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smr2112

Replacing my Stock Lug Nuts - Need help

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So on my 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium - specifically with the stock TItanium/Hybrid wheels....

 

I decided I should check the lug torque and/or test my wrench and socket to see if I could get

the lug nuts off or tighten them. Well it is very hard on that car, with what I have anyway, to

move those lug nuts (I used a 17mm socket and have a 13/16" one too). Didn't have to apply

too much force to get them to strip just a bit. So ouch....

 

Could not do much, and the lugs rounded a bit before I quit so I hopefully did not do too much

damage. I plan to order a full set of McGard chrome lugs (much better quality) and get

the dealer to replace them all. I have the Ford wheel locks on there already. I believe the

McGard part is 64012.

 

Can somebody tell me the correct size of the lugs? I found McGard M12 x 1.5", but the spare

lugs I measured seemed more like 1.25". The wheel lock specs say 1.50" and seem a bit

longer than the lugs. I think this may be partially why I had a hard time removing the existing

ones. Nut sure why I can't get a socket fully onto the lug. Works fine on the spare lugs off

the car. So I stripped them....

 

Size 1.5" will protrude just a bit like the wheel locks do now, but maybe this is good as it will

be easier to get off.

 

Open to other brands if anybody has experience.

 

 

Any suggestions /experience to remedy this? The stock lugs are close to flush with the rim.

 

Rim is pretty much this one here: http://bit.ly/1KWwYqP

 

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I put McGard lug nuts on my 2013 Fusion Energi.

The 64012 (M12 x 1.5) is what I used.

They are much better than the crappy aluminum capped lug nuts that came with the car.

I have no problem using my torque wrench with them.

 

 

post-11380-0-40797300-1433967071_thumb.jpg

 

Edited by murphy

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I just took a look and tried the "see if this fits your car" thing and it tells me these don't fit a '15 Fusion. Is it lying to me? <hopes so>

That is odd, the Ford Accessory website lists the 2015 FFH wheel lock nuts as compatible for all 2013-2016.

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I put McGard lug nuts on my 2013 Fusion Energi.

The 64012 (M12 x 1.5) is what I used.

They are much better than the crappy aluminum capped lug nuts that came with the car.

I have no problem using my torque wrench with them.

 

What are you torquing them to? I've had no problems with the stock lugs, but I'm not sure of the recommended spec.

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And can anybody tell me why my high quality 19mm lug socket will not go

on the lug nuts while on the car? This should be the right size. The 21mm

fits and so does a 13/16" lug socket, but they are a bit too loose for me and

I won't turn them afraid I'll strip the lugs more than I already did.

 

19mm should be the right size, right?

 

This is what I have:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Pneumatic-SS413WP-Metric-ProtectorImpact/dp/B001JJBN4I

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The torque spec is 100 lb-ft.

 

19 mm is the correct size.

Impact sockets are usually thicker walled.

 

I use this one from Sears.

 

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-19mm-easy-to-read-socket-6-pt/p-00945931000P?prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7

 

I don't use an impact wrench.

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19mm should be the right size, right?

 

Yes, I use the 19mm each time - I guess the casing of the socket you're using is too "high quality" and thus too thick? I have had the same set of craftsman sockets for many years and fits OK.

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What are you torquing them to? I've had no problems with the stock lugs, but I'm not sure of the recommended spec.

100 lb-ft.

 

The problem with the OEM lugs is that if the socket isn't completely seated (with a rubber mallet) it will distort the decorative aluminum cap.

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Yep, thanks. That is what I figured. My high quality socket does not seem very thick

and it fits the lug off the car, but I could not see where it was hitting the rim as I

put it on the car. So I need to go off to Sears and try the one you show.

 

Don't want to use the multi point socket from my regular Craftsman set either,

don't want to use anything other than the 6pt socket. Thanks.

 

I should be able to swap out the lugs myself if I have the right tool.

I could not seat my socket with a rubber mallet, that wasn't right either.

 

 

Yes, I use the 19mm each time - I guess the casing of the socket you're using is too "high quality" and thus too thick? I have had the same set of craftsman sockets for many years and fits OK.

Edited by smr2112

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Good idea to wrap some tape around the outside of socket. This way you won't scratch the wheel in case the socket slips.

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I have the Ford wheel locks on there already. I believe the McGard part is 64012.

 

Can somebody tell me the correct size of the lugs? I found McGard M12 x 1.5", but the spare

lugs I measured seemed more like 1.25". The wheel lock specs say 1.50" and seem a bit

longer than the lugs. I think this may be partially why I had a hard time removing the existing ones.

 

Size 1.5" will protrude just a bit like the wheel locks do now, but maybe this is good as it will

be easier to get off.

Just thought I might be able to clear up a little confusion here. With metric sizes like this, the second number is the thread pitch, not the length. So these nuts are 12mm (or M12) major diameter with a thread every 1.5mm expressed as M12 x 1.5. A length is usually only specified in the size for bolts, screws and studs such as M12 x 1.5 x 30(mm). The stud that these nuts screw onto would be expressed that way. M12s actually come in 3 different pitches: 1.25 very fine thread, 1.5 fine thread, and 1.75 course thread. Our lugs are 1.5 fine thread.

 

If you are familiar with the American Standard, this is akin to (for example) a bolt size of 1/4-20 x 2 which has a major diameter of 1/4" and 20 threads per inch with a length of 2". The nut size would be 1/4-20.

 

The "length" of any nut would have to be in the physical description because it is not part of the size. Hope that helps.

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And here is a update on my bizarre lug nuts...

 

Many of you many know this, but this is all recent news to me...

 

So the stock lug nuts are actually aluminum caps over an actual nut.

The dealer may have a special socket or they come off easily with an

impact wrench, but us mere mortals cannot easily remove them. Hence

I mangled a bunch. This was something totally new to me and now I see

people talking about them, but had no idea what they were specifically until

I saw a YouTube video on how to cut them off (which I did not do).

 

I bought 4 sets of McGard lug nuts, visiting the dealer for misc. things on

Friday and will have them removed. McGard nuts come off with my standard

socket - no issues (I managed to get one of the capped nuts off). Why I did

not do this a while back I don't know...

 

Good thing, because if I ever got a flat, all the work to get the spare built

would be useless as I'd have no way to remove those stupid capped nuts.

 

Duh.... :rant2: 2 years of owning the car and I am still figuring it out....

 

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An update - Boy I felt stupid last week when I realize what was really going on. I know this has been said,

but the stock lug nuts are just caps - others have said this, but I did not fully realize it. The caps

can easily be mangled up and sit on a nut that is holding the wheel on.

 

Whatever you want to call it, no stock socket or lug wrench - at least that I own - could get it off,

it just mangled up the lug nut no matter what I did. Got very frustrated. So bought 4 sets of

McGards and had them put on by dealer who did not charge me. Even they had to work to get

the mangled nuts off, but did not have to drill any off the car at least. Any they look good too.

 

So now I can do something incredible - I can change a flat tire myself! All that work to get the

spare tire that has been talked about here and I could not even get the tire off the car if needed.

Of course the McGard nuts are standard and come off easily and I could check with my

torque wrench too. Should have done that months ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This discussion about the stock lug nuts has me concerned since I also equipped my FFH with a spare tire kit from a wrecked 2013 gas Fusion. I have not removed a wheel and installed the spare tire as I assumed (perhaps naively) that it would be similar and problem free like other spare tires that I have installed.

 

Am I going to have problems using the lug wrench supplied with the Ford spare tire kit? I have had my dealer rotate my tires twice now and they did not appear to have any problems with the stock lug nuts. Do they have special equipment that they use for removing and installing these lug nuts?

 

I don't want to have to replace all of the stock lug nuts but if that is necessary to in order to successfully install my spare tire, then I will look into it. Is everyone else replacing their stock lug nuts?

Edited by Texasota

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Very few people on this Forum have reported changing their OEM lugnuts. I brought this up last year when a couple of mine got bent after having my tires changed.

Once a Ford lugnut gets bent the problems can begin.

 

Perhaps any of us that went to the effort to buy a spare tire, jack and lug wrench ought to do a dry run under optimal conditions in the garage.

No sense waiting for the flat tire before finding out if your equipment will work.

 

BTW, look here for Jack placement, etc.

 

pit-crew-1_zpscwrz4ktu.gif

Edited by GrySql

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This will explain if you weren't aware.

 

Video for how to remove capped lug nuts▶ 4:43

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HofplQ-VJk

 

Apr 5, 2014 - Uploaded by YouBulkit

I decided to film this video after I had problems removing the lug nuts from my ... How to remove ...

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The socket must be fully seated on the lug nut. If it's not you will twist the aluminum cap. A rubber mallet is handy for ensuring the socket is all of the way on.

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Very few people on this Forum have reported changing their OEM lugnuts. I brought this up last year when a couple of mine got bent after having my tires changed.

Once a Ford lugnut gets bent the problems can begin.

 

Perhaps any of us that went to the effort to buy a spare tire, jack and lug wrench ought to do a dry run under optimal conditions in the garage.

No sense waiting for the flat tire before finding out if your equipment will work.

 

BTW, look here for Jack placement, etc.

 

pit-crew-1_zpscwrz4ktu.gif

Been there, done that!

 

image-26.jpg

Edited by gkinla

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Perhaps any of us that went to the effort to buy a spare tire, jack and lug wrench ought to do a dry run under optimal conditions in the garage.

No sense waiting for the flat tire before finding out if your equipment will work.

I was thinking the same thing and I'm going to add to my "to do " list.

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And this is what my mangled lug nut looked like once I got it back from the dealer

after putting on the new ones.

 

I tried to use a rubber mallet to bang on the socket, but it was not simple and I did

get just one off before I decided not to ruin any more. I mangled a few slightly. The

dealer obviously had to hack this one off.

 

I am really curious to know what some others who have not yet touched their lugs

find out when they do a simple "fit" test of their socket/wrench. Please, tell me I'm crazy...

 

My mangled Lug

 

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And this is what my mangled lug nut looked like once I got it back from the dealer

after putting on the new ones.

So what causes this? Discount Tire has rotated tires twice on our Energi and the lug nuts look like they've never had a wrench touch them...

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