Back in January I purchased a set of Wheel Components #5302 lug nuts to
use with my alloy rims. This last Tuesday I took the car in to have a slow
tire leak repaired and the tires rebalanced. As the tire jocky was
removing the lug nuts with the air ratchet I noticed small bits of "stuff"
flying out from the area of the lug nuts. Upon inspection of the "stuff" I
found that it was chrome plating coming from the nuts! On one of the nuts
the entire chrome plating on the flats came off in a single piece!
I called Wheel components and asked about the problem and was told that
they don't recommend using an air ratchet. I told the fellow on the phone
that I had looked at there site and found no reference to this. I
also looked at the socket on the air ratchet and found it to be almost
new, with no burrs or other damage. It was the type of socket that has round
"corners", allowing the socket to grip the flats, rather than the corners of
the nuts.
I am sending some of the damaged nuts back to Wheel components so they can
take a look.
If you use Wheel Components nuts, DO NOT use air to install them or take
them off! They don't seem to be able to take it. It may also be a
manufacturing defect, but why take the chance!
Peace,
Pat
- Support Habitat for Humanity, A "hand up", not a "hand out" -
Pat Horne, Network Manager, Shop Supervisor, Future planner
CS Dept, University of Texas, Austin, Tx. 78712 USA
voice (512)471-9730, fax (512)471-8885, horne@cs.utexas.edu
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