Member Since: 04 Nov 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
Wheel Nut Options (solid wheel nuts)
After a sobering experience with the wheel nuts of my used Dicovery 4, I decided to summarise my explorations into the depths of this forum and possible solutions.
The design of the Land Rover wheel nuts is a disgrace to british engineering; apparently Land Rover itself has stated that the original wheel nuts will corrode when used off road or in wet conditions...
The problem is that the steel nut has a little stainless steel cap pressed on. While the outside might still look nice and shiny, underneath corrosion will set in and the the rust will expand. This leeds to the "swollen nut" syndrome and the 22mm socket will not fit any more if a wheel needs to come off. Also, should it occur to someone to use an impact wrench, the nuts can badly distort.
Depending on the severity of the "swollen nut" syndrome, you have the following options, to get the wheel nut off:
1. tap/hammer the socket on the wheel nut - please remember you need to get the wheel nut back out of the socket again...
2. use a larger socket - either a 7/8inch (22.25mm) or 23mm socket might still fit on
If even the bigger sockets won't fit or the steel cap turns loose only destructive work can help you now:
3a. you can try to pull or drill the steel cap off to see if a smaller socket will engage with the centre but a lug nut removal tool (twist socket) or screw extractor will be your best option.
3b. if everything else fails you can still try to cut the nuts off - caution advised
You will have to replace the "swollen nuts" sooner or later with new ones. So most of the experienced forum members will have a few spare ones in anticipation.
1. original cr p design by Land Rover or better their Bearmach counterparts - depending on exposure of the nuts these will need replacing every few years. After about 10 years this option will be as expensive as option 2.
2. solid wheel nuts which appear now to be introduced now with a hefty premium. Currently the black chrome wheel nut kit VPLWW0078 is listed between £180-£250. I was not able to find a chrome version of this nut as of yet but have contacted the manufacturer. Wrington Engineering makes solid [hand polished] stainless steel nuts for Land Rover with prices starting at £190 for a full kit.
A matching black chrome wheel nut kit with the (superior) McGard design VPLWW0093 is not much cheaper at £120. The chrome version VUB504120 is about half price £63 (Britpart supplies the same chrome locking wheel nut under LR043820 for a friendly £45 and Advanced Factors with a standard coating under BA018D for £41. So if you do the maths you will find that a hole set of these aftermarket wheel locks would be as dear as the full set of black chrome wheel nuts).
A word of warning: The locking wheel nuts are obviously less stable than a normal wheel nut and there are countless reports of stripped locking wheel nuts or disintegrating keys. If you have lost the key you can get a replacement for your RRB500100 type locking wheel nuts from your Land Rover dealer; should you have the McGard design and lost the key number you can send a picture to lockingwheelnutkeys and they can supply a matching key. If you have no time to spare it is back to option 3 of wheel nut removal.
So good luck with your swollen nuts
Last edited by donknizi on 9th Jan 2017 12:17 pm. Edited 1 time in total
3rd Jan 2017 9:09 pm
donknizi
Member Since: 04 Nov 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
additional info from McGard
The black wheel nuts (VPLWW0078) and the matching locking wheel nuts (VPLWW0093) are accessories for the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport by McGard US.
There is also a chrome locking wheel nut set (VUB504120), which is supplied via McGard Europe for assembly of Land Rover vehicles.
All of these will be suitable to fit D4 alloy wheels (and D3/RR/ from 2006) - correct me if I am wrong.
update 9/1/17: There is, as of now, no "chrome" version wheel nut from McGard available for the Discovery 3/4 Range Rover or Range Rover Sport. Should there be sufficient demand (in the UK and other European Markets), McGard will consider production of a "standard" chrome wheel nut, possibly for the aftermarket.
The story looks familiar
I once had to replace about 10 of those whilst swapping the winter-wheels .. not a perfect timing
However, when I collected the D4 and asked about the nuts and the swelling issues, they replied "no, it's not an issue anymore" .. well, I think it still is .. the anti-theft nut is showing small marks of corrosion already.
However, I was rather looking for black ones and found these on fleebay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302145529067. I still need to ask the seller, as this part "THESE NUTS HAVE INTEGRAL WASHERS WITH STAINLESS STEEL CAPS" is not reassuring enough. I'd rather see "These nuts are a 1 piece nut that is a far better replacement for the standard nuts with the tin caps that fall off." as stated in the third link. However, no chrome options there either ..
