i just bought brand new Cragar s/s 08/61 classic rims from summit racing plus the 13/16 - 1/2"-20 lug nuts... the rims are for three different sizes of studs, 5x4 1/2 ( which is supposively what my car has on it ) 5x 4 3/4 and 5x 5. i put the rims on and they fit but when i put the lug nuts on, it is almost like the 13/16 head is too large? i snug all the lug nuts by finger, then go to tighten them and the socket( which i grounded down one of my nice 13/16 sockets) will not fit the last two that i need to tighten??? someone please help me!!!!
You need the offset washers. You also need the CRAGAR brand of lugnuts. Do NOT use generic shanked lugnut. CRAGAR LUGNUTS!! CRAGAR LUGNUTS!! CRAGAR LUGNUTS!! CRAGAR LUGNUTS!! Also...use a spark plug socket to tighten the lugnuts. It is a thin wall socket.
The lug nuts that you need have a shank on them that fits down inside the slot with a washer on it. You do not need to use the oblong washers on the wheels, You have 5 on 4 1/2 lug pattern and it will center properly.
X2. And, you'll need a good quality spark plug socket. A cheap one will probably split when you tighten the lugs. Wouldn't be a big problem in the garage but might be when changing a tire on the road. I picked up an extra socket (3/4" in my case) that fits the back end of the spark plug socket to carry in the car, along with an extra breaker bar. If you duct tape the extra socket to the spark plug socket it will give you the right reach and protect the wheels from the spark plug socket.
Do the wheels have alloy centers? I'd be reluctant to tighten the lug nuts directly against the slots in alloy wheels. Think you'd make a mess of the wheels.
When installing the rims, just use your fingers for the first 3 lugs. Put one on, then rotate the tire and put on another, and then rotate, and put on another. Don't run them all the way down. When the third lugnut goes on, it will center the rim. Then you can put on the other two, and torque them down in the regular fashion. If you put on one lug nut and torque it down, you will kill 2 or 3 lugs by binding everything up.
I was just doing this today and will offer a couple more hints. For the first nut, turn the drum or disk so that one stud is top center. The wheel will settle so there's lots of room in the slot to run the first nut on that top stud by hand. Hold the washer flat against the wheel so it doesn't get cocked and bind. After the first nut is finger tight, turn the drum or disk 180* so the wheel is resting on the shank of the first lug nut which iis now at bottom center. Now put two nuts on the two studs that are up on top. When the nuts bind, give the wheel a shake and continue. Then put the other two nuts on. In about 10 minutes you have one wheel on with lugs finger tight. I REALLY don't like uni lugs.
RIGHT!! Wish I'd bought these. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRR-610C571242/ The one-piece wheels use conical lug nuts.
Can you believe it... i figured out what was wrong, Summit Racing sent me two bad rims!?!? they must of got milled wrong because the slotts were wrong or something. they sent me two new ones and PRBLEM SOLVED!! thanks for all the input guys
I just got an exchange on a Cragar SS from Summit this week. One of the four wheels I got from them had the rim attached incorrectly on the center section causing a wobble. Isn't anyone making quality parts anymore?
