i had to get some replacement wheel lugs for the vette the other day, so i stopped by the local auto parts house to pick some up. when i got home i noticed they were all packaged with the message "made in china" on the sticker, WTF?! We dont even make wheel lugs anymore? where's the best place to get some real american hardware? Anything local to Houston would be great.
Any Auto Parts store with a Dorman selection will have them Do not buy "packaged lug nuts" Dorman are per each
McGard Tuff Nuts were the ****. Nobody carries them anymore, I'd have to order them. People are carrying cheap **** nuts that rust in 3 days.
Take the packaged ones back where you bought them... If they ask why, tell'em your sick and tired of chinese junk!.... Maybe they'll get the message.
I go to the local " PULL - A - PART " Real OEM lug nuts installed at the factory. All of my projects and Hot Rod type vehicles use the 1/2 20 Ford lug nut thread. So ... just find a Ford Explorer or Ford p***enger car ... from 10 years ago or so and get all you need. Good quality OEM stuff ... I have a gallon jug FULL ... I just clean them up and run a 1/2 20 tap thru them. Great parts ... for nothing or NEXT to nothing $$$.
I compared new Cragar lugs that were made in China to a vintage NOS set I have. Unbelievable The China lugs chrome is sloppy and the metal looks rough under the chrome compared to the NOS set I have. The threads are also not as good as the nos set-not as sharp and defined. I know you can't tell just by looking but the China lugs appear to be a softer metal...The nos set have that billet aluminum sharpness while the chinese ones look like those cast in your backyard club plates.....on the softness maybe I'm just being realistic LOL.
Ha Ha, because they fit in your pocket? Those stupid black lug nut covers for late model cars fit nicely in the pocket also. They yank the wheels off and leave all the nuts in the dirt.
I regularly go to the local yard and get small parts (lugnuts, fuses, relays...), when you go to pay they always look at you like "wtf", and will generally not charge you. atleast around here.
You may find some Dorman made in USA, but Dorman, like most, have gone to china. My Dorman, 48 Ford wheel cyls were made in china, and so far I have yet to locate any Mag nut, not made in china. Good Luck....
Honestly, it's because they know most people don't pay for them and just pocket them. Some of those guys just flat appreciate the honesty and aren't going to charge you just out of principle.
Got a set of mr gasket magwheel lug nuts looked like the chrome done after threaded? Ran a tap thru them >was afraid i was going to break the tap on three............after trying them on new racing studs ¬ liking the feel...called summit they said 1st time hearing a complaint&sent another set [with a complaint think they would look b4 sending???]>2nd set same as 1st............
Thanks a lot ***hole, folks like you are the reason we can't get into yards and look/measure/inspect anymore!
I dunno, the yards I go to have so damned many lugnuts buried in the dirt that in 500 years people will come and think they can mine ore there. I should add when I need made in USA nuts and bolts I go to a fastener place that sells them bulk by the pound, usually I can get more than enough for what I need and they cost a fraction of what Dorman or any other packaged nuts and bolts cost.
Its funny how they can just end up in the bottom of your tool box. Just like fuses. and dash nobs. They always tell me to move on when I start to try to figure out what couple little thing I got. I always just check out Right in frt of someone with some big parts that they are tryimg to figure out what they are going to charge THEM and not worried about my couple of nuts and bolts. And it helps when they see you come thru pretty often.
thanks everyone for the tips. its too bad this stuff is getting harder to find. I'll keep my eyes open for alternatives even if i dont need em.
Not much here, but this site claims these companiese sell us-made car parts http://www.americansworking.com/autoparts.html
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