Are A7075 aluminum lug nuts strong enough?
 

I'm looking for black lug nuts and came across the Rays Duralumin (A7075 aluminum) and the McGard black spline steel nuts.

As both are over $100, I prefer the looks of the Rays. However, safety is important and I have read all over that aluminum lugs are not recommended. I've also read that the A7075 grade aluminum used on the Rays is of some of the highest quality/strength as opposed to the cheap aluminum nuts that can be found from other lesser known brands.

Does anybody have knowledge on this topic and know if I can be rest assured running the Rays aluminum nuts instead of the McGard full steel ones?

https://www.ftspeed.com/part/ra32121...nuts-with-lock

https://www.amazon.com/McGard-65554B.../dp/B0006HOVNE

Remember prior tightening to clean threads, then do first turns by hand to prevent crossthreading, never use power tools for complete tightening (and always request for tire shop or whomever else may work on removal/mounting of your wheels to not use powertools), at most for quick bolt on with reduced torque, but finish tightening with hand tools. Then even aluminum lugnuts thread should last well enough for reasonable count of wheel change on daily driven car.
Just that .. wheels still need from time to time changed, some scratches may occur on lugnut finish. Also imho almost no modern wheel thief can be deterred by locking lugnuts, so those mostly add just inconvenience to owner (like not having when needed bit, if it's stripped, extremely difficult to remove, not being able to borrow lugnut wrench from others in case of need). So my own choice would be finish, on which scratches are not seen much (eg. metallic grey) and plain lugnuts instead of locking ones. In this case though .. even stock lugnuts should do job well enough (only exception being if you have extended studs installed, as they are closed-ended), as they are not that heavy, and being steel, would last long. Weight saved on lugnuts is not justified by price of aftermarket ones, and scratched bright-colored lugnuts look fugly imho.

If you are at all concerned with it why bother?

Rays is a quality brand. They would be fine but you need to take more care with them. Check stud threads, be very careful with impact, ect.

7075 has higher toughness, hardness and is less prone to fatigue. All google-able information.

AL lugs are fine. Guys have been tracking them for years with no issues. Just use a little anti-seize and use proper tq, done.

What about dissimilar metals? Aluminum nuts on steel studs?

I don't know.

Hasn't been an issue for me over the past year...

I got a set when I started siezing/stripping steel lug nuts on ARP studs after a few years going back/forth between street/track. Figure aluminum lug nuts are less likely to wipe out an ARP stud if the nut galls/strips out.

This is why I posted to use anti-seize.

Just a little dab of the copper stuff. I also put a small smear on the hub face of the rotor to help keep the wheels from bonding to the brake disc.

Always use anti-seize with mixed metals.

AL is strong enough to hold a wheel on.

I always use steel lug nuts because its one less thing to worry about.

I use Muteki open lug nuts, they are cheap (less than US$50 per set), really light (about 35g each), and reliable.

really though, if the weight of 5 lug nuts per wheel is a deciding factor, perhaps the driver should consider taking a dump? a good bowel movement will be about the same weight loss...

:sigh: Not rotating mass :rolleyes:

Back when I worked in a bicycle shop I'd have customers show up with triple beam scales to weigh individual tire tubes to try to get the lightest tube. I used to tell them that TP was cheaper than Titanium. :P

sure, but a 2 pound turd is going to have a much larger effect on your turn-in and handling capabilities than an extra 100 grams of rotating lug nut weight.


both really just make the owner feel better in one way or another!