Wheel Lock Nuts and Washers

[andrew34ruby]

How did owners get on with wheelnuts back in the day? Did many wheels fall off? I never check mine.

[Terry McGrath]

On my VSCC competition special I turned up some wide steel washers with a built-in "cone" to fit the countersunk holes in the wheels.
This made them even more secure, fixed with nylock 3/8 nuts. No wheel problems in 25 years racing.

[AustinWood]

The handbook has checking the tightness of wheel nuts as part of Regular or Periodical Attentions. They do tend to loosen, and it's worth checking them whenever you have the wheelbrace in your hand.

[Reckless Rat]

Would I be right in assuming that if you're not using the tapered wheelnuts (or a tapered washer) that there is a possibility of a wheel not being properly tightened due to a slight upstand of the locating dowels?

[Hedd_Jones]

I found part of the play in the steering of the chummy I bought was due to the countersink in one of the front wheels being mostly not there and the wheel was moving. It was being held properly by only one stud. The other two nuts where tight against the drum and not touching the wheel. Not a very good state of affairs. In fact I think the wheel would have come off over them had I removed only the one good fixing.

I'm not a sporting man with my cars and consider the washer and nylock (or whatever) an elegant engineering solution, but an ugly one. Obviously not being a sporting man, the locking element is not necessary for me.

Given that otherwise the wheel was excellent with a new tyre this is what I did. Bought 3 new stainless wheel nuts. Turned the tapers off them, and used some nice thick (laser cut) oversize 3/8 washers I had. The result fitted nicely on the studs.


  wheel nuts.jpg (Size: 66.88 KB / Downloads: 224)

I was concerned for similar reasons Reckers, and had considered reducing the height of the dowel under the washer, but once fitted and tight, I found the solution to have excellent clamping, so didn't bother. I guess there is a case that it could be considered any difference in height can put some bending in the stud, which isn't ideal, but IMO life is to short to worry about such trifles, given the basic solution seems to be almost universal in sporting use. Particularly when you notice cheapo penny washers and the crappy nylocks being used by some.


Like others, I've never lost a wheel, though I did once loose 2 studs off the same wheel (broken studs), the interesting handling alerted me to the problem, and the car was transported home.

However a new owner local to me (another steam enthusiast), managed to roll his RP on what must have been one of its first outings after purchase, the owner has been very guarded as to what happened, but my mate who was the passenger at the time told me they lost a rear wheel and rolled as a result. The car has survived to tell the tale which is good. 

So it does happen!.

[dickie65]

Big Washers and aerotight nuts are required for VSCC events. A lot of Sevens lost wheels under competition loads the closed centre wheels are weaker in the hub. Motorsport ruling body specifies steel wheel nuts.
For mere mortals just the stock wheel nuts are fine as long in good condition. New studs make sense with the ago of our cars.
Heavy paint or powder coat on the wheels can creep allowing the nuts to come loose so keep checking them if freshly restored wheels are used.

[BruceRobinson]

Thanks for the response.
I have not been able to sourced a suitable aerotight 3/8 BSF nuts. I have had one delivery which I have returned due to the short thread lentht and the steel nut was not coated. Stainless steel nuts are too expensive at £3.50 too £4.0 each. Can someone recommend a supplier who supplies beefy nuts that have a coating to the steel. I have concluded that heavy washers are part of the solution and I am planning to having some laser cut from 5mm thick stainless steel if the price is right.

[Cplainjones]

The Historic 750 Formula can supply complete sets of race approved tapered stainless steel washers for Austin 7 wheels together with their Aerotight nuts which themselves getting harder to find in imperial sizes these days.
The washers have an inbuilt taper which seats within the wheel recess to give a very positive location even when it has become worn and have been race proven over the last 20 years.

For the latest price and availability please email
Historic750Formula@outlook.com

Charlie Plain-Jones