Stupid Ford Lugnuts!

[Plati]

@cooldude919

One more question, does the factory lug wrench fit the new Gorilla nuts? I see it says 21mm socket, but no idea what OEM ones are.

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Ok. I'll admit I'm confused. Where does it say 21mm socket? I thought the OEM was 13/16"? The Gorilla marketing page has multiple sizes depending on which product you buy 13/16" hex, 3/4" hex, 7/8" hex. Very confusing.

13/16" = .8125"
21 mm = .8268"

then there's this page that lists 13/16" and 21mm on same lug
https://www.gorilla-auto.com/lug-nuts-page-09

I'm pretty sure my SK 13/16" socket would not fit on the Gorilla lug nuts I bought and I put a 21mm socket & breaker bar in the tool kit. Think it measured out with a micrometer to .823". Too confusing for my little brain.

 

[mquick5]

@MrSticker

Follow the link in post #14. Then click on pictures of item. Look at top right photo.

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[Lee Hartwig]

Cladding bends when slammed with impact wrench, dumb design. Discovered mine when installing rear brakes. Be careful was a change from 14 x 2 mm nuts to 14 x 1.5 around 2015, bummer if you get the wrong ones. Also purchased a 1/2" drive 13/16 & 3/4" Rocketsocket nut removal socket (+/-$25.00). Makes the tough ones really simple to take off

 

[duneslider]

You shouldn't use an impact on the two piece lug nuts. Not that anyone follows that advice... Also, they can swell with age and you can't get the lug wrench on them. I have only owned Ford's, Chryslers, Jeeps, Dodges and these all had the same crappy nut with the stainless veneer. I am sure it is a two fold reason (at least) for using them. The stainless veneer doesn't rust and I am sure it saves a dollar or two. If they put one piece nuts on with chrome platting everyone would be on here complaining about their crappy lug nuts rusting. So, they put the cheaper version on and save a few bucks, then you complain about them, buy solid nuts that end up rusting and you don't complain because you bought them and Ford didn't supply them. Ford saved millions, so they win there especially since there would be complaints either way.

Either way, the guy at the tires store is going to jack up whatever lug nuts you do have so don't worry about it.

 

[Plati]

You shouldn't use an impact on the two piece lug nuts. Not that anyone follows that advice... Also, they can swell with age and you can't get the lug wrench on them. I have only owned Ford's, Chryslers, Jeeps, Dodges and these all had the same crappy nut with the stainless veneer. I am sure it is a two fold reason (at least) for using them. The stainless veneer doesn't rust and I am sure it saves a dollar or two. If they put one piece nuts on with chrome platting everyone would be on here complaining about their crappy lug nuts rusting. So, they put the cheaper version on and save a few bucks, then you complain about them, buy solid nuts that end up rusting and you don't complain because you bought them and Ford didn't supply them. Ford saved millions, so they win there especially since there would be complaints either way.

Either way, the guy at the tires store is going to jack up whatever lug nuts you do have so don't worry about it.

agree with everything

my gorillas have not rusted, but the gorilla guy said keep clean … so I have (sorta)
ok a little surface rust but not bad
nickel/chrome is just a thin coating with microscopic holes to base metal

oddly, my OEM "caps" shrunk in size making socket loose
they got compressed in

I think an earlier thread had a vendor who sold all solid stainless nuts
but stainless is not as durable/strong as hardened steel, so that is a concern
I read that in a book on metallurgy

 

[BlackCoffee]

I just checked and these same capped lug nuts are used on my wife's 2018 Explorer. Going to change them with chrome plated solids. I would rather have a solid nut that may need to be replaced for cosmetic reasons versus a cap nut that doesn't come off when I need it to. Not one of Ford's better ideas.

 

[mquick5]

From what I see the linked gorilla nuts only come with a one year warranty. And the mcgard lug nutts have a life time warranty. The box for gorrilla says lifetime but in there warranty fine print it only covers for a year on stuff like rust. I'm gonna research some more, but if mcgard is truly lifetime for 3x the money, I may save up a bit for those.

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[mquick5]

I just checked and these same capped lug nuts are used on my wife's 2018 Explorer. Going to change them with chrome plated solids. I would rather have a solid nut that may need to be replaced for cosmetic reasons versus a cap nut that doesn't come off when I need it to. Not one of Ford's better ideas.

I think almost anything with a exposed lug nut is made this poorly. I'm glad my 2 older chevys have solid lug nuts hidden behind a plastic beauty ring. No issues at all on a 17yr old car, but my model 2017 Ford has alrdy had issues!

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[BlackCoffee]

From what I see the linked gorilla nuts only come with a one year warranty. And the mcgard lug nutts have a life time warranty. The box for gorrilla says lifetime but in there warranty fine print it only covers for a year on stuff like rust. I'm gonna research some more, but if mcgard is truly lifetime for 3x the money, I may save up a bit for those.

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You could go the other way. It looks like the non-lifetime, regular chrome Gorilla lugs, sell on Amazon at $55.00 per 100 in bulk. This would give you five sets. Depending on how long the chrome last, it may be cheaper to look at them like oil. Replace them every 3 years and you have 15 years worth of lugs.

