green george Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I was checking the car over this afternoon in prepartion for a track day on 18th May.I found that two of the wheel nuts on the n/s/r wheel had stripped their threads and were loose! I subsequently found a third on the o/s/r wheel which had also stripped it's thread! Pays to check these things!However, I now need new wheel nuts to replace the damaged ones and will change all 16 for safety sake.Can anyone help me with what spec nuts I need please?I have a 1999 1.6 K Series Superlight with an imperial chassis and 13" 6j Athracites all round. The current wheel nuts are a 19mm hex and on the end of each nut it reads 12 and 1.5 which I take means the internal thread is M12x1.5mm(?)Naturally having had a look at Caterham Parts I am now confused as the nut I have appears similar to what they describe as "Wheelnut - Bulged Type - Ital Steel Wheels" (SKU77352B) http://caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=1325 . The one I would have thought would be suitable does not have the same cone seat as my existing nuts described as "Wheelnut - Stainless Steel - Metric) (SKU30W008A) http://caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=1346 . Update (Thanks to Grubbster): The stainless steel wheel nut fits with "Wheelnut Washer - Stainless Steel - Metric" (SKU30W009A) http://caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=1347 - However Caterham is out of stock....Do you know of an alternative source? I need a set by next weekend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The second link is what you need but also a set of cone washer type things that go on them - in effect it's a 2-part wheel nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Thanks grubbster just seen that but unfortunately the cone washer is out of stock.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The other type might do (they look like the ones I replaced on my 2003 car) but it doesn't say what thread they are, they might be the same, but the stainless ones look so much nicer :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 I like the idea of stainless steel as it is obviously much stronger than aluminum. Having looked on Ebay M19 M12x15 60 degree wheel nuts are very common but I am not sure is they are strong enough. Will try Caterham in the morning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I have a full set spare of the stainless nuts and washers, they are used but all perfectly serviceable, and I am going to that track day on the 18th, assuming it's a Bedford ;-). I could send them to you, or if you are on a trailer just wait until the day. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 ChrisC I will have them! BM me your price and postage and I will make payament by PayPal (as a gift so no fees for you) immediately.Bloody brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Why are you guys going to Bedford instead of the Cadwell club day?! Only kidding. I love Bedford and I prefer the newly modified layout on the West circuit. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 138 miles each way versus 48 each way! However, I would love to do a club day. Are there any in the South East? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I know. I'm not really looking forward to trailering to Lincolnshire and back, so hoping an awesome club day will make it fully worthwhile.There's a club day at Brands GP in July:http://www.lotus7.club/forum/club-track-days/club-2015-track-days-confirmed-datesA rare chance to drive the ludicrously expensive GP layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 I would love to do the GP Circuit but £300 is too rich for me at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 All sorted thanks to the community spirit and generosity of ChrisC. I really appreciate what you did Chris, many thanks.George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Your welcome :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Are your studs long enough to engage properly. My car had 32mm long studs which only engaged 3-4 threads in the nuts, which was not safe. Swapped studs to 40mm ones. Much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 I think the stud length is fine. It was when I went to check the torque I found two of the nuts were apparently loose. Upon closer examination I found that the threads of these nuts had stripped; and therefore would not engage the stud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_K Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'd try to check the stud thread for distortion before relying on new nuts. Access might be difficult but if you can get close enough with an eyeglass, look for the thread profile being 'skewed' towards the stud end.Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted May 11, 2015 Area Representative Share Posted May 11, 2015 Green George,You said "I like the idea of stainless steel as it is obviously much stronger than aluminum".Are your existing wheel nuts Aluminum?If so, It's less of a surprise that the threads have stripped, and there is much less likelihood that the studs have sustained any damage.Aluminum nuts may be light, but they're certainly not durable, and would need to be treated with the utmost care. I really don't think the risk of failure outweighs the weight saving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 It's a good thing that you checked the wheel fixings with some time to spare to correct the issues. It's not much fun having a wheel detach itself at speed; I had a stub axle snap in a straight line at nearly 100mph. Not cool.I think I've got a bunch of spare 32-mm-long studs knocking around somewhere if some of yours have been shredded. Have you spoken to whoever may be responsible for this quite dangerous problem? I can imagine an impact gun banging up the wheel nuts rather than doing them up mostly by hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Hi Richard in answer to your question the original nuts appare to be chromed steel. Hi Steve K, I have examined the threads on the studs and they appeared fine and the new (to me) stainless nus fitted perfectedly. All torqued up to 58 lbft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green george Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Hi Mankee thanks for the offer of new studs but I will take a raincheck as the original ones appear to be fine.I have thought about contacting the garage but really cannot see the point as I cannot prove that it was like that when it left the garage; I suspect that all it would do would create a break down in trust. The garage in question is very experienced and I am aware that they used another company to do some work, so who is to say it didn't happen there. The crux is, I suspect the work wasn't quailty assured. I will prbably just take my car elsewhere in future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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