Our wheels & tires were rotated by the dealer recently. Since I am OCD, I always check the torque on the lug nuts afterwards. Good thing too, because I found that they were inconsistently tightened by the dealer....



But that isn't the purpose of this Topic. What was interesting was the ENGINEERING and complexity of the lug bolt assembly!





Interesting how the main threads do not go the entire length of the bolt. The tapered aluminum 'hat' is free to spin independently, and is 'sealed' with a small o-ring.

I bet this is to mitigate any effects of road salt or corrosion.

I tried to look up genuine replacement bolts but none of the ones I saw available were designed the same way. Didn't find any description of the design, either.



I just thought I'd share.

 

I never have my tires rotated for this reason. Also, if the alignment and setup on the car is spot on from the factory - I don't want to mess with it. If it means I need new tires sooner, so be it.

 

I never rotate unless I see uneven wear.

 

Anyone ever seen lug bolts like this? 3 of the 4 cars in our current fleet use bolts (rather than lug nuts). Besides the RX, only one has a washer that contacts the wheel...but that car's is flat, not conical.


Some wheels are lug-centric (the lugs determine proper positioning of the wheel to the hub). Others are hub-centric, where the center of the wheel is positioned by the fit of the wheel to the car's hub. It looks here as if the lug bolts are what center the wheels.

I agree about not doing an alignment 'just because'...I too believe that if the tires wear evenly (and are not 'feathered') then NO ACTION REQUIRED.
But rotating in order to keep front diameter equal to rear (which could be sensed by the ABS system) is desirable with some makes.

When we buy tires, I always bring my torque wrench along to check tightness. Like I said, I'm crazy about how our cars are maintained.



Another symptom of my craziness: I always position our cars' wheel center symbols to be upright, when the valve is at the bottom...

Therapy hasn't helped me.

++++++++++++++

I just wanted to see if anyone else noticed the complexity of the lug bolt design, or had found out WHY they are designed like that..

Another thing that keeps me awake: HOW DO THE RX's WINDOWS KNOW THEY ARE NEAR THE END OF THEIR TRAVEL so that they can slow down and close quietly? LOL
It's HARD to be ME...

 

Similar lug nuts like Mitsubishi.

 

This looks like it spells bad news for me.

 

Actually this brings up another point - changing a flat on a car with lug bolts is a bear without a wheel hanger tool, because there is nothing to hang the new wheel on while you thread the first bolt. Does anyone know what thread dimension these bolts are, I need to order a hanger shaft.

 

I used to think that but after some german cars, prefer it on my Audi, I have come to like it better and i dont have a hanger. Hanging it on the bore diameter is enough to hold the rim in place with one hand, one finger even, or a foot near the base of the tire gets me there. Personal preference is all.

The size listed here. 2023 Lexus RX350h bolt pattern (1010tires.com)

I wanted to re-use my winter alloys from my 3RX but now really understand the problem.

 

Yes, it is indeed an M14x1.5, but none of the amazon parts cross reference to a Lexus (just the German cars). Still, I will get one, after a quick check to make sure the factory spare wheel/tire/jack kit doesn't have one.

 

I never felt the need for a wheel hanger tool on our other cars...I just look in at the holes to position them, and get one bolt started. Of course, I always lube-up the hubs with Anti-Seize the first time the wheels are removed.

If that is outside your comfort zone, buying a bolt from a home store and cutting the head off would serve the purpose, wouldn't it?

 

The spare tire kit should have one. My IS350 with lug bolts has one. it's a yellow plastic piece that threads into one of the bolt holes.

 

I've read that plastic ones can't be trusted - you hang the wheel on it, it breaks, and you are left with the threaded plastic head being stuck in the hub assembly.

 

I agree. But theoretically it’s something you don’t use every day. It’s for emergencies. I’ve removed my wheels plenty of time and I’ve actually never used it. I rest the tire on my toes and move the tire up and down as needed and put the bolts in with a socket. Hasn’t failed me yet

 

Yes, the spare kit does have the plastic one, I confirmed that yesterday.

 

I have a set of dedicated summer and winter tires for all of my vehicles, so I am changing tire sets twice every year. I have never been a big fan of lug bolts and personally prefer lug nuts/studs. But it is not a deal breaker either when it comes to buying a new vehicle.

One of my other vehicles is a Volvo which uses lug bolts too, and for many years I have used this wheel install guide to hang the wheel while I work the bolts in: https://www.ipdusa.com/products/1171...lvo-MTC-171190. For me, this makes the job easier and quicker.

I took one look at the plastic install guide provided with my RX and decided that there must be a better solution. This guide might be fine for periodic tire changes due to flats but I just don't trust it to not break at some point (I am well aquatinted with Murphy's Law....).

Thinking that the lug bolts on my Volvo and Lexus look very similar in size and thread pitch, I tested the Volvo guide for fitment on the RX and it was a match. I had two for my Volvo and really only one is needed, so I now carry one of these guides in the RX. So for anyone wanting a wheel install guide that won't break, here is a great solution, IMHO.