 

[mquick5]

You could go the other way. It looks like the non-lifetime, regular chrome Gorilla lugs, sell on Amazon at $55.00 per 100 in bulk. This would give you five sets. Depending on how long the chrome last, it may be cheaper to look at them like oil. Replace them every 3 years and you have 15 years worth of lugs.

That's definitely worth looking into. 100 would only be 4 sets, with 4 left over. But if you could find someone else needing the same size it would be a nice split.

I wanna try and contact mcgard, to see if a impact voids there warranty. If so there's no sense in spending extra money on them. Atleast for me, cause the dealer will certainly use there impacts when rotating tires.

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[techdude99]

I wanna try and contact mcgard, to see if a impact voids there warranty.

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I'm pretty sure it's covered as long as they aren't over tightened.

 

[2018expyXLT4wd]

Torque to 150ftlb

 

[lobsenza]

150 the the tightest I have ever seen for a torque spec.

 

[techdude99]

150 the the tightest I have ever seen for a torque spec.

140 ft lbs and above is common on trucks.

 

[Deadman]

I put Gorilla lug nuts on my wires car a couple years ago. Today I went and put new shocks on it, and when I pulled the lug nuts, I noticed that they are already solid RUST! I'm not happy with that.....

 

[fatgroundhog]

Just for the record...maybe it'll help someone . Our 2018 Expy lugs swelled so I couldn't get the lug wrench on. I ordered replacement lug nuts from an offroad site--the web site and reviews assured me the "tuner" lugs would fit (small diameter). Since I use those on my Subaru with great results, I tried them. And...they're too small. They only engage the wheel on the very edge of the acorn seat, so I'm not comfortable with that. I'll be sending those back for more proper fatties.

Today I tried to tackle the swollen lugs. Hammered on any socket that would fit, but the stainless cap proved too tough. One of the caps spun, leading me to believe the stud had stripped out in the hub. However, I stumbled onto a thread (Ford Focus forum) where the cap spun on the lug. I used a household chisel to break open the cap and cut it away, eventually removing it from the underlying lug nut. Not difficult, but I recommend you use some painters tape to protect your wheels. So, at least my issue was just the cap.

I'll grab a six-sided socket set tomorrow with 20-22mm sockets and order the right lugs. Time to get the simple stuff squared away .

 

[Plati]

Just for the record...maybe it'll help someone . Our 2018 Expy lugs swelled so I couldn't get the lug wrench on. I ordered replacement lug nuts from an offroad site--the web site and reviews assured me the "tuner" lugs would fit (small diameter). Since I use those on my Subaru with great results, I tried them. And...they're too small. They only engage the wheel on the very edge of the acorn seat, so I'm not comfortable with that. I'll be sending those back for more proper fatties.

Today I tried to tackle the swollen lugs. Hammered on any socket that would fit, but the stainless cap proved too tough. One of the caps spun, leading me to believe the stud had stripped out in the hub. However, I stumbled onto a thread (Ford Focus forum) where the cap spun on the lug. I used a household chisel to break open the cap and cut it away, eventually removing it from the underlying lug nut. Not difficult, but I recommend you use some painters tape to protect your wheels. So, at least my issue was just the cap.

I'll grab a six-sided socket set tomorrow with 20-22mm sockets and order the right lugs. Time to get the simple stuff squared away .

Sounds like you peeled the SS cap off and used a socket on the underlying solid lug nut. Good idea. What size socket fits that?

 

[Wayne Decker]

Using 6 point sockets on the OEM lugs helps. And it's not just Ford that uses them, they're pretty common. Not good, but common.

 

[techdude99]

I'm swapping my nuts at the next tire rotation with McGuard 64023's.

 

[aggiegrad05]

I have driven Fords since 2001 and never had an issue with the lugs, so I’ll be the first to admit I thought this thread was a whole lot of Chicken Little nonsense.

Well....I apologize to all of you.

Got a flat last night. (Side note: these Hankook Dynapros are, without question, the worst tires at puncture avoidance I have ever owned. I drove my last truck for 6 years and 60k miles and never got a flat. This is my fourth flat in 25k miles with these rubber pieces of Hankook garbage and they have yet to be able to patch one. I’m taking the flat to the shop this morning (thank goodness for full-size spares) and if they can’t patch it, I’m pulling all four and replacing them with Michelin’s.)

Anyway...went to remove the lugs and, wouldn’t you know it, couldn’t get the wrench on because the whole set had swelled. Luckily, a guy I was with had a 4-way wrench in his tool box. The thing worked like a champ and slipped right over the swollen lugs. So instead of buying new lugs, I plan to just buy a 4-way and keep it in the under-floor cargo area. Seems much more cost-effective and will allow me to keep the look of the OEM lugs.

But thanks to all of you for this thread so I knew exactly what was going on when my factory wrench didn’t work.

(Side note #2: the guy also had a floor jack that he offered to let me use instead of the one that came with my Expi. Figured it was faster so we tried it. At full extension, the jack was not able to lift my Expi high enough to get the spare on. He drives an FX4 F250 and is able to use it on his...we were a bit perplexed as to why his jack works on his, but not mine. Surely it’s not because I have superior ground clearance...maybe the suspension is just much softer on mine so the vehicle has a lot further to go up?)

If you read this far, thank you and congratulations. You win 1 gold Internet Coin today.