Lug Nuts Replacement $160?!
12-23-2015, 09:29 AM
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Sorry that I haven't updated.. crazy week here with the holidays. I had to have the truck bc I had my kids with me. I'm sure there was a way around it but at the time I was thinking whatever it took to be able to go.
When I picked up the truck, the service manager was already gone for the night. I will be going back up there to have a talk. I have the old lugs .. i found one that was destroyed but the rest appear fine. Some edges are messed up but definitely not to the point where it would have been a struggle to remove. I am assuming he tore 1 up and told the desk guys. I will add a pic when I can.
When I picked up the truck, the service manager was already gone for the night. I will be going back up there to have a talk. I have the old lugs .. i found one that was destroyed but the rest appear fine. Some edges are messed up but definitely not to the point where it would have been a struggle to remove. I am assuming he tore 1 up and told the desk guys. I will add a pic when I can.
12-23-2015, 09:48 AM
#24
Ford Accessories Manager
OK, you made me look again 
Supposedly water/salt gets between the nut and cover/cap and causes corrosion and for the cap to swell which makes them near impossible to remove.
The "cap", isn't that the chrome skin on the lugs? The corrosion is under the cap, causing it to swell, making nearly impossible to get off. - meaning, the tech can't get a socket on the lugs because the chrome skin is so mangled from poor fitting sockets. Not corrosion. They're hiding something.
This is total BS on the dealer's part.
OP: Borrow some lugs and go down and have them installed. If they won't let you, call the Sheriff - you're getting robbed! They're basically holding your truck hostage, which is illegal.
Supposedly water/salt gets between the nut and cover/cap and causes corrosion and for the cap to swell which makes them near impossible to remove.
The "cap", isn't that the chrome skin on the lugs? The corrosion is under the cap, causing it to swell, making nearly impossible to get off. - meaning, the tech can't get a socket on the lugs because the chrome skin is so mangled from poor fitting sockets. Not corrosion. They're hiding something.
This is total BS on the dealer's part.
OP: Borrow some lugs and go down and have them installed. If they won't let you, call the Sheriff - you're getting robbed! They're basically holding your truck hostage, which is illegal.
It's very common for us needing to replace entire sets of lug nuts at a time. And yes, the set of OEM lug nuts for F150's total $215.28 in Canada.
We keep boxes upon boxes of them in stock for all Ford vehicles, not just F150's. We also keep aftermarket ones in stock, giving customers a less expensive alternative, if they choose. We do, however, find that the aftermarket ones, although they don't swell, they do get rusty and tarnished looking quicker than the OEM ones.
If you try to re-use a swollen lug nut, it will significantly increase labour time every time you change a set of wheels. You also run the risk of not being able to torque them properly.
Last edited by ExpresswayFord; 12-23-2015 at 09:58 AM.
12-23-2015, 01:29 PM
#25
Sorry that I haven't updated.. crazy week here with the holidays. I had to have the truck bc I had my kids with me. I'm sure there was a way around it but at the time I was thinking whatever it took to be able to go.
When I picked up the truck, the service manager was already gone for the night. I will be going back up there to have a talk. I have the old lugs .. i found one that was destroyed but the rest appear fine. Some edges are messed up but definitely not to the point where it would have been a struggle to remove. I am assuming he tore 1 up and told the desk guys. I will add a pic when I can.
When I picked up the truck, the service manager was already gone for the night. I will be going back up there to have a talk. I have the old lugs .. i found one that was destroyed but the rest appear fine. Some edges are messed up but definitely not to the point where it would have been a struggle to remove. I am assuming he tore 1 up and told the desk guys. I will add a pic when I can.
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STingray1300 (12-25-2015)
12-23-2015, 09:13 PM
#26
I had one replaced on my 2011 Platinum for $12. I knew that one was iffy from when I did my brakes.
I was surprised they still use these crappy capped nuts. I had lots of problems with them on 80's GM cars. They get rusty under the cap and the cap cracks or rounds off or both.
I hate them.
I was surprised they still use these crappy capped nuts. I had lots of problems with them on 80's GM cars. They get rusty under the cap and the cap cracks or rounds off or both.
I hate them.
12-24-2015, 12:26 AM
#28
Senior Member
This ^^
I just had a bunch of OEM ones split on me, couldn't find the right price around here. Amazon.ca, I got 6 packs of 4 chrome solid piece lug nuts for 42$ shipped 2 days. They seem to be a great product so far and they fit perfectly. Torqued them, checked a few days later and not one loose. I would recommend everyone switch to solid ones, not capped.
I just had a bunch of OEM ones split on me, couldn't find the right price around here. Amazon.ca, I got 6 packs of 4 chrome solid piece lug nuts for 42$ shipped 2 days. They seem to be a great product so far and they fit perfectly. Torqued them, checked a few days later and not one loose. I would recommend everyone switch to solid ones, not capped.
12-25-2015, 10:54 AM
#30
Senior Member
This is NOT total bs. We see it often enough up here in the snow belt of the Great White North, at Expressway Ford. The salt they use on the roads corrodes everything, and moisture does get in behind the chrome cover of the lug nuts, causing them to swell and get stuck in sockets.
It's very common for us needing to replace entire sets of lug nuts at a time. And yes, the set of OEM lug nuts for F150's total $215.28 in Canada.
We keep boxes upon boxes of them in stock for all Ford vehicles, not just F150's. We also keep aftermarket ones in stock, giving customers a less expensive alternative, if they choose. We do, however, find that the aftermarket ones, although they don't swell, they do get rusty and tarnished looking quicker than the OEM ones.
If you try to re-use a swollen lug nut, it will significantly increase labour time every time you change a set of wheels. You also run the risk of not being able to torque them properly.
It's very common for us needing to replace entire sets of lug nuts at a time. And yes, the set of OEM lug nuts for F150's total $215.28 in Canada.
We keep boxes upon boxes of them in stock for all Ford vehicles, not just F150's. We also keep aftermarket ones in stock, giving customers a less expensive alternative, if they choose. We do, however, find that the aftermarket ones, although they don't swell, they do get rusty and tarnished looking quicker than the OEM ones.
If you try to re-use a swollen lug nut, it will significantly increase labour time every time you change a set of wheels. You also run the risk of not being able to torque them properly.
this right here is a perfect example of dealership robbery, I worked in a tire shop for over 10 years, and we saw so many of the GM nuts coming in all swelled, some missing the chrome cap completely. there is no way in hell a full set should ever need be replaced, you can switch between SAE and Metric sockets 90% of the time to remove the nuts, option 2, gently hammer a socket on the nut, tap the socket on the floor and the nut will come out.
best route for these capped nuts, flat screwdriver and a pair of pliers.. peal the caps off with very little effort once they have started to swell from corrosion... with caps off, they will require a 1 or 2 mm smaller socket.
most nuts are 3/4 or 19mm, or 13/16 or 21mm, peel the caps and use a 17-18mm or the 19-20mm. SAE sockets don't fit properly after peeling the caps.
Last edited by morehousej; 12-25-2015 at 11:06 AM.
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1oldtimer (12-28-2015)