Plastic lug nut covers

[jhm]

I cant figure this out. The other day I noticed the center plastic hub on the driver side was loose. I tried to hand tighten the plastic lug nut covers but the hub fell off. I took the passenger hub off and the driver side hub screwed right on, so it is not the plastic lugs making the problem. I took the passenger side hub with the captive nuts and tried to put it on the driver side. The plastic lugs will not thread on, it is like the steel lug nut outside threads are too far in. I am stumped. Anyone know why this would happen?

[Ianf]

The plastic lug nut covers could be stripped if they were put on with an impact wrench or over tightened while extremely cold and broke the threads. They can get repalcement nuts without getting a new cover.

[jhm]

The plastic lug nut covers could be stripped if they were put on with an impact wrench or over tightened while extremely cold and broke the threads. They can get repalcement nuts without getting a new cover.

no, they are not stripped. I swapped the driver side and passenger side and for some reason neither hub/nut assy will screw onto the driver side. Both will screw onto the passenger side.

[Duelin]

Have you tried switching a couple of the steel lug nuts to see what would happen? If that doesn't work then try switching the wheels.

[jhm]

Have you tried switching a couple of the steel lug nuts to see what would happen? If that doesn't work then try switching the wheels.

I thought about that, guess it is worth a try. thing is both sides look identical.

[Doug_Scott]

What changed recently on the left front wheel? Stuff like this does not just happen. Did you take the truck in for some kind of service, like tire rotation, or fix a flat tire, anything that would involve removing the left tire.

The caps are very simple in design. Does the steel wheel on the left front look identical to the steel wheel on the other 3 wheel positions? Do the wheel lug nuts look identical on all 4 wheels? As someone already suggested, try changing the lug nuts around. If the lug nuts are different, you need to ask yourself how this happened. It is not something that just occurs naturally.

[Duelin]

Process of elimination. Some times it something simple like corrosion on the back of wheel holding it away from the hub mounting surface.

[jhm]

What changed recently on the left front wheel? Stuff like this does not just happen. Did you take the truck in for some kind of service, like tire rotation, or fix a flat tire, anything that would involve removing the left tire.

The caps are very simple in design. Does the steel wheel on the left front look identical to the steel wheel on the other 3 wheel positions? Do the wheel lug nuts look identical on all 4 wheels? As someone already suggested, try changing the lug nuts around. If the lug nuts are different, you need to ask yourself how this happened. It is not something that just occurs naturally.

All I can think of is the last oil change, they may have pulled the wheels to check the brakes and over tightened those lugs. Everything looks the same on the front, stud protrusion relative to the steel lug nuts, amount of thread on steel lug nuts for the plastic covers to screw onto all look the same. Right, stuff like this does not just happen. I will pull a lug from both fron wheels and compare.

[Bad Bowtie2]

What year truck are we even talking about? Have you owned this truck since new?

 

Maybe a front wheel hub has been replaced by an "aftermarket" or incorrect one??

[jhm]

What year truck are we even talking about? Have you owned this truck since new?

 

Maybe a front wheel hub has been replaced by an "aftermarket" or incorrect one??

It is a 2001 I bought it in 2001 with 11000 miles on it.

[crankman]

jhm do the lugs nuts on the problem side have external threads to hold the cover on ?

[jhm]

jhm do the lugs nuts on the problem side have external threads to hold the cover on ?

Yes. All four wheels have the same external threaded lug nuts. I will swap a couple nuts from passenger side to see if the plastic covers will thread on.

[txab]

Pics would be nice

[crankman]

Pics would be nice

Yep if we could see the rims it would be good, I have had my share of chevy trucks and have used that style of cover many times just cant quite picture what happened.

[jhm]

Yep if we could see the rims it would be good, I have had my share of chevy trucks and have used that style of cover many times just cant quite picture what happened.

Even looking at the wheel and lugs in person they appear to be the same as the others. A pic would not show detail. This weekend I plan to swap a couple lugs. If the hub nuts catch thread on those then I will know the other lugs are wrong. Looking online I see that there are different length lugs and threads, how they would have got changed is baffling. I will also measure the lugs to see if there is a difference. Cannot tell by eye.