# How to find lug nut specs?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [May 8, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908 "2015-05-08T04:50:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![instock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/22d042/32.png) [@instock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/instock)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/1 "2015-05-08T04:50:51Z")

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I’ve got an '05 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. I am so confused by the lug nuts. I tried every socket at Autozone and none of them seemed to fit right. The 23mm gets the job done, but it’s loose and goes crooked. Now the threads are barfed up. I bought some new nuts that looked right ( M14-1.5). They start to go on, but then they seize up after a few turns. I’d like to replace the nuts or at least clean out the threads, but how do I know what size?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/2 "2015-05-08T05:02:50Z")

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[http://www.gorilla-auto.com/pdf/GAG10.pdf](http://www.gorilla-auto.com/pdf/GAG10.pdf)

Tester

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**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/3 "2015-05-08T05:05:18Z")

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A quick search shows the size to 9/16" - 18. Have you tried a standard socket?

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**Author:** ![instock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/22d042/32.png) [@instock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/instock)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/4 "2015-05-08T05:10:52Z")

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Awesome. Thanks! 9/16? Yeah, that is a little random. I _thought_ I had tried all the standard sockets. Looks like it should be 7/8. I’ll have to try that one again!

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**Author:** ![instock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/22d042/32.png) [@instock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/instock)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/5 "2015-05-08T05:28:05Z")

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Nope. 7/8 doesn’t fit. It’s really close, but a little bit too small. The nuts are in good shape on the outside. That should fit. I wonder if my socket is defective.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/6 "2015-05-08T05:44:53Z")

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Try a 19 mm socket.

Tester

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/7 "2015-05-08T05:51:22Z")

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It sounds like you’ve cross threaded it, you may need to replace both the lug nuts and the studs. They should go on 99% of the way by hand. Can they?

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**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/8 "2015-05-08T06:11:52Z")

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It sounds like you’ve buggered up the studs

I also looked it up, and you’ve apparently got sae studs and lug nuts, but you tried installing metric lug nuts. That was a mistake

Chase the studs. If it doesn’t clean them up, then you’ll have to replace the studs

Those nuts you bought are wrong . . . return them or throw them away

Get new lug nuts with the correct sae threads, as was mentioned earlier

The next size up from 7/8" would be a 15/16" socket, by the way

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/9 "2015-05-08T06:42:33Z")

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The correct socket size is 7/8", however the stainless steel caps on the lug nuts become damaged/distorted from people using incorrect sockets.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 6:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-find-lug-nut-specs/89908/10 "2015-05-08T06:55:32Z")

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Questions like his can always be easily and freely answered by your local dealer’s parts department. Ask nicely and they’re always happy to help. At least that has been my personal experience.
