I'd prefer this one on my truck...

 

I'm hearing this more and more...Almost thinking a guy should renew the wheel studs every 50K miles...How many miles do you have on your 1st gen??

 

200,1xx but I'm not too sure if the front studs have been replaced but I bet they were. They looked to be in good shaped just screwed from the rim becoming loose. It couldn't hurt to think about while doing the brakes or something

 

Haha that's what I would like to imply

 

sorry to hear about your truck that sucks ... if u need to buy some parts for it let me know . i have account with Oreilly's . mite want to think about upgrading 9/16 18 t stud.

 

In your initial post you state that the wheels are STEEL; they sure look like aluminum/pot-metal to me.

Which are they, aluminum or steel ??


So far as aluminum is concerned, we all call them "aluminum" wheels, when in fact they are a pot-metal mix that is less than 10% aluminum content.

Genuine 100% aluminum wheels would cost more than a truck.

I have at least three customers per day complaining about aluminum wheels loosening the lug-nuts.

Two things are usually going on.

Most aluminum wheels have MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC lug-nuts and these special nuts are the only ones that actually fit the lug-nut seats in the wheels.

People trade wheels with each other, put Ford wheels on Toyota trucks, and etc. and usually the shiny wheels end up with the wrong lug-nuts; thus, the nuts do not seat in the wheels correctly and continuously work themselves loose.

Also, aluminum/pot-metal is very soft.

Even with the proper nuts, after a few episodes with an air-wrench , and a few too many miles, the lug-nut seats simply start to erode away.

Once this erosion begins, it just keeps getting worse.

I have actually seen several aluminum wheels that have pulled the lug-nuts through the wheel.


It is remotely possible that someone did loosen your wheel in an effort to steal it; but, I believe you would have felt/heard that situation miles before.

I think the wheel just worked itself loose and came off.

 

Bearkiller, that was a mistake on my part, they are "Alloy" or aluminum. Yeah, them just falling off is what I'm going with since I can't prove otherwise. The alloy wheel looks to be ok and see no damage though...

I think the lugnuts are right. They're not splined but I know they are longer than stock to reach into the aftermarket wheel. What do I know though

Oh, and I am upgrading the studs

 

Has anyone ever used an air-wrench on the wheels OR the lug-nuts ???


That is a definite , ESPECIALLY with alloy/aluminum wheels.


It is highly likely that someone cross-threaded the nuts and stripped out the threads, thus they were little more than a friction-fit; I see this all the time.


Also, and I cannot stress this enough, ALWAYS COAT THE THREADS WITH A GENEROUS SLATHERING OF ANTI-SIEZE, ALWAYS.

 

x2 bearkiller.

Potmetal is great for things like emblems and ornamental objects but wheels???

Here is a list of good wheels: (add and comment as necessary)

1.) Alcoa

2.) Accuride

3.) Stockton wheel products

4.) Pro Comp STEEL

5.) Stock/OEM wheels

6.) Rickson

Note: Moto "Metal" , RockStar, etc shouldn't be added here....

You can also upgrade to 9/16" studs for W250/350 trucks.

D250 trucks can take a 5/8" stud from the D350 Application. These will require greater torque on the lug nuts, however.

 

I'm not saying you're wrong. I ALWAYS used to do this...until I lost I broke a few studs on my '06. I was told NEVER to use anti-sieze as I had done.

??? Thoughts? Everyone that chimed in agreed with this that anti-sieze was never meant for studs??

--Eric

 

Anti-seize is supposed to prevent the material from galling. I got into the habit of using it on my studs.

On another similar note, I've been using anti-seize on both of my dad's '06 trucks (3/4 and 1-ton) for quite a while now and have removed and reinstalled the wheels plenty of times. Haven't broken a stud. The torque specs for those studs aren't much. For the 3/4 ton trucks it's about 145ft. lbs. and for the 1-tons it's 155ft. lbs.

 

maybe 4 lock nuts on every wheel, in the square torque pattern. so then it could never fall off. I pity the fool who ever gets caught red handed messing with my truck!

 

I'm not sure about air wrenches or if the wheels have been at a tire shop. I've only owned the truck for about 3 months and I haven't personally touched the wheels or removed them. Knowing Derek, I'm sure HE did things right but I can't speak for him.

Looking at the steel wheels, ProComps for example, load ratings are like 1800 and 2000lbs per wheel. I mean is that sufficient for towing?

Oh and for the alloys or any rims I put on the girl, what should I keep them torqued at to not ruin the wheels and keep it safe?

Thanks for help

 

I have no idea who on earth would not condone the use of anti-sieze on wheel-studs; I have seen way many more problems from the lack of it, than from over-use of it.

I know one thing for certain, our lives at the tire-shop would be a lot easier if EVERYONE used plenty of anti-sieze.


We just love to get ahold of a set of those pot-metal lug-nuts on a set of those pot-metal wheels after someone has over-done the tightening with an air-wrench, no anti-sieze, stripped and crossed threads, and five years worth of salt and galvanic corrosion.

It is not at all unusual to have all the studs snap off.


Honestly, I am to the point that, if I had the final say (my 80-year-old control-freak father still runs the show), I would refuse to work on ALL non-steel wheels.

We lose what profit we make working on steel wheels in the time and expense lost when working with aluminum/pot-metal.

Everything about aluminum wheels is a hassle.

Valve-stems snap off soon after installation; nearly every day, we have someone WASH off a valve-stem at the coin-operated car-wash.

Actually, it is hilarious to witness some un-suspecting person when they whirl that long-handled foaming brush around the perimeter of their shiny aluminum wheel and KER-POWWWWW!!!!, there went a valve-stem.

For a few seconds, they stand there with this hang-dog look, then they fly into a frenzy, first trying to plug the hole with their finger; then, realizing that it might be days before they can turn loose, they abandon the finger idea, jump behind the wheel, and the tire is flat before they clear the wash-bay.

It takes a ton of specialty high-dollar wheel-weights to balance them.

There is one style of wheel-weight that works on ALL steel wheels from a tiny ten-incher, all the way up to a 17-inch steel wheel.

Not so with aluminum/pot-metal wheels, we have a whole wall covered with color-coded specially shaped wheel weights, plus a big thick application book, plus a color-coded rim-flange gauge and still many of the expensive wheel-weights fly off when they leave the parking lot; I pick up a hand-full every time I walk to the mail-box.


And lug-nuts, an encyclopedia would not have room to list all the varying styles and designs of specialty lug-nuts AND the almost as overwhelming number of specialty sockets and tools needed to service them.

 

Steel wheels of O.E.M. design are way better suited for heavy loads and towing than ANY style of aluminum wheel.

I have seen big powerful Cummins-powered goose-neck haulers actually torque the center out of aluminum wheels when launching on a hill/grade, such as having to come to a stop on a steep rise and wait for a light change.

These were guys who knew how to work a clutch; not some lunge/plunge punk kid.