Swollen lug nuts? What?

[65 Cuda 340]

My son-in-law took his 2016 Ford F-150 to Costco to have his tires (bought at Cosco) rotated. After a bit, they came back, said we can't mount these wheels because you have six swollen lug nuts.

They had no replacements in stock, so he had to run to a parts store and buy six lug nuts at $12 a piece.

Wheels got mounted, but Costco told him that they weren't sure the other lug nuts would hold torque and that they would not mount his wheels again unless he replaced all the rest of the lug nuts with new.

Truck has a bit less than 100,000 miles on it.

Swollen lug nuts?

 

[CFD244]

The lugs have the shiny caps on them with steel underneath. The caps swell with moisture and rust between them and the actual nut. It happens on our Rams as well.

 

[dadsbee]

Yep... I replaced mine long ago with solid stainless ones. Cost me over $300 for 24 nuts. Cheap tin covered nuts and tire guys using worn out sockets and impacts just make it worse! Walmart.. last place I'd be having a tire change.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Ya, the ones on my 2014 Ram are junk. . Pretty much everything these days is junk

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Darn, I forgot about how the new lug nuts have those shiny caps on them. Makes more sense now. Still wouldn't call them "swollen lug nuts," though.

 

[33IMP]

I'm glad you didn't say you had swollen nuts.

 

[Cranky]

I'm glad being in the lower states where that doesn't happen with the so called stainless steel 'caps' don't have a problem. I hate them as it is down here because they are sheeet!!!

 

[blind bat]

The problem is so pervasive that a bunch of tool companies make half sized (ex. 21.5mm) sockets.

 

[chewy]

I think I payed just over $40 for the set of solid stainless ones on American trucks for my Ram.

When I got new wheels to mount 35s, they were too big for them, so they went with the stock wheels when I sold them.

 

[dust44d]

I stock over 500+ one-piece lug nuts at my shop for this very reason. The shop is trying to do you a favor by telling customers this, so if you are on the road, and have a flat, you might not be able to get the lugs/wheel off. They are not trying to "rip" you off

 

[MidnightSwinger]

I'm glad being in the lower states where that doesn't happen with the so called stainless steel 'caps' don't have a problem. I hate them as it is down here because they are sheeet!!!

It absolutely happens in the lower states. I was a supervisor in the tire center at Costco for 7 years in locations from San Diego CA to Round Rock TX. It happens everywhere.

 

[Cranky]

It absolutely happens in the lower states. I was a supervisor in the tire center at Costco for 7 years in locations from San Diego CA to Round Rock TX. It happens everywhere.

I've never even heard of it until this thread and just assumed it was a rust belt issue. The only problem I've had with them is the dang caps coming off. Both of my mid 90's Dakotas had them but they both now wear the solid lug nuts that are chromed. Same thing got put on my 97 diesel when I put Hummer H2 chrome plated alloy wheels on it many years ago.

 

[MidnightSwinger]

I've never even heard of it until this thread and just assumed it was a rust belt issue. The only problem I've had with them is the dang caps coming off. Both of my mid 90's Dakotas had them but they both now wear the solid lug nuts that are chromed. Same thing got put on my 97 diesel when I put Hummer H2 chrome plated alloy wheels on it many years ago.

It’s a combination of issues and the folks up north definitely get the worst of it. Salt/moisture will only degrade them faster, but it is an inherently flawed design. It’s all about cost savings.

 

[MidnightSwinger]

I've never even heard of it until this thread and just assumed it was a rust belt issue. The only problem I've had with them is the dang caps coming off. Both of my mid 90's Dakotas had them but they both now wear the solid lug nuts that are chromed. Same thing got put on my 97 diesel when I put Hummer H2 chrome plated alloy wheels on it many years ago.

Galvanic Corrosion, I had to look the term up(it’s been over 10yrs since I was in the industry). Because the two pieces are dissimilar metals they will naturally corrode against each other.

 

[Cranky]

Darn, I forgot about how the new lug nuts have those shiny caps on them. Makes more sense now. Still wouldn't call them "swollen lug nuts," though.

I inherited a 22 Colorado with the Z71 package nearly a year and a half ago and it came with solid chromed lug nuts but don't know if it came that way or my wife's husband put them on.....

It’s all about cost savings.

Yup and the first time to see them, it pissed me off.