Wheel brace

[Grayhug]

I have a 2015 xlt ranger,I had to change a tyre and found the original wheel brace did not fit the wheel nuts it was too small, I tried a socket ,didn’t fit either I had to use an old cross wheel brace and hammer it onto the wheel nuts,I went to my local ford dealer explained what the problem was, he tells me “the wheel nuts have an unremovable plastic cap over them and over time they swell a bit and the wheel brace won’t fit the nuts”
I can sell you new wheel nuts!
Not real handy if I’m in an isolated spot with a flat tyre.
Has any one else heard or had a similar problem with wheel nuts??

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Grayhug

I have a 2015 xlt ranger,I had to change a tyre and found the original wheel brace did not fit the wheel nuts it was too small, I tried a socket ,didn’t fit either I had to use an old cross wheel brace and hammer it onto the wheel nuts,I went to my local ford dealer explained what the problem was, he tells me “the wheel nuts have an unremovable plastic cap over them and over time they swell a bit and the wheel brace won’t fit the nuts”
I can sell you new wheel nuts!
Not real handy if I’m in an isolated spot with a flat tyre.
Has any one else heard or had a similar problem with wheel nuts??

My Focus had the same plastic cap BS and the moment someone took the wheels off the plastic flogged out and it was difficult to remove the wheels.

So I bought normal wheel nuts

[kevino]

ditto. My LT Focus ran over something in Chinderah Nsw M1.
Tyre destroyed.
I couldnt do anything with the toy tools to get the nuts undone.
The NRMA guy took 25 minutes to get the nuts undone using every tool at his disposal.
JAX put new lock nuts on.

[Grayhug]

Thanks for replies Kevino, I Might have to buy 4 sets new wheel nuts.

[Giant Cranium]

ford do a weird thing where the steel nuts are covered with a decorative plastic that can't be removed. father gets behind and causes the nut to expand.

buy proper wheels nuts, a mate of mine has 6 rangers and bt50s and has had the problem with all of them

[slowsnake]

Originally Posted by Grayhug

Thanks for replies Kevino, I Might have to buy 4 sets new wheel nuts.

Tell you what mate I would be bloody ropeable if that happened to me!
And they (Ford ) should be supplying the correct nuts or at least a warning in the owners manual

I would let Ford Australia know about it, can't believe that, I mean you do expect better considering the cost of cars nowadays!

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

There's a bunch of youtube vids on this subject, which might be of some interest/assistance.

Here's a couple, but you'll see there's a bunch more similar ones available, not just for Ranger or Fords but across various makes and models, especially in the good 'ole US of A.

Love the letter in this one I can't read comments on my work machine; wonder if he ever got a reply from Ford?



Like the safety footwear in this one

[Top_Ghia]

I’m not making excuses for Ford as the nuts are a poor design.
But the info is out there and Ford recommend not using a rattle gun to do them up as it will distort the nut covers.
Most of the damaged ones I see have been to the local tyre shop where they do every wheel nut up to 600nm with there rattle guns.
They will tell you they don’t and tighten them all by hand but that too is rubbish. They do every nut up super tight with a rattle gun and then check it by hand.
Generally speaking cars that have only been serviced at the dealership are ok as the Ford techs have been dealing with this issue for 10 years or more.
Our techs will run the nuts up with a gun and then tighten them with a torque wrench.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I’m not making excuses for Ford as the nuts are a poor design.
But the info is out there and Ford recommend not using a rattle gun to do them up as it will distort the nut covers.
Most of the damaged ones I see have been to the local tyre shop where they do every wheel nut up to 600nm with there rattle guns.
They will tell you they don’t and tighten them all by hand but that too is rubbish. They do every nut up super tight with a rattle gun and then check it by hand.
Generally speaking cars that have only been serviced at the dealership are ok as the Ford techs have been dealing with this issue for 10 years or more.
Our techs will run the nuts up with a gun and then tighten them with a torque wrench.

You mean you're not supposed to do everything up to 'FT'

It was 110nm back in my day for wheel nuts, with a torque wrench

[stefcio007]

I bought a set of chrome ones to replace the Ford ones.
Cheap insurance and peace of mind.

[kevino]

Those nuts in the video look exactly like my old 2008 LT Focus wheel nuts.
So Ford have been doing this for what 13 years?
Over a range of models.