Blox Aluminum Lug Nuts

[advocate]

I got a set of these to go with my Rota Slipstreams and I have a couple questions. The wheels are lug centric if that's important at all.
http://www.evasivemotorsports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BXAC-AL7075&Category_Code=L1&Store_Code=EM

Took the car out for a quick drive after rotating the tires and the lug nuts got really really hot. I have never noticed this before but honestly have never really checked. This doesn't seem like the ideal part of the car to be getting incredibly hot...

Also, I was tightening them after rotating the tires and I was making them really tight. As I was tightening them they suddenly went loose for a second and made a weird screeching sort of noise. Mind you this is when all 4 lugs are on and already pretty tight.

I'm wondering if I tore one of the threads or multiple actually because more than one lug did this. I thought it had to be something to do with the lugs threading because they were already tightly on and as I was tightening just a bit more they got really loose for just a second as they screeched then became tight again.

So:
1) Are the lugs supposed to get really hot? Under hard braking? Both?
2) Did I break the threading on the lugs?

[YarisSedan]

Under heavy braking it is normal for heat to transfer from the brake rotor to hub to studs to lugnut since its all metal.

Ive done tire rotations at my shop and burnt my hand removing lugnuts on some cars that are factory steel wheels and lugnuts so i think its just something normal nothing to worry about

[advocate]

Thanks Jason!

What about the weird noise when tightening? I took em off one more time after and was careful not to tighten them as tight when putting back on and they didn't make any weird noises this time.

What's the torque requirement on our lugnuts again?

[Brian]

76 ft lbs.

[YarisSedan]

Yeah 76 ft pounds is spec for nearly all toyota cars. I just usually set my torque wrench to 80 though to be on the safe side if you have a cheap one cause usually they are off 2-3 flt pounds unless you get them calibrated every so often.

If you dont have a torque wrench sean i have one thats brand new you can have. Its a 3/8th one goes from 10-80. You can have it. Found it when cleaning up my garage.

[fmicle]

I guess the only way to see if you ruined the thread is to take the wheel off and have a look :)

Given that "you drive it like you stole it" and the non-steel wheels, proper torque is critical.

If you say the lug nuts are aluminum, maybe you're lucky and it's the thread on the nut that's ruined, not the one on the bolt. Cause the bolt must be much harder to replace than the nut, I would think...

[PHXDEMON]

76 ft lbs.

Oh shit I have been torquing mine on at 105 :laugh:

[PHXDEMON]

also if you are hearing the noise you described it means you are torquing them on way too hard.

[ozmdd]

Probably stripped a thread. Good news is that the stripped thread is almost certainly in the lug nut, not the stud, since aluminum is much softer than the hardened steel stud. I'd be VERY careful with torque on aluminum nuts.

[127.0.0.1]

Probably stripped a thread. Good news is that the stripped thread is almost certainly in the lug nut, not the stud, since aluminum is much softer than the hardened steel stud. I'd be VERY careful with torque on aluminum nuts.

I wouldn't dare use aluminum lug nuts. steel is real. aluminum is not strong enough for the job of daily driving.

would only use them at the track, and would put steel ones in before hitting the road

[cali yaris]

+1, I've seen the wear on aluminum, they are cool, but they don't last very long in my opinion.

And yes, torque your lug nuts, especially aluminum ones.

[advocate]

weird thing is that after hearing the noise on the lug nuts, I took them off fully and put them on again but not as tight.

The lug nuts still go on and off very smoothly. So I guess that means the thread isn't broken on them and they're still good to use?

Thanks for the torque specs Brian I'll be sure to remember that.

Jason your offer for the free torque wrench is very generous. I'll have to come by and grab it soon. I gotta get through school this week though first.

[advocate]

I think the cause of the screeching noise is me actually stripping them on the outside, not ruining the threading on the inside.

I just took everything off 10 minutes ago and re-torqued to specs. I borrowed a friend's torque wrench.

Lower shock bolt is now 36ft/lbs
Sway bar bolt is now 44ft/lbs
All 4 wheels are now 76ft/lbs

Thanks to everyone for the quick responses!

[MUSKOKA800]

76 lb/ft is the torque spec. for our 'steel' lug nuts. I dought aluminum should be as high. Check their manufactures spec's.
That cracking sound could be the threads shearing away from the lugs body. Yikes!

[ezhacker1]

man i could use a torque wrench then. Advocate, lucky you got the chance to install that sway, i havent had the time or the socket.

..maybe i didnt get a lug nut stolen, maybe it fell off..i should check my lugs more often.

[YarisSedan]

Harbor freight. You can get one for 15 bucks. Its in fremont so not too far from daly city its off of mowry. I dont know how accurate they are but even if they are off its still better than guessing by hand.

[ezhacker1]

i was looking at Kragen one for $35 micrometer 1/2 driver 30-150lb ill check out harborfreight

[YarisSedan]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=239

[lunjiaow]

I got the those blox wheel nuts in purple. You should always torque wrench them so you dont break or strip wheel studs/nuts. That screeching is from over tightening the wheel nuts, probably the sound of the seat of the rim and wheel nut.

[advocate]

What's a good torque setting for them? I torqued to Toyota specs 76ft/lbs but it seems to be a little high.

[advocate]

Just got off the phone with Blox.

Their drag racers use the same lug nuts and torque them to 100FT/LBS

They didn't say there really was a max... but 76 is certainly safely below 100. The guy on the phone said they recommend whatever your car's manufacturer recommends.

Just posting this for others in the future / for reference, the Blox lug nuts work great and look great and are very light weight. I definitely recommend them.