Lug Nuts?!
 

Alright so I'm considering buying some red lug nuts to go with the red brake calipers we have.. But I'm not sure if it would look too tacky or of it would look amazing?:ugh2:

Has anyone tried different lugs on the 40th? If so could you post up any pictures? I found many Z's with different colored lugs on the forums but nothing on the 40th with rays..

Also which company would be best to go with when buying new lugs?
Thanks for the help!

Use OEM lugs. Aftermarket lugs are the wrong shape and won't hold your wheels on safely. That's why you don't see aftermarket lugs on stock wheels.

You suggest powder coating stock lugs instead? Or just forget the idea all together? I'm just curious to see how it looks

I thought about powdercoating them, but I passed since I'm sure they'll get scratched to hell mounting and dismounting the wheels. There just don't seem to be any options here.

Makes sense. Thanks for the help!

I wish I were wrong. My silver lugs stand out like a sore thumb against dark wheels. If you find out differently, let us know.

I know that there is a chroming process with colors, maybe it is available in red. I did see some Rays that were black chromed (on a black 370) and they looked stunning. Might be something to research.

Plastidip

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You can have them powdercoated, but just the tops is best. Have the sides masked so they don't get messed up with the lug wrench

considering this alternative, anyone with any photos of it done on the rays?

Red painted/powdercoated lugz turn pink when exposed in sun light for a certain time. I've used RAYS, Muteki, Project, NRG, none survived the california sun and eventually turned salmon color. If your really serious, powdercoat them, and use torque wrench with painter's tape inside flattly applied to survive scratching.

I've powdercoated plenty of lugs, I've done it both ways where I only PC'd the ends, and some where I did the whole lug.
Haven't had any issues with either setup. PC takes a beating if done right. And if you're careful tightening them.

And you can get lined sockets, although I have never used them. Like KarotZ said, red WILL go pink-ish in the sun, but the color match Nissan red I have has lasted better than expected on the lugs

You could try anodizing them. Cheap and will survive like any aftermarket anodized lug nuts.

Never heard of anodizing steel... And anodizing becomes pink pretty quickly in the sun

This is what I would do. Though I'd probably powdercoat the whole lug nut.

I had a set of Red Gorilla Lug Nuts (same ole' spline drive lug nuts that most people use). They didn't fade, but the colored finish comes off very quickly if you use an impact gun to remove them. The chrome finished lug nuts will do the same as well if not careful.

Mike did a set of Lugs for Daisuke's Z a while back. They used an internal socket as opposed to the traditional OUTSIDE socket style. That style lug nut could be powdercoated all over and not be at such a risk of damaging the finish.

+1 on NO aftermarket lugs on OEM wheels. The new model stuff uses a flat seat type, where most domestic and aftermarket wheels use a conical seat.

The operative word being 'careful' .

I powdercoated the stock lugnuts on my frontier, and when I brought it in for 7500 mile service, I didn't realize they were going to rotate the tires, and now my lugnuts are no longer perfect. Air wrenches and powdercoated lugnuts don't mix.

:iagree:
Yep, air tools will ruin the finish!

So I guess this is where we should ask mike how much to powdercoat our nuts? ;)

$50 per set if the sides are masked, 25 if the whole thing with no required masking

:iagree: Very fair pricing!

Man, I have wanted red lug nuts forever, and it is ridiculous that Nissan uses such a weird lug shape for our wheels. There really is no good option here, and no one, I mean NO ONE, makes them. I even contacted Rays themselves and they don't have anything helpful.

I feel ya. I'd rather stick with stock lugs instead of compromising safety or ride quality of the Z. But the red lugs do look amazing :yum: