Groan: One More Replacement: Lug Nuts

[m.hony]

I went the $19.95 route for 24 lug nuts from Amazon-
No rust so far-


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[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by Rgentum

While I acknowledge that I chose to upgrade & that the trailer worked without any of the upgrades, I respectfully suggest that the inherent quality of the items that I chose to upgrade etc. were, in my opinion, below the quality of usual AS components & should not have been included in a 28 ft trailer with a MSRP of approximately $90,000. Furthermore, there is overwhelming evidence presented in posts in this Forum that both the Marathon tires and flooded batteries are problematic & less than ideal, and that if AGM batteries are installed, a three-stage charger is needed. For $90,000, I would have expected the manufacturer to have ironed out & omitted components known to be problems. My false assumption!

We just have different perspectives. I've made upgrades to my AS too, but I'd bet the overwhelming majority of AS owners are happy with the way the are equipped from the factory and never see the need to change a thing. Airforums is a microcosm of the AS world, where you're more likely to encounter folks who tweak and upgrade. But even out of these, most probably don't.

[kscherzi]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I went the $19.95 route for 24 lug nuts from Amazon-
No rust so far-


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Ditto

[sb55]

I feel the op's pain.
This just happened to me today!!
I got Centramatics last fall and went to put them on. Note that my trailer is 2004 and I bought it used and I had a tire shop change the tires to LT tires last fall.
So I got out my trusty tool box and started to loosen the nuts. They felt strange in the socket. The "corners" are slightly rounded. I too discovered this is due to the chrome cover over the actual nut. A 3/4 socket was a little tight so I ended up using a 19 millimeter. It worked ok, until I got to one lug at 13/16. Then another lug a little smaller that I totally mangled. After much struggling, I finally got them all off and ruined 2 of them. I had to hammer a 12 point socket onto the nut to get it to grab.
I am taking a 2500 mile trip and leaving on Sunday. Luckily a tire store had 24 new ones in stock that actually have sharp edges and fit the socket. I'm 80 dollars poorer, but know that I can get them off much easier if the need arises.

[m.hony]

My $19.95 Amazon lug nuts still look nice.


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[phann]

I partially stripped the outside of one of my AS lug nuts using a 12 point socket. I now use a 6 point socket for a really secure fit. I dont know if a 6 point socket (vs 12) would reduce the likelihood of the stock AS lug nuts from breaking, but thought I would toss the idea out there.

[m.hony]

The original lug nuts' chrome covers distort and crack even with the correct size 6 point socket.


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[sb55]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Attachment 259008
My $19.95 Amazon lug nuts still look nice.


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I am sure that I got hosed spending almost $80.00, but the luxury of shipping time was not an option for me at this time.
Ps. Amazon Prime is great for those of us who live in the boonies.

[AWCHIEF]

As far as he OPs early purchases go it is their new trailer to spend money on as they please. Spend it now or spend it later, what does it matter. I upgraded the converter, batteries and lug nuts on mine and have no regrets. Of course my trailer was 8 years old when I got it and normal W/T was starting to show up.

[switz]

The forum reading before I took delivery of the first Airstream gave me a shopping list of parts and things I needed to do as soon as I got it home.

Fortunately, the first flat in my Airstream towing experience was not an Airstream tire but the right rear tire on the Mercedes 40 miles into the return trip which became a six hour fire drill. The donut spare had to go on the right front so the right front could go on the right rear to carry the load. Trying to get disconnected the first time with a flat, the AAA road service guy and i managed to bend the jack stand so it would not fully retract. After getting the spare on and reattached to the trailer with five inches clearance under the jack stand, the trailer was towed to a more secure area in front of that guy's home. An 80 mile round trip back into Los Angles to the nearest CostCo got the tire fixed and a rewind of the musical tire game.

I then drove back and re-hitched in the dark by myself for my third time working with the Hensley. I pulled into Apache Junction,AZ as the sun was about to come up.

I replaced the "el cheapo" factory lug nuts on all three of our Airstream trailers when I was switching to Michelin tires:

McGard 24138 Chrome Cone Seat Wheel Locks and McGard 64010 Chrome Bulge Cone Seat Style Lug Nuts from Amazon. Got spare "keys" directly from McGard.

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by phann

I partially stripped the outside of one of my AS lug nuts using a 12 point socket. I now use a 6 point socket for a really secure fit. I dont know if a 6 point socket (vs 12) would reduce the likelihood of the stock AS lug nuts from breaking, but thought I would toss the idea out there.

It does reduce the chances of damaging the covers. You still need to carefully put on the socket and make sure it's properly seated before applying torque.

[JCWDCW]

Chrome covered nuts are on many expensive trucks also....I've replaced them on trailer and truck.....such is life in the competitive world of today's manufacturing. I use a spinner wrench that has the available sizes to match both capped and bare lugs, so it isn't like there is no possible solution to a bare nut. When you replace them get a quality replacement. A set of six should run 12 -15 dollars. Everything else you note is a choice or result of aging. I have run Marathons for well over six years and had to replace because the side walls were cracking. I replaced with Marathons and never regretted the decision. My current unit has Chinese knock offs. I watch them closely but I have no worries about their utility. Life Happens!
JCW

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, and my much less expensive trailer still works great with eleven years of use and a minimum of 50,000 miles. I still use group 24 flooded cell batteries, the original converter, ST tires, and the original lug nuts.


As Bob Cross says: If it isn't broken, fix it until it is.

[m.hony]

My original tires were broken...


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[paiceman]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Your trailer had the upgrade from the factory.
Many of us did the upgrade later.


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I realize that, we upgraded both a 25' as well as a 30', bought the wheels and lugs from a place in Chicago and the tires purchased and mounted locally. My point was the factory uses one piece lug nuts on factory installed 16" wheels and tires.

[m.hony]

Yes, Sir.
If the factory does the upgrade on some, why not on all?
Why not multi-stage converter/charger and AGM- or lithium- batteries?
What not at least a small solar array to keep house batteries charged while parked?
I guess it's like Harley's.
The bike is just the beginning of chrome, bling, and upgrades which might eventually equal the same or more than you paid for the bike in the first place...


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[dames7]

Yes we are having fun with all these new experience in AS life.

[switz]

Reminds me of CrackerJacks, a surprise in every box or a surprise an what needs to be replaced today?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, this reminds me of a recent article about Starbucks shorting customers by up to 25% of their drink because the price of milk went up. This made Starbucks millions of free money.

[PKI]

Used to think folks hooked on Starbucks were crazy. Then ..... well we make it at home and only buy the makins on sale. And it is only black coffee, mostly. Pat