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Curmudgeon

3/8" Lug nuts

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Curmudgeon

Yes, that's not a typo, 3/8" lug nuts. That's what supposed to be on

my Lawn Ranger, not the bolts with bent washers.

These were discontinued by Wheel Horse, however, I have managed to

find some go-carts that use this size. Thing is, the nuts are always

part of the hub assembly. Because of this, I know they are out there,

however I can not find a source just for the lug nuts.

Anyone have any ideas???? I can't see buying a complete hub

assembly for a small fortune just so I can get 6 lug nuts.

Now it can be either the lug nuts, or lug bolts, I don't care which,

I'm not a purist. I just want the taper to fit into the wheels

properly, NOT like those bent washers almost do! LOL

Dale, going nutty over nuts in Michigan

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nylyon

I'm sure you did this already, but I searched for 3/8" lug nuts and found that some Polaris ATV's use 3/8" lug nuts. I found these:

http://www.shop.com/3_8_Tapered_Chrome_Lug...47-p!.shtml

which may look a little funny, but they may work. In any event, maybe an ATV dealer may be able to help.

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Curmudgeon

Thanks!

By following that link, using the details therein, and doing more searches, I've found the same lug nuts for less, and a style more like what I was thinking for slightly more.

Some are listed for aluminum wheels, some for cast wheels. All tapered, not the flat ones. What would be the difference, and what difference would it make for the steel wheels I have? If nothing else, my wheels would be less susceptible to any damage.

Going to take the plunge here pretty soon and order SOMETHING. Actually, the style of the ones in the original link are kind of growing on me.......... And I'd have 10 spares!

Dale, thinking..........

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Curmudgeon

Well I went for it. Bert's Dirt Works in Texas has those exact same lug nuts for $15.95, $7 shipping. 16 lug nuts for $23, delivered, probably won't beat that. And with 10 extra, hell who knows, maybe I can screw errrrr, sell the extras to someone for what I paid for them all.

HEY, anyone here need some 3/8" chrome lug nuts for their Lawn Ranger? Only $2.50 a piece plus shipping. :D

Dale

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nylyon

Glad you were able to get them, adding some 'bling to the old Lawn Ranger...

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CasualObserver

Sweet Dale... now all you need is some nice aluminum or chrome rims for it too! :D

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Curmudgeon

I agree, only real chrome or aluminum isn't in my budget. However, all wheels I paint, no matter which Horse I'm putting them on, get painted aluminum in color. Hokey? Cheap? Maybe, but as with the rest of my life, I don't care what others may think, I LIKE IT!

Guess I'll have to start a thread on my Lawn Ranger project one of these days. Either that, you can view my "race" with Mike at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthCentralWheelHorseEvents/

Dale

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Curmudgeon

Okay boys and girls. This little part of the project is complete, and I must say, I like the end result.

Studs and lug nuts are WAY WAY easier to work with than those dreaded bolts. This time, the wheel works either way. I've threatened to convert all, or at least my most used, Wheel Horses to studs and nuts, even went so far as to buy a big pile of nuts.

Only one glitch. The lug nuts, and I bought the ones with the smallest end taper I could find, don't fit into the bolt holes of the wheel properly. The holes all need to be drilled out so the taper enters the hole. This would render the wheel useless on any tractor not converted as then the bolt taper would bottom on the hub before coming tight on the wheel.

I do tend to swap wheels and tires from tractor to tractor, so to do one would mean doing them all. And just how well would the nuts tighten on a drilled out hole?

As sweet as the studs work though.............................

Enough rambling, (though it does serve a purpose, something for us dial up guys to read while waiting for the pictures to come in), on to how it looks.

Dale

DSCF1516.jpg

DSCF1517.jpg

DSCF1520.jpg

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nylyon

Those look great, really dresses up the wheels and easier to swap, can't beat that.

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T-Mo

Nice. Real nice. I like it. Nice commentary also while I wait for the pictures to load. :D

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kpinnc

Wow Dale, those are sharp.

I've tried to replace just about every visible bolt on my 867 with stainless steel ones in the restoration. I guess I'll end up with about $35 worth of bolts in the job, but it adds a significant amount of detail, and just looks sharp.

Now I wonder if those like you have come in stainless....

Again, that looks really sharp! I'm looking forward to seeing the complete tractor!

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Curmudgeon

These particular "studs" are standard 3/8" fine thread, 1 1/2" long. Any bolt of that size and thread would have worked, stainless among them.

The reason for the black, allen head bolts is I was originally going to make spacers, and the bolt heads would need to be recessed. Black was the only available 1 1/2" long bolt with the smaller allen head. A hex head would have required a large recessed area.

However, I found a transaxle on the shelf which had longer axles, so I just used that instead of spacers. I'd already ordered the bolts, and already having them, I used them.

A more typical size most hubs use is 7/16" fine thread. It's also WAY easier to find lug nuts of that size!!!!!!

Nothing special about the bolts, or threads, but if I was going to order them now, I'd get grade eight hex bolts.

Dale

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