I've got multiple sets of 1940 Ford wheels that I'd like to run on my Model A hot rod. But, I'm a little uncomfortable about how worn the tapers look on them-just a lot of wear in the tapers. I'm planning to beat the crap out of this hot rod and run it really hard at the drag strip and do a lot of road trips, and I would hate to have a lug nut(s) pull thru the sheetmetal wheel center. I'm planning a trip to the Arkansas Mile in May, and all the way to Bonneville in July. The holes are all still round and I'm not really worried about the wheel not centering, but I don't want to damage the wheels further, and I sure hate to tear my studs thru the sheetmetal wheel! The wheel set came with little tapered washers installed when I bought the car, and I thought that was a little weird. To set my mind at ease, I was thinking about buying some 1" lug nuts from Speedway, but they have a note on the product that says that all their 1" lug nuts are 45-degree taper. I googled stock taper on Ford wheels, and google says that Ford steel wheels use 60-degree tapers. So, what should I do? Is there a source for 60-degree taper 1-inch lug nuts? Am I worrying over nothing? I do a little bit of amateur road racing, and cars losing a wheel are not rare. I have to admit that my eye is calibrated for alloy wheels, which have a thicker bolt-up flange area-it might be that my eye is just calibrated to critically. Advice welcome, please?
I don't have a specific answer for you, but when looking around in addition to the taper pay attention to the thread specification. Not sure what you will find in 60 degree taper, but most of the 45 degree taper nuts are also course thread.
Not the answer you desire but just my 2 cents. I’ve torn 2 40 Ford wheels at the dragstrip. Those wheels looked pretty darn good. I also distorted the center of one, warping the wheel, in the burnout box. Brand new 60 degree lug nuts, brand new long studs. I now run new steel wheels. If you really are gonna beat the shit out of this thing you need to start with good wheels. They don’t have to be new but good. Put the iffy ones on a low hp street hot rod.
One could make (or have made) some lug nuts from 1" or whatever size steel Hex tubing or rod. With clearance and tapered like you want. Also, I think dirt track uses some.
There is a company that makes 1inch 60 degree lug nuts. His name is Brian Nerat, specializes in Demo Derby neratdemo.com
If the holes in the wheels that you are planning to use are that badly worn and have a larger diameter than normal, be sure that the nose of whatever lugnuts you use don't bottom out and not fully clamp the wheels. You want to have a gap between the lugnuts and the hub, or drum, or whatever. You probably can't get a feeler gauge in there but maybe something like a wad of clay can indicate how much space you have. Just hold a loose lugnut in the holes and feel the backside with your finger. If the nose of the nut feels flush with the back of the wheel that's a problem.
If you're gonna be beating on this car I think you ought to get some high quality new wheels. Along with all the rest of the critical components. Why take a chance?
Try these Wheel Lug Nuts, Steel, 1/2 Inch RH Fine, Single Taper, 20 Pack The above mentioned cautions, depth of tapers and quality of wheels should be noted
I uses these bulge seat lugs on my old wheels, dorman 611-093 still 1/2 thread and 13/16 hex head like original.
The Jalopy Journal
