.

Dunno if this helps. When I changed the steel wheels to mags on the OKA I got nuts from a mob in Lilydale. Seem good quality, but at $4 a pop they'd want to be.

Mr Lugnut Australia

Some where around the 200,000km mark and I think the 4th set of tyres on my D2, the wheelnuts were getting a bit shabby and I had a friend Dave , who had an engineering works and he manufactured me a complete set of closed nuts to same spec as the jacketed type. They were made from a high quality steel and polished up to look like chrome. Not a cheap exercise but my indy saw them and ordered a couple of sets for his clients. I never used the so called security nuts and socket again.As well I got Dave to make up some solid brass sump and diff plugs to which my indy also placed an order for a quantity. I could never believe it when I found plastic plugs the first time.

It is definitely for cosmetic purposes.

My understanding is that when they get old a layer of rust forms between the stainless cover and the nut forcing it to swell a tiny bit.

It also drove me nuts. (no pun intended) I solved the problem with a single hex 28 mm socket.

The original size is 27, but as they are now 27 and a quarter, a single hex 28 works fine.

Originally Posted by d2dave

It is definitely for cosmetic purposes.

My understanding is that when they get old a layer of rust forms between the stainless cover and the nut forcing it to swell a tiny bit.

It also drove me nuts. (no pun intended) I solved the problem with a single hex 28 mm socket.

The original size is 27, but as they are now 27 and a quarter, a single hex 28 works fine.

Yes. I ran into that on the donor car I had. I didn't have a 28mm, so I resorted to hammering on my 27 impact socket. Getting the nut out after that was problematic to say the least. Good thing there are only four wheels...

Originally Posted by Tins

Dunno if this helps. When I changed the steel wheels to mags on the OKA I got nuts from a mob in Lilydale. Seem good quality, but at $4 a pop they'd want to be.

Mr Lugnut Australia

pimping your ride John? I've never seen an oka with mags.