I wonder why the VPLWW0078 nuts are different (looks they're one piece) from the RRD500510 ones ...
CheerzD4
Disco4.com sticker
D3 11y, 425k km - sold, miss it though (MAR, DNK, NOR, SWE, SCO, WAL, MUD ...)
16th Jan 2017 8:47 pm
donknizi
Member Since: 04 Nov 2016
Location: London
Posts: 21
Dear nessie, we are not alone . The VPLWW078 are indeed one piece or at least don't wear this stainless steel hat. I will have a closer look at mine tomorrow as they almost look as if the threaded part had been pushed inside the "casing" or the other way round.
I came already across the ebay listings of "mag wheel nuts" but the manufacturer seems unclear and I suspect most comes from China. This in itself is not necessarily an indicator of quality but the lack of a brand might suggest that the quality of the steel and chrome plating is not necessarily the best. So I fear that after a year these chinese wheel nuts will show some rust as your locking wheel nuts. Mc Gard claims that their coating is far superior to other coatings but after damaging the coating with the socket I would also expect some corrosion to creep in when in contact with salt spray; we will see.
In terms of a silver versions as of now only the Wrington Engineering hand polished stainless steel nuts appear trustworthy, everything else I have seen so far might not stand the test of time. After all with 140Nm torque they are receiving quite a torque.
18th Jan 2017 12:16 am
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50978
Re: Wheel Nut Options (solid wheel nuts)
donknizi wrote:
You will have to replace the "swollen nuts" sooner or later with new ones. So most of the experienced forum members will have a few spare ones in anticipation.
Never had swollen nuts ....but I've had blue balls and that was crucifying 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
18th Jan 2017 12:29 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
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Posts: 17932
Some batches of nuts seem worse than others. Almost all of my wheel nuts on my D3 were still original at the 8 year point. My D4 is nearly 4 years old now and the wheel nuts have become a real problem in the last year or so.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14429
I've replaced two in the twelve years I've had the old bus, so quite happy with that.D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
18th Jan 2017 7:21 am
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Replaced all mine of last year with a complete set from AF - no locking nuts, all solid
Local friendly tyre fitter did it for me - I couldn't shift them - he used an oversized socket, he also commented on the crap design as he does a lot of them (lots of Disco's, RRS and FFRR round here)
18th Jan 2017 8:06 am
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2083
I also have only had to change 2 nuts on my D3 in 11 years
I will have a closer look at mine tomorrow as they almost look as if the threaded part had been pushed inside the "casing" or the other way round.
What do you mean by that? Sounds like two parts are making up the bolt?
adam wrote:
Replaced all mine of last year with a complete set from AF - no locking nuts, all solid
Do you have a reference, please?
L319 wrote:
I also have only had to change 2 nuts on my D3 in 11 years
Moo wrote:
I've replaced two in the twelve years I've had the old bus, so quite happy with that.
You must be lucky guys I had about 10 in the same time-span, but after all, on average one bolt a year is not that bad
I wonder, would the seasonal tyre swap impact the condition of the bolts? It probably does, as does the way the tyre fitter losen and fasten them as well .. I guess.D4
Disco4.com sticker
D3 11y, 425k km - sold, miss it though (MAR, DNK, NOR, SWE, SCO, WAL, MUD ...)
18th Jan 2017 8:22 am
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Nessie - it was actually mid 2015 - time flies - I'll have a look but all I did was ring Steve up at AF and ordered them over the phone
18th Jan 2017 8:39 am
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Nessie - it was actually mid 2015 - time flies - I'll have a look but all I did was ring Steve up at AF and ordered them over the phone
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disgrace to british engineering; apparently Land Rover itself has stated that the original wheel nuts will corrode when used off road or in wet conditions...
. The VPLWW078 are indeed one piece or at least don't wear this stainless steel hat. I will have a closer look at mine tomorrow as they almost look as if the threaded part had been pushed inside the "casing" or the other way round.
in the light it looked as if the thread might be inserted; this is NOT the case!
From corroded caps to corroded washers ... ehm ... 
