Do Ford Escapes Have Decorative Caps On The Lug Nuts

Jeff Majchrzak's voice was equal parts frustration and amusement.

"I've got swollen lug basics," the retired Detroit firefighter said in his voicemail. "Seriously. I don't know what to exercise."

I shushed my inner 10-yr-old and listened. When he didn't ask if my refrigerator was running or I had Prince Albert in a can, I took a take a chance that this wasn't a prank call. I'm a trained reporter. I've seen plenty episodes of "South Park" to be cautious. I did some inquiry.

"We see four or five cars a mean solar day with swollen lug nuts," said Chris Lynch, possessor of Wetmore'southward Tire and Auto in Ferndale. "It'south a real problem, particularly if you become a flat on the side of the road and tin't get your wheels off. That's a safe issue."

The tires on Majchrzak's SUV needed rotating, simply his dealer couldn't remove them. The lug nuts that hold the wheels on were stuck. I'd say they were frozen, only the dealer wanted $8 apiece to replace them, and that's no laughing affair.

Majchrzak was not happy.

This swelling is a new problem on some fancy wheels with decorative lug nuts. Many of the nuts have a shiny chrome cap on height of a simple steel nut. The cap is welded or crimped to the nuts that secure the wheel to the vehicle, said Bob Gilley, General Motors wheel zipper engineer.

The power tools that service shops use to put wheels on and off can generate more than forcefulness than the nuts are designed for. That tin create gaps that allow water and clay in between the cap and nut. When the water freezes, the nut literally gets aptitude out of shape. Standard tools don't fit the nut, leaving the wheel stuck on the car.

The problem has go common plenty that Wetmore's has special socket tools 0.5 millimeters bigger than standard nuts to remove the swollen ones.

Wetmore'south has shelves of replacement nuts, and a drawer of misshapen and corroded ones. Lynch says his workers use power tools to remove the wheel nuts, but mitt-tighten them to match the manufacturer's specification.

You tin can eliminate the possibility of swollen lug nuts past paying a piffling extra for chrome-plated or stainless steel nuts. Those shiny finishes replace the caps that are attached to almost nuts, simply they cost more.

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Wetmore's sells chrome replacement nuts for $1-$ii each, stainless steel for $3-$4 apiece, Lynch said. Chrome needs occasional polishing, while stainless steel is maintenance-costless.

Each automaker has its ain specifications for corrective covers and the nuts beneath them.

Ford, which built Majchrzak'southward Escape and replaced the troublesome nuts, says owners should contact their dealer if an outcome arises.

Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan

Source: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/mark-phelan/2018/11/01/swollen-lug-nuts-wheels-cap/1835282002/

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