Generally, most aftermarket rims from reputable dealers do come with lug nuts if required. But, if the dealer did not include the lug nuts, you can request it from the dealer and hear what he has to say.
An average Automobile is unique in its demand for quality maintenance and repair in response to wear and tear, from time to time.
As nothing best defines an automobile save an assembly of metals, nuts, bolts, and parts forming a whole structure, rims are thus essential members of the car.
Technically, yes. Rims may be said to come with lug nuts. This is the highlight: There is something called “Wheel studs.” Wheel studs are threaded fasteners that hold the wheel of many automobiles, and this wheel is what hosts the rim. It is onto these studs that Lug nuts are fastened to secure the wheel.
Hence, rather than say that rims come with lug nuts, we should say that the entire wheel which hosts the rim contains holes that are occupied by wheel studs. Lug nuts fasten wheel studs in turn.
It is all as good as the manufacturer designing the general nature and peculiarities of the wheel and designing the rim, the wheel studs, and lug nuts that fit each wheel perfectly.
What is a Rim?
By its outer edge, a cylindrical wheel holds the tire on the whole wheel. This cylindrical wheel is called the rim.
In automobiles, the rim forms the exterior circular design of the wheel on which the inside edge of the tire is positioned.
Rims are often taken as the same or nearly the same in meaning with the word “wheel,” -though technically speaking; it is not so. It is correct to admit that both ‘rim’ and ‘wheel’ are pressed from the same piece of metal, but a rim is only a part of the wheel and not the whole wheel.
Do Rims Come with Lug Nuts?
It depends on the dealer, if required, the dealer can add lug nuts to the rims, if not, they may not. You may need to request it from the dealer.
Some dealers can just intentionally not add pending whether you will ask or not. If you did not ask, he will not add it and if you ask, he may add, so try and ask the dealer.
Besides getting the lug nuts from the dealer the best so as to know the kind of lugs nuts the rims need so you don’t end up buying another lug nuts that can’t fit and wasting money and time.
More directly, lug nuts answer to their befitting wheel studs. I mean, lug nuts are concerned directly with the wheel studs designed to fasten. Hence, every wheel -containing a rim- comes with studs and nuts that fit perfectly.
Once the wheel stud finds its way through the wheel to which the rim is connected, the concern is what nuts fit the studs.
How Many Lug Nuts Do You Need for a Rim?
This question is subjective. By subjective, l mean the number of lugs needed for a rim is dependent on the brand of the rim.
I would have said it is dependent on the brand of the automobile, but automobiles are not stereotyped in the making. There are machines with differences in design, ability, and peculiarities, yet all are called automobiles.
Hence, the number of lugs needed for a rim is subject to what rim it is. Generally, a giant wheel tends to carry more nuts.
While normal cars come with four to five lug nuts and you shouldn’t drive with 4 out of 5 lugs, that is, assuming one is missing, to avoid stories that touch.
The least ever used is three, and it doubles as the least ever practical. An attempt at two lugs would leave huge areas not bolted.
Personal cars have between three to five lugs. Each wheel of a Mercedes smart car has three lug nuts. Smaller cars have four nuts on each wheel; five lugs are found on supercars and sportier models.
Overland or adventure vehicles, often addressed as off-roaders have about six lugs. In this category are small trucks and vans too.
For military vehicles, medium-heavy trucks, tractors, and extreme off-readers, eight-lug nuts may be nonnegotiable. Heavy military, big tractors, and trucks ride on ten lug nuts. Planes need as much as twelve to tango.
Reiterating on personal cars, five is the smallest number which ensures the safety of the wheel if one of the lug nuts is lost. To effectively secure the wheel, a car has the best lug nuts arrangement in the shape of a star.
Benefits of Rims to a Car
Rims are advantageous to a car, though not frequently seen as a steering component. Majorly, