Lug bolt thimbles - remove?

[cattlerepairman]

I flipped the hubs a long time ago and did what seemed logical to do: spin the thimbles all the way onto the lug bolts to re-use the rear lug nuts.

Lately, I have been reading that one should not do this, as it can cause the lug bolts to break. So....I need to get 24 front lug nuts and take the thimbles off? I must have missed that info in the "flip your hub" threads...

BTW, I never load down the truck...run empty or lightweight.

 

[73m819]

What it does by not having the rim TIGHT against the hub is to allow the rim to flex, both causing the rim to crack and stressing/cracking the stud

 

[mslogr]

You can use the thimbles to hold on the wheel, then flip the outer nuts around and run them up(flat side in) and that'll hold it. If you want to keep the outer nuts. Just my 2 cents.

 

[gringeltaube]

What it does by not having the rim TIGHT against the hub is to allow the rim to flex, both causing the rim to crack and stressing/cracking the stud

Agree 100%!

It just came to my mind that it should be a fairly simple solution to slightly modify those thimbles: put them in a lathe and remove just enough material from the edge to allow the wheel center to fully seat against the hub flange. That way one could not only reuse the original (rear) lug nuts, but also use the thimble's thread for the "working" thread while protecting the stud.

Will try this out and report back...

G.

 

[73m819]

Agree 100%!

It just came to my mind that it should be a fairly simple solution to slightly modify those thimbles: put them in a lathe and remove just enough material from the edge to allow the wheel center to fully seat against the hub flange. That way one could not only reuse the original (rear) lug nuts, but also use the thimble's thread for the "working" thread while protecting the stud.

Will try this out and report back...

G.

This was a solution that was brought up in the 5t thread about doing the thimble thing because the hemtt rim centers are thicker, If you turn down the ends, use coolant, DON'T get the end hot like if you were to grind, the thimble will crack, another thought, the TOTAL end thickness is what gives the thimble the STRENGTH to keep it from cracking, being that is the thickest part of the thimble

 

[gringeltaube]

That's clear. Guessing it will be +/- 2mm to be cut off, prolly most of the chamfered edge.
Also to be determined how much thread is left inside the thimble before the stud bottoms out.
Will see what it does....

G.

 

[KsM715]

Many put the wheels on, then use the thimble as the lugnut.

 

[mslogr]

Yall do know that they make thimbles that have an extended shank. Basically the shoulder is about a quarter of an inch from the open end of the thimble. That way you get more hold for thicker wheels.

 

[73m819]

Thimbles are not designed to act alone as a lug nut, thay don't have the stand a-lone strength( thin), the lug nut provides the needed strength to prevent the thimble from stretching and pulling off the stud, you can actualy break a thimble getting it off if it is froze to the stud

 

[mslogr]

When we put ball mount aluminum super singles on we use a long shank thimbe that has the long shoulder, then we flip the outer nuts around and put them on with their flat side in. have never had a problem yet and at times we have 10,000 lbs per hub. Doing it this way there's no mods needed. Have not got any lip out of the DOT either.

 

[73m819]

QUOTE=mslogr;853782]When we put ball mount aluminum super singles on we use a long shank thimbe that has the long shoulder, then we flip the outer nuts around and put them on with their flat side in. have never had a problem yet and at times we have 10,000 lbs per hub. Doing it this way there's no mods needed. Have not got any lip out of the DOT either.[/QUOTE]
But still using the outer lug nuts, not using the thimble a-lone

 

[mslogr]

Yes sir we use a thimble that has an extra quarter inch of threads on the inside ofthe shank. that way you have it holding with threads that continue up inside of the wheel. With the outer nut run up tight just reversed.

 

[Bolkbich]

thats what ive been doing for years...thimble with the nut snugged on it

 

[scrapdaddy]

MSLOGR... Where would a guy get those [ Long Shank Thimbles ], I've never heard of them. Thanks

 

[mslogr]

Scrapdaddy, any big truck parts place should have them. You need the thimbles to dual aluminum wheels.

 

[cattlerepairman]

Thanks to all that replied. For now, I used the thimbles to hold the wheels and I snugged up the lug nuts, flat side in, as recommended. I notice that the lug nuts snug up against the bulge of the thimble, not against the wheel. I assume that this gives the bulge of the thimble more resistance against the push of the rim. Looks good for now and the rims sit correctly.

 

[gringeltaube]

....... Guessing it will be +/- 2mm to be cut off, prolly most of the chamfered edge.
Also to be determined how much thread is left inside the thimble before the stud bottoms out.
Will see what it does..........

Short conclusion: NO WAY!
Just can't imagine how others did this if they re-used the original thimbles - this simply doesn't work since most of the variants out there will bottom out on the stud even BEFORE the "bulge" or flare comes to seat against the wheel hub mounting surface.
Attached pic shows them all on the same stud, tightened down as far as the inner thread and/or bottom allows.

G.

 

[73m819]

GT, a longer thimble would work, it shoud have more threads inside, the stock ????

 

[LowTech]

Short conclusion: NO WAY!
Just can't imagine how others did this if they re-used the original thimbles - this simply doesn't work since most of the variants out there will bottom out on the stud even BEFORE the "bulge" or flare comes to seat against the wheel hub mounting surface.
Attached pic shows them all on the same stud, tightened down as far as the inner thread and/or bottom allows.

G.

Would not the rim thickness fill the gap and then some? The thimble holds on the inside rim, . . . or are we talking about putting on the thimble and then the rim?

Just reread the whole thread . . .

 

[gringeltaube]

Yes, normally with duals the thimbles hold the inner wheel against the drum surface, so that "gap" would be irrelevant.
Now my idea was to mount a single wheel AFTER firmly screwing-on the original thimbles (eventualy shortened a few mm) and then use the large lug nuts to hold the wheel in place. That failed because they bottom out.
As Ron suggested, a taller (longer than stock) thimble would probably do the trick.

G.