Crazy lug nut question and situation...

[The Car Stereo Company]

It's not chrome- it's a stainless steel shell over a steel core. They do it so your lug nuts don't rust on the outside.

If they were chrome plated steel, eventually the chrome gets damaged and the steel underneath rusts and runs down onto your wheels. If the lug nut was all stainless- it'd gall the threads.

I also maintain they do NOT "swell" but are progressively damaged by people using the wrong sized sockets. I have used stock Ford lugs for decades and nearly a million miles of driving on a dozen vehicles in crap salt belt weather, with no "swelling" issues whatsoever. You have to use a tight fitting socket every single time.

stainless. got it. i didnt know what it was. however i have to disagree with you on the swelling. they definitely swell and you cant get them off. they expand when theres excessive heat for too long. it happened to every lug on my truck. i used to test tires for a tire manufacturer and the constant abuse i put on the brakes and rotors generated an obscene amount heat and it caused all my lugs to swell and socket not to fit in one set of tires. one day the socket fit and 3 days later every lug needed a hammer to get off.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

I have Discount Tire rotate mine. Then I come home and check that my lug wrench fits on all of the nuts. When there's a problem, I'll address it. Until then, I'm not wasting my money.

The idea of the forum is to convince you to spend money, not to sit at home and stare at it.

 

[andreb]

The other problem with these capped or sleeved OEM lug nuts is the cover can easily deform when using a short socket. My truck has only been serviced at dealers and my OEM nuts won't easily take a deep socket anymore. I suspect its from those special torque limited socket bars (torque sticks) all the shops use. A torque wrench takes too much time so you can use these on a rattle gun and get the wheels back on quick. I personally hate them but we even used them at the small independent shop I worked at for all the OEM nuts. Most of these are not a deep socket design which would be a better IMO at least for Raptor lug nuts.

They look like this: https://www.tooloutfitters.com/4pc-torque-stick-set/

There are extension bars that do the same thing but it seems like they are less popular beacuse now you have two tools to keep track of (ext. bar + socket) and after repeated hard use all the detents and square drives get wore out and sloppy so the socket falls/comes off easily which is a pain when you're on the clock.

 

[JohnyPython]

The idea of the forum is to convince you to spend money, not to sit at home and stare at it.
View attachment 329128

Money is like manure - you can pile it up but more effective when you spread it around.

 

[Black_Valkyrie]

Amazon $h1t the bed and blew the delivery on the gorilla lugs. Still waiting.

 

[cbiz]

So took the raptor in last week to get tpms sensors changed. They replaced 3 of 4. Fast forward had been hearing a crunching noise... thought might be a wheel bearing or u joint. Book it in to the shop. Driving on the interstate today steering wheel starts shaking violently. Pull over on the shoulder. Drivers front wheel is loose! One lug nut snapped off. Other 5 backed out ready to let go. I tighten them back up as best I can but tire iron stock doesn't seem to fit lugs very well. I limp back to tire shop. They are super sorry. Replace 4 of 5 lugs to be safe. Locker is good still .

Not that I am questioning their work but I am so I get home, pull out torque wrench and find that I can't fit a 21 mm on the lugs. Barely fits even if I beat it on with a rubber mallet. 22mm is too loose. Is there a special lug socket I need? Though these were 21mm but they clearly are not and also not 22.

The lug nuts are swelling due to the outer finish separating from the steel part that's threaded. My 2018 did the same thing. If not in warranty, Ford says to go kick rocks. It's a real PITA!

 

[mprice1234]

stainless. got it. i didnt know what it was. however i have to disagree with you on the swelling. they definitely swell and you cant get them off. they expand when theres excessive heat for too long. it happened to every lug on my truck. i used to test tires for a tire manufacturer and the constant abuse i put on the brakes and rotors generated an obscene amount heat and it caused all my lugs to swell and socket not to fit in one set of tires. one day the socket fit and 3 days later every lug needed a hammer to get off.

It's a fact of nature when you get hot your nuts swell!