You can bore out the lug hole and use a steel insert to fix ovaled lug holes. Make a larger hole with a drill machine and attach the steel insert with the nut tightly. Then, you can go for making a new set of holes. You need to mark the rim and make holes with a drill machine.
TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is necessary, for filling previous holes. That is a complex and skill-intensive method that may be bypassed due to its intricacy.
You won’t be able to perform it without knowing the process in detail. So, hang tight with the article to learn the detailed procedure of Aluminum Wheels Wallowed Lug Holes.
Key Takeaways
- Ovaled lug holes can be fixed by boring out the living holes and using steel insert
- Also, Filling out the existing holes and making a new set of holes is a great fix but it needs enough expertise.
Can You Fix Ovaled Lug Holes?
Yes, you can fix the oval-shaped lug holes. However, it requires some expertise and expensive materials to restore them to a properly working state.
Misuse of tools can also lead to lug holes wallowing out, which is also responsible for tire bead damage from mounting. This job will not be as easy as mounting spare tires to the roof rack.
Sometimes it’s best to get new wheels instead of a DIY fix for damaged lugs as these can be complicated.
How To Repair Wallowed Out Lug Holes – 2 Methods to Fix
There are two DIY methods that can make your ovaled lug holes fixed. Let’s talk about them in more depth below.
Method 1: Bore Out the Lug Hole and Use a Steel Insert
By boring out the lug hole and using a steel insert you can fix lug holes. It’s really irritating when you start a process and see you don’t have the materials you have.
So, let’s focus on the required components initially.
Required Tools:
- Safeguarding goggles and gloves
- Heavy drill machine
- Sandpaper
- And Steel insert
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Once the holes lose their perfect shape, you can never get back the shape of the existing diameter. So, it’s better to make it a little bigger and use steel inserts to attach the nuts.
You can buy lug hole inserts from a local automobile store or online. Just make sure to match the diameter of the new lug hole and insert. Now, let’s follow these steps sequentially to achieve the desired result.
Step 1: First wear ear protection and gloves before starting the procedure. Now you need to bore out your existing lug holes. This simply means enlarging the lug holes. You need to use a multi-speed heavy drill machine to produce the precise size of the hole.
Step 2: Now, get a slide caliper and measure the diameter of the current hole. Suppose the current hole is 12 mm in diameter then you need to grind a new hole having a 14 or 16 mm diameter.
Step 3: At this point, you have to drill. Make sure the drilling tool matches the size of your desired hole. Keep the drill as straight as you can and apply subtle pressure to start drilling.
After a while when it gets stuck, stop drilling and start removing bits of metal from the surface. Then start again with a faster speed. Drill twice from both sides to get a nice precise hole.
Step 4: Use sandpaper to smoothen out the outer rough shell. Do it for each hole.
Step 5: Mount the newly holed rim to the stud of the wheelbase. Get the lug hole inserts and tightly attach them to every nut using a wrench and voila! You’ve got yourself a new alloy wheel.
Method 2: Make a New Set of Lug Holes
Making a new set of lug holes may sound crazy but the result is amazing. You might not think about this but you can trust me. Let’s get to know the whole procedure in detail.
As usual, we should collect the tools we need to perform the fixing job initially.
Required Tools:
- Safeguarding goggles and gloves
- Drill machine
- Tungsten inert gas
- And Slide caliper
Step-By-Step Instructions:
You can add a second set of bolt patterns on your aluminum wheels and weld the older ones. Filling the older ones won’t be that much necessary so it can also be skipped if you want. Now let’s get to work!
Step 1: First, wear the safety goggles and gloves. Then, take the middle portion of the rim between the hole and get it marked on the center with a marker. Do this for every gap of the holes with rotation. Suppose your wheel comes with 4 lug holes. Doing such will give you a new set of 4 marked areas.
Step 2: Now, measure the diameter of the hole with a slide caliper and match it to the tool you will use for drilling. Get the drilling machine and attach the drilling bit to its rotating motor.
Step 3: Keep the machine straight at a 180-degree angle to the marked area and start drilling. When it gets stuck, stop and remove the bits and specks of dust from the emerging hole. Drill from both sides and do these steps for each hole.
Step 4: To fill up the area of previous holes, TIG ( Tungsten inert gas) welding can be used. However, since the method is complicated and requires much expertise, it can be skipped. The typical nationwide expense for hiring a welder ranges from $150 to $250.
Precautions:
You must observe some safety precautions while performing the fixing process. Since the process requires some heavy tools, there is no scope for being clumsy throughout the process.
- Never ever start the procedure without putting on protective gear. Also, don’t wear loose clothes while doing this.
- Make sure to operate drilling at the recommended speed.
- On all grinding machines, use suitable wheel protection.
- Stay away from using too much pressure to tighten the nuts.
- Don’t drive the car immediately after fixing it. Wait at least 24 hours to fix the fix.
- Follow a tire inspection guide for an overall check before you start driving.
- Last but not least if you don’t have proper knowledge, never attempt to do this.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Why Are My Lug Nuts Loosening?
Loosening of wheel lug nuts can occur due to inadequate tightening (under-torquing or over-torquing), and vibrations from unbalanced wheels. Also, the inappropriate use of impact wrenches for tightening. Common causes also include improper installation, over-torquing, differential thermal contraction, and issues with mating surfaces.
Is It Bad To Over-Tighten Lug Nuts?
Yes, overtightening can damage. Also, threads on wheel nuts and wheel studs are stripped, along with the stretching of studs. That renders them weaker and susceptible to fractures and eventual failure. Furthermore, this stretching may lead to the loosening of wheel nuts.
How Long Can You Drive With A Missing Lug?
Yes. If a lug nut is missing, you can still drive legally, but you should see your local tire shop as soon as possible. The additional pressure over time may weaken the other lug nuts. However, remember the wheel bearings could suffer as a result.
EndNote
Hopefully, you’ve learned aluminum wheel wallowed lug holes: how to fix ovaled lug holes throughout the discussion.
Each time the result of applying those methods for fixing the lug holes may not be satisfactory. Because none of them are permanent. You can face the same issue after a while.