1. 19mm

2. not sure

Vin

 

Stock lug nuts are 19mm. I have 4 snows mounted on other rims, so I just rotate twice a year when I change over my tires. I don't drive a lot of miles though. Over the years I've bought many sets of tires from my local Dunn Tire Store. They always recommended 5000 miles for rotating tires. I think you're good to go with that.

 

What he said. ^. I'm running 5000 mile oil changes, so I rotate the tires when I change my oil.

 

Is this normal??

Did my rear brakes this weekend. They had 52,000 miles on them. Hardest part of the job was the lug nuts. I'm not sure what the heck was going on, but my breaker bar wasn't good enough. I had to go get a length of pipe to get the lug nuts off. Anyway, my real concern is that my 19mm socket just doesn't seem to fit very well on the lug nuts. I mean it only goes on like a 1/4" at best. I had to hammer it on to really get a decent purchase so not to round over the lugs. This is my nice Mac socket set. I've got all kinds of deep well sockets, mac,husky, craftsman, and even my 3/4" isn't going on the socket very well. Can someone shed some light on this for me. I've got the 19" stock Titanium rims. It was really way to hard to remove and tighten the lug nuts. Walked over to my Honda and my sockets slip right on, all the way. What's going on???

 

Anyway, my real concern is that my 19mm socket just doesn't seem to fit very well on the lug nuts. I mean it only goes on like a 1/4" at best. I had to hammer it on to really get a decent purchase so not to round over the lugs. This is my nice Mac socket set. I've got all kinds of deep well sockets, mac,husky, craftsman, and even my 3/4" isn't going on the socket very well. Can someone shed some light on this for me. I've got the 19" stock Titanium rims. It was really way to hard to remove and tighten the lug nuts. Walked over to my Honda and my sockets slip right on, all the way. What's going on???

The lug nuts have a stainless steel sheet metal cap or cover that distorts from the torque from the installation and removal.....when a impact wrench is used for removal and/or installation, the cap is deformed significantly. It really doesn't take many on/off cycles to deform the cap to the point a socket will no longer slide on easily. The only remedy is remove the caps and use a smaller socket (UGLY!) or replace the lug nuts.
Removing and replacing the lug nuts by hand only is the only way to minimize the damage. Good luck getting a dealer to not use an impact!


Another thought, the use of a 12pt socket or worn out sockets accelerate this damage, also the common use of a worn 3/4" socket is common.......a bad thing.

 

:agree: I just can't believe how most if not all of them are toast.

 

Ya that happened to my old escape winter lugs. I used my impact, only to remove them, and man it didn't take more than 2 times and the lug nuts were deformed and sucked! They'd get suck in the socket and cause headaches. By hand ftw!

 

Wow, good to know. I just don't get it. Why on earth would the manufacturer put something like this on a part that is taken on and off every 5000 miles, or thereabouts.

My buddy's fairly new 2014 F-150 has 21mm I believe. He is all freaked out after showing him my nuts.. So I'm bringing in all my sockets tomorrow so he can check his nuts. He actually wants to put plain steel lugs on his wheels only when he gets it serviced, then put his OEM ones back on when he gets home. It's a shame you have to do this. But then again, the dealer can't seem to put on a splash shield properly.

 

Yup, those Ford lug nuts are terrible, they distort quite easily, and are expensive to replace ($12 per lug nut at local Ford dealer), only to have them distort again.

Ford is aware of this issue (or at least my dealer is aware), but they continue to use them.

I replaced all of mine on the wife's 2010 Focus and my 2014 Escape with McGards, $10 for a pack of 4 up here in Canada. McGard Model 64012 does the trick.

I also do my own tire swaps so that eliminates the risk of over torqued impact wenches at garages.

ian

 

In the stash space where my spare rides I keep a cheap but functional Harbor Freight clicker torque wrench pre-set with the proper thin-wall deep-reach impact socket attached.

The lug-wells on my Enkei wheels are very close to the socket so use of an impact wrench will likely scar the wheel finish (machined aluminum with clear-coat). I prefer the stock lugs to slender 'tuner' lugs because the seats are slightly wider and they don't project beyond the lug-well face.

Got replacement Michelins at Discount Tire a couple of weeks ago ... gave the service-writer my wrench and requested that they not use any impact tools and explained why .... they complied to the request with a smile, no problem, and when the guy that did the service returned my keys he handed me the wrench himself to ensure I got it back. The lugs and wheels still look perfect.

Competent and friendly service does still exist. IMHO it helps if you politely explain to service folks the rational reason why you ask for 'special handling' of your pride and joy.

 

In the stash space where my spare rides I keep a cheap but functional Harbor Freight clicker torque wrench pre-set with the proper thin-wall deep-reach impact socket attached.

While I totally agree with your logic, with most torque wrenches you are not supposed to use them to loosen torqued hardware. How are they removing your lugs? By hand with breaker bar?

And while I am a fan of HF for some things, I'm not getting my torque wrenches there. But that's just me.

By buddy checked his f150 today with my 21mm socket and his were perfect. He too has a tire shop in Salt Lake that actually cares and does quality service. His wheels have been rotated twice on his 2014. He is still in awe as far as how bad my lugs are, even though they LOOK perfect.

Got my new lugs in from Tasca today, but I was on my way out the door for road trips to visit college campuses around Virginia with my son so I didn't get a chance to test fit them with my sockets.

Thanks for the replies everyone. And those of you that get your tires rotated, I suggest getting your 19mm deep well and see if it fits over your lugs. Or at least check it with your Ford tire iron.

 

I am a big fan of Discount Tire (also known as America's Tire in some areas) as well.

 

:agree: while I have used the provided jack many times in my life, I keep meaning to teach the kids and make them change one themselves.

And even though I boast about reading the entire owners manual, I admitedly skipped the wheel and tire section. And mean come on, one can only keep from nodding off for so long.

OK, just read the wheel and tire section. I love this part:

"For four-wheel drive vehicles, a spare tire
of a different size other than the tire
provided should never be used. A dissimilar
spare tire size (other than the spare tire
provided) or major dissimilar tire sized
between the front and rear axles could
cause the four-wheel drive system to stop
functioning and default to front-wheel
drive."

Gee, I don't know if I should use my 17" spare or not with my stock 19". Wish I could fit a full size spare in there, but no-go for use 19" owners.

Sorry, this is off topic and I will cease and desist.

 

....
"For four-wheel drive vehicles, a spare tire
of a different size other than the tire
provided should never be used. A dissimilar
spare tire size (other than the spare tire
provided) or major dissimilar tire sized
between the front and rear axles could
cause the four-wheel drive system to stop
functioning and default to front-wheel
drive."

Gee, I don't know if I should use my 17" spare or not with my stock 19". ...

I'd sure as heck use it and let the thing default to FWD for the limp-home rather than the alternative. No service is going to bring a full-size correct tire/wheel to you; any roadside assist will just mount the spare for you anyway or suffer the extreme cost of a flat-bed haul to a shop. Use the spare when a blowout requires it, change it out as soon as practical. If in the middle of the Mohave and that means driving another 250 miles to get to a new tire, then do it, you won't 'toast' the diff or tranny, just don't drive like an ....

You keep mentioning the OEM 19's as if that is something special but remember, the 17, 18 and 19 OEMs are all within a very very small fraction of the same rolling circumference, so the 'issue', if any, applies to all FE owners.

 

Oh I'm not going to worry about it cause I will never be able to use it cause I can't get the lug nuts off the car.