2015 Model S Lug Nuts

[almondjoy]

Hello!

I purchased a used 2015 Model S during the winter. It had its summer tires in storage and when I took he car in to get the winter tires swapped out for the summer tires they said the Tesla lug nuts wouldn't fit the summer tires and had to use some other lug nuts. But the ones they used stick out like crazy and I can't find anything about them. Does anyone know what these are? Or why the Tesla ones wouldn't be fitting?

I've found old photos of the car before I owned it with both the Telsa lug nut and these other ones. Anyone have any idea's what's going on?

 

[bishoppeak]

Those are definitely the ugliest lug nuts I've seen! I'm guessing one set of wheels are aftermarket, which would explain the nuts not fitting. Show pics of the other lug nuts and we'll confirm whether they are Tesla parts.

 

[scottm]

Those aren't Tesla brand wheels. Tesla wheels don't require deep aftermarket nuts to hold them on.
Tesla nuts are too big to stuff into those tiny holes.

This is pretty typical story for any maker's OE wheels versus aftermarket.

Those aftermarket splined nuts all rust like that pretty quickly... only get 2 years out of them. Then you'll need to clean them up and paint them to look good again. At least you can choose a paint color that is closer to the wheel color, instead of black.

Or buy another set.. you can get them in zinc, which lasts a bit longer before corrosion / rust set in on them. Zinc is better looking against those wheels than black.

You can get these splined nuts in two lengths: stubby or tall. Yours are tall. You could try the stubby ones but the thing you must check is that there is enough room (thread depth inside the nut) to accommodate the whole lug bolt going into it as you tighten it down.

It's possible to fool yourself thinking the nut is well seated against the wheel hole taper when it is really only bottoming out internally on the lug bolt... You'll be torquing down a bottomed out nut to 130 ft/lbs that is not meeting the wheel so it does little to hold the wheel in place. That's why it's safer to go with the tall nuts, lots of internal space for the bolt.

 

[gaswalla]

your service center will get you new lugnuts and covers.. they are fairly inexpensive direct from Tesla - just have your tire/wheel folks do the install

 

[scottm]

your service center will get you new lugnuts and covers.. they are fairly inexpensive direct from Tesla - just have your tire/wheel folks do the install

Not for non-Tesla wheels they won't.

You're on your own.

They will not mount after-market wheels on the car. If they do, it won't be written down and they'll deny it later if a wheel fails.

 

[gaswalla]

Got it ..
You can't use Tesla lugnuts on non oem wheels?

 

[scottm]

Got it ..
You can't use Tesla lugnuts on non oem wheels?

That depends if the wheel can accommodate them or not.

These wheels pictured have narrow little tunnels going down into them for the mounting holes, so nope.. the Tesla nuts are too wide to fit down into these holes. Other designs may accept them.

 

[dmd2005]

Got it ..
You can't use Tesla lugnuts on non oem wheels?

Depends on who makes the wheels. TSportline and Signature makes wheels that use the OEM hardware, so some aftermarket wheels do accept Tesla lugnuts.

 

[sorka]

It's possible that the stock lugs do fit but that they didn't have the thin walled socket required to put them on.

 

[scottm]

Those aren't Tesla brand wheels. Tesla wheels don't require deep aftermarket nuts to hold them on.
Tesla nuts are too big to stuff into those tiny holes.

This is pretty typical story for any maker's OE wheels versus aftermarket.

Those aftermarket splined nuts all rust like that pretty quickly... only get 2 years out of them. Then you'll need to clean them up and paint them to look good again. At least you can choose a paint color that is closer to the wheel color, instead of black.

Or buy another set.. you can get them in zinc, which lasts a bit longer before corrosion / rust set in on them. Zinc is better looking against those wheels than black.

You can get these splined nuts in two lengths: stubby or tall. Yours are tall. You could try the stubby ones but the thing you must check is that there is enough room (thread depth inside the nut) to accommodate the whole lug bolt going into it as you tighten it down.

It's possible to fool yourself thinking the nut is well seated against the wheel hole taper when it is really only bottoming out internally on the lug bolt... You'll be torquing down a bottomed out nut to 130 ft/lbs that is not meeting the wheel so it does little to hold the wheel in place. That's why it's safer to go with the tall nuts, lots of internal space for the bolt.

I should mention the problem of bottoming out the nut is only a problem for closed end nuts. If you have open ended nuts you can't bottom them out. I noticed our model 3 sport wheels from Tesla use open nuts, and they get a mini-hub cover to hide that ugliness. We had to go with tall splines, like yours, for the aftermarket winter set we put on the car.

Soo... you could grind off those tall spline nuts and make them open ended. And it would all be sunk down those holes so you wouldn't notice it too bad. But that's a lot of work... maybe can buy a set like that.

Or maybe, does anybody have a line on snap-on nut covers that would work over these tall spline nuts?

Wouldn't mind buying a couple sets for both my cars afflicted with this same ugly issue.

 

[Gridlok]

It's possible that the stock lugs do fit but that they didn't have the thin walled socket required to put them on.

Don't think a thin walled socket has enough strength to torque Tesla wheel nuts.

 

[sorka]

Don't think a thin walled socket has enough strength to torque Tesla wheel nuts.

They have enough strength to strip the threads off the lug.

 

[Gridlok]

"Thin wall sockets are recommended in difficult to access areas which require low impact force or in low usage frequency situations."

From the Stanley web page. Not sure, but it appears they do have less strength.

 

[sorka]

"Thin wall sockets are recommended in difficult to access areas which require low impact force or in low usage frequency situations."

From the Stanley web page. Not sure, but it appears they do have less strength.

But still more than enough strength.

 

[Cricket88]

Get something like this from Amazon:
size you want is: M14 x 1.5.

https://www.amazon.com/AccuWheel-LNS-14150C8O-Diameter-Spline-Chrome/dp/B00LAJK8GQ/ref=sr_1_50?keywords=m14x1.5+lug+nuts+spline&qid=1558111741&s=gateway&sr=8-50

 

[Russell]

Anyone have any idea's what's going on?

That is an aftermarket rim that uses small diameter lug nuts.
Stock Tesla wheels use bulge(large diameter) lug nuts.
Some aftermarket rims also use the bulge lug nuts.


Gorilla makes a small diameter, closed end lug nut, 26148S (26148SBC for black).
As mentioned in a previous post, you should test the clearance before using them.

Chrome or Black Chrome Small Diameter Spline Drive Duplex Lug Nuts 14mm x 1.5 (1.4" Tall) for 2015+ Colorado/Canyon, 2007+ Tundra (Various Quantities)

 

[scottm]

Get something like this from Amazon:
size you want is: M14 x 1.5.

https://www.amazon.com/AccuWheel-LNS-14150C8O-Diameter-Spline-Chrome/dp/B00LAJK8GQ/ref=sr_1_50?keywords=m14x1.5+lug+nuts+spline&qid=1558111741&s=gateway&sr=8-50View attachment 408916

I will be getting these. Thank you for pointing them out.

 

[scottm]

They have enough strength to strip the threads off the lug.

But still more than enough strength.

It sounds like you may have learned by trial on this one, maybe? ... !!

 

[sorka]

It sounds like you may have learned by trial on this one, maybe? ... !!

Non car related projects with car lugs.

 

[scottm]

OMG these look good.. stainless! Look a little taller than I'd like, maybe offer shorter ones... I'll check into it.

Material: T304 Steel (Heat Treated)
Seat Type: 60 Degree Cone Seat
Nut Height: 1.97 inches/50MM
Seat Width:0.94 inches/24MM
Thread Pitch: 14*1.5
Socket Key Hex Size: 19mm or 3/4"


https://www.amazon.ca/Stainless-Anti-Rust-Corrosion-Excursion-Expedition/dp/B07PB2RWLR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=lug+nuts&qid=1558130763&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&th=1