2006 Tacoma Pre Runner wheels and lugnuts WTF?

I wasted my weekend trying to put the snow tires on my pickup. I bought used rims and had the tires mounted to them, figuring it would be cheaper and more convenient to do the seasonal swap myself, rather than have the garage do it. So far, it has been neither.

my first learning moment was when my lug wrench wouldn't fit. I guessed it was just dirt causing interference, so I used a 21mm impact socket. Might as well use the impact wrench, como no? Nope.

This was my first experience with cosmetically enhanced lug nuts. A soft metal cap on the torque bearing surface....WTF? Who does that? I got 4 of them off, but they are no longer cosmetic. The remaining 2 stuck and rounded and then my socket split in half.

I borrowed the wife's car and drove into town. I had to visit three shops to find a replacement socket and enough lugs to do 3 of the four wheels. I didn't want the OEM nuts made out of cheese, so I ponied up $80 for 18 solid steel fancy nuts. the remaining 6 are on order. They are longer; the wrench bearing surface above the washer is twice as deep.

I had to buy a set of sockets to replace the broken one, so when I got home, used the 22mm socket to remove the two stuck nuts, using a breaker bar and some TLC instead of the impact wrench.

Then I discovered my jack was a 1/2" too short at full extension to get the snow tires in place.
I dug out my old floor jack and some scraps of wood and was able to get the job done.

I got the right rear wheel changes and the fancy new lug nuts snugged down before I noticed the problem. The used steel rims won't properly seat the lug nuts. The taper fits, but on the OEM wheels, the holes are bigger and the washers seat against the wheel. Do I need different lug nuts? Will enough threads be engaged to safely use these wheels?

 

Welcome to TW.
You need the conical seat acorn lug nuts for that type of wheel. Something like this:

On a side note, I had luck getting locking lug nuts off with those emergency lug nut removal socket from AZ.

 

What truck are your winter wheels off of?

 

You got the wrong nuts methinks

 

I bought them from a garage who ordered them from two salvage yards for a 2006 Toyota Tacoma. All four are steel, all four are the same even though they came from different salvage yards. The rim size, offset and lug pattern are correct. They are similar to my spare, but slightly different cosmetic cut out design.

 

Welcome to tacomaworld by the way!

 

Your newly ordered and original lug nuts, often called mag lugnuts, are correct for your OEM aluminum wheels! Save the ones your ordered for when you put them back on.

As Wattapunk stated, the steel wheels use a different lug (acorn)

FYI
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/...cNiACOfW7CCN6KPzYWE9UOqpIftEIeC0aAp2DEALw_wcB

 

No mention of Torque Wrench?
How many ugga duggas is correct impact torque?
Hint
If you need a breaker bar to remove lug nuts too many ugga duggas were used last time and stretched the lugs.

 

The aluminum wheel lug nuts are designed to work OK with a steel spare wheel and not fall off, but as mentioned, get the proper tapered seat lug nuts.

Always use a 6 point socket and if you’re going to use an impact wrench, only use it to barely snug the lugs up. Then tighten by hand. Yes, the stainless hat style lugs are a cheeseball design. They get beat up from people using an impact wrench on them. If you use an impact wrench on your new lug nuts, it will chip the chrome, look bad, and slice your fingers.

 

I would highly recommend changing the lugs after that. I get it it's a pain. Unfortunately family circumstances in my life makes torque wrenches especially valuable for me.
Not saying they are gonna fall off, but it's gonna feel cross threaded if the studs are stretched.

 

Yes, those are just fine, if ugly.

The OEM lug nut is tapered to go with a steel wheel.

 

Thanks. Well, the new nuts spun on without resistance, if that is any indication. I do have a torque wrench and don't intend to reinstall with the impact driver, as I want to be able to change a flat roadside if need be.

 

Your probably fine then