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Posted by: ahdoman Nov 17 2009, 03:53 PM

Is it OK to use aluminum lug nuts on a steel wheel?

Posted by: underthetire Nov 17 2009, 05:17 PM

I'd never use aluminum on a street car ever. Ball seat or taper seat?

Posted by: pcar916 Nov 17 2009, 05:49 PM

I've always used steel nuts on aluminum wheels because you can't race with the aluminum ones and the studs are too long on one set of wheels because of the offset. Never had a problem with corrosion, but I always lightly grease the tapered shoulders. For that matter, the studs are steel anyway, into an aluminum hub in the front.

The question is, what's the taper angle of your wheels and how much of the shoulder will be in contact with them? It has to match the lug nut shoulder angle and if the nuts are aluminum, make sure you have lots of contact across the faces.

Some steel wheels have really skinny shoulders for the nuts to contact. If yours are those I'd consider the steel nuts regardless.

Good luck

Posted by: jcd914 Nov 17 2009, 06:36 PM

I would not use aluminum lug nuts on steel wheels. I might consider it if the wheel and nut had large contact surfaces that matched each other.

Porsche has been using aluminum lug nuts on aluminum wheels on street cars for a few decades now. I think they started with 911's in 1964 but maybe some 356's had them. They had a service bulletin instructing the use of anti seize on the lug nuts because there were too many nuts sticking to the wheel, making removing them quite difficult. Clean bare aluminum nut hammered in place with an impact gun tended to weld them selves to the wheels.

Jim

Posted by: ME733 Nov 18 2009, 09:27 AM

Porsche also made TITANIUM lug nuts. In my opinion,... that for steel wheels you use STEEL lug NUTS, anti sieze the studs or bolt threads..... Obviously STEEL lug nuts are stronger. obviously STEEL lug nuts will not expand or contract as much as titanium or aluminum. Obviously STEEL lug nuts will take hammering with an impact wrench much better....and NO LUG NUTS ...furnished as O.E.M. parts for the 914 were titanium or aluminum..Obviously the 914 (excpt 914-6 ) HAS ONLY FOUR BOLTS to attach the wheels ..Use STEEL LUG NUTS.., or STEEL BOLTS. For other Porsche cars aluminium lug nuts may have been furnished, with an ALUMINIUM wheels whereby the aluminum wheel and nut might expand and contract together.(this is an assumption on my part)... On the 356 porsche all O.E.M. lug nuts were STEEL.....for your consideration.

Posted by: SLITS Nov 18 2009, 11:22 AM

I am assuming this is on the /6 conversion. Use the open ended steel lug nuts with steel wheels.

Posted by: 9146986 Nov 18 2009, 11:41 AM

Steel on steel and aluminum on aluminum, except on track cars like Marty said.

Posted by: 6freak Nov 18 2009, 11:44 AM

QUOTE(ahdoman @ Nov 17 2009, 01:53 PM)

Posted by: andys Nov 18 2009, 01:34 PM

Steve,

Steel on steel. BTW, these guys have everything......
https://www.ezaccessory.com/
Does your wheel require 60 degree cone? Here's the link:
http://www.ezaccessory.com/Open_End_Acorn_Lug_Nut_14x1_5_Short_p/1509.htm

Andys