Mangled Lug Nut Seats

So I recently noticed that my lug nuts on my Tacoma are not looking too hot. As you can see from the pictures, the seats of some of the lugs are completely mangled. They still hold my rims on just fine, but I am wondering if the slight difference in hub diameter and wheel "hub hole" (not sure what to call it) is causing my lugs to take all of the weight therefore trashing the seats.

I tried to get my calipers on the inside of my rim to measure the diameter, but they extend too far preventing me from being able to measure it. The wheel studs also get in the way of me being able to measure the hub diameter.

My best guess is that I need hub centric rings to relieve the weight off of the lug nuts. What do y'all think?


The below image is with my truck lifted in the air with the wheel just sitting on the lugs with the nuts just loosely holding it on. You can see the gap between the wheel and hub.

 

I’d say you have the wrong lugs for the wheels, but don’t know for sure.

 

Yea im not sure. These are the wheels that came with the truck when I bought it.
Orielly's and other auto parts stores have a multitude of different lug nut options when you ask for a replacement lug nut.
Im not too familiar with my different types of lug nuts to know any better....

 

I feel like that’s the problem, but I don’t really know either.

Someone with more knowledge will chime in anytime.

 

Those lug nuts are stock hub-centric that come on our trucks. Commonly referred to as a mag or flat seat. Take a close look at the holes in the wheels you have and if you see a beveled edge or taper, you'll need to get the according lug nuts. From the looks of it, the stock lug nuts are just torqued down to seat the wheels to the point that the outer cap was distorted to match the taper in the wheel. The wheels you have (assuming they're aftermarket) will usually require a tapered or ball lug nut. See the example below.

 

Gotcha. The lug nuts installed currently are acorn style nuts. I will take a closer look at the seats on the wheels tomorrow to try and determine if they require a different lug nut that what is currently on there.
Its strange though that the current lug nuts have those washer-like things on them that you cannot take off. They just spin around and do not make contact with any part of the wheel or hub. Kind of like what is pictured in the middle of the image you attached.

 

Those aren't acorn lug nuts. They have been torqued into submission to the point where they became acorns. More than likely you actually do need acorn lug nuts though. The washer means that they are mag seats. The sleeve of the lug nuts below the washer is meant to be inserted unto the wheel until the washer bottoms out on the wheel face. The washer is meant to protect the wheel from damage of the lug nut socket. The fact that the lug nut will not insert into the wheel, thus not allowing the washer to make contact with the wheel surface means you have the wrong lug nuts for the wheels you have.

 

Looking carefully at the first picture you posted it looks like you have two different types of lug nuts- open ended and OEM style. I'm willing to bet that those "open ended" lug nuts are actually OEM style lug nuts but the chrome cover has come off over the years. The cover or cap is notorious for separating from the nut itself especially on older truck or when an overzealous tech gives it too many ugga-duggas.

 

Funny you say that.... The lug nuts with the open ends had caps that came right off when I blasted them with my new impact .
All this talk has got me thinking, and i actually have different sized rear lug nuts. So those nuts could actually be the correct style for my wheel rather than the "OEM" style ones in the front. I will check tomorrow and hopefully that is the answer I need.

 

The washer is a dead giveaway. You need acorn lugs.

 

the 6-bolt Toyota wheels are "hub-centric" and the lugs keep the wheels tight to the hub.

the default "mag" or "washer" style lug nuts are acorn on the bottom to facilitate the use of the steel spare wheel if you get a flat.

they are not, however, intended to be a long term use as you found out due to them being softer

 

That makes sense.
Whatever previous owner of it I guess decided not to buy the appropriate lug nuts for the front wheels.

Just in general, would you deem a thinner steel rim such as mine as less strong as an OEM rim?

Also, did Tacomas from the factory come with thin steel spare wheels? I don't have one so I wouldn't know.

 

steel is "stronger" than alloy generally, but heavier. yes, all spare wheels were steel.

 

Gotcha. One of these days ill get a nice set of scs wheels.

 

Tacomas with manual hubs are actually lug centric. I do agree about the lug nuts being incorrect, though.

 

I knew the one version of the tri-star wheels used acorn lugs vs mag too, maybe it correlates

but doesn't the manual hubs still have to "hub" ring in the center?

 

That would explain the gap I have between the wheel and manual hub.
How does that incorporate into an aftermarket wheel such as mine?
Imo a hub centric rim would be better than a lug centric application, but would it be possible to make a lug centric tacoma into hub centric?

 

Most aftermarket wheels are lug centric (due to large hub bore for universal fit) and use acorn lug nuts without issue.

If you wanted hub centric you would have to swap to ADD drive flanges, which really doesn't net you any benefit.

The correct lug nuts are not expensive https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...ogle-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-gorilla-automotive

 

they do not. The face of the spindle is flat and the manual hub bodies themselves clear the wheel bore on the hub centric Toyota wheels I am running on my truck

 

Do you know if the lugs you linked me to are the correct threading and pitch?

EDIT: nevermind, my rear lugs have the thread and pitch stamped on them and they are the same.