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| | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 10 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 10 | Just recently re-painted my steel wagon wheels for my '51 3100. And of course, to really appreciate the freshly painted wheels and new tires, I replaced the chrome lugnuts. $50+ = ouch!
This truck being a work in progress, I know I'm going to have these wheels on and off numerous times.
Question: Would anyone know if some company makes a non-marring, 7/8" (22mm),deep 1/2 drive socket? Non-Impact of course.
How are others out there protecting the chrome finish on their lugnuts?
If my wife finds out I spent $50 on lugnuts, and plan to do this every so often,...well, you get the picture! (Kind of hard to respond to those insults.) | | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 | Don't know the answer to your socket question, but why not use your old nuts until you are ready to put the wheels on for the last time.
Last minute thought, could you take a 15/16" socket and have it powder coated? that might do the trick. | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,878 . | | . Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,878 | Can you get stainless nuts? Then a new quality (snap-on or equivalent) socket should not affect them.
Even with chrome ones a good quality 6 point socket should help.
Grigg | | | | | Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 101 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 101 | A simple way to protect the lug nuts is to slip a plastic sandwich baggie over it before putting the lug wrench on it. Its commonly done by the Porsche guys on their black anodized ones.
A bunch of Porsche parts suppliers sell soft sockets for the same purpose, but they only come in metric sizes as far as I know.
Last edited by Dan in Pasadena; 11/11/2009 1:23 AM.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,778 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,778 | 19MM = 3/4"
21MM = 13/16"
These sockets are close enough to substitute for fractional ones, if you can get the soft sockets in those dimensions.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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| | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | I don't recall who makes them off the top of my head, but there is a company that makes plastic inserts for use with chrome nuts. You use them in the next size up socket. I'm wanting to say Snap-On has them.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 10 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 10 | ..I knew I wasn't that crazy! The sandwich baggy trick is exactly what I did! Seemed to work okay for now.
I've contacted a Snap-On tool rep. He seems to think there is a "soft" type socket available, and is looking into it.
I'll post a tool no. if I'm successful in finding something.
Thanks for the replies! | | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,082 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,082 | | | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 | Looks like the plastic only protects the wheels and the ends of the lugnuts. Looks like steel on the surface. http://www.torquestick.com/cart/product_image.php?imageid=7However, for powdercoated wheels with stock lugnuts, I think I need one. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,703 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,703 | just got a new catalog..wil have to go look for it ..they have an addy for a set of sockets with a "COMPOSITE" core in the center to do away with the marring of chrome and other finished lugnuts ..it was either a Sears or Summit catalog.
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