Alloy wheels and nut/bolt design

Hi all

Where alloy wheels have a tapered seat I commonly see these fastened with nuts/bolts having seats of a different taper or even with the rounded seats used on steel wheels!

Seems to me that if an engineer has designed a wheel with a particular angle of taper there must have been equivalent tapered nut/bolt. For example a standard tapered nut usually has a "steeper" taper than most wheel seats resulting in contact only being made with the wheel for a very small depth.

My Honda dealer even told me that when fitting alloy wheels they use the standard steel wheel nut (with a rounded seat). This too contacts the wheel over a very small area.

Doesn't anyone design a nut or bolt to match the seat of the wheel? Otherwise I cannot see how (from an engineering point of view) it is safe!

Thanks

Reply to
Plato
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I'm guessing that you are trying to fit aftermarket wheels that use a standard tapered seat lug on your Honda, if that is the case the right thing to do would be to buy some aftermarket lug nuts with tapered seats, and those should be available from any number of vendors (McGard, Gorilla, etc.)

good luck,

nate

Reply to
N8N

If the nut matched the taper exactly, then it could bottom out maybe. If it bottoms out, then it isn't putting pressure on the rim any more and the tire will come loose or snap the lugs off from play.

Just my $0.02,

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >
Reply to
Mike Romain

Hi

Thanks it is a thought

plato

Mike Roma> If the nut matched the taper exactly, then it could bottom out maybe.

Reply to
Plato

Hi

Thanks for your response. The wheels are Honda wheels and so far I have not been able to find, nor find anyone who can explain where I can get nuts to match the wheels!! - not even Honda. But I also raised it as a general (engineering/safety) point. Perhaps there is a more apprpriate group?

plato

N8N wrote:

Reply to
Plato

Here's one option for conical seat (another name for tapered seat) lug nuts for a Honda:

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however, I am concerned that you say that these are factory wheels; is it possible someone used the wrong lug nuts on them in the past and mashed the seats tapered? Generally all factory wheels use the same style lugs.

nate

Plato wrote:

Reply to
N8N

Hi

Thanks - it s a possibility but the condition of the seats suggest that it is not.

So far I have not managed to sort this problem out!!

plato

N8N wrote:

Reply to
Plato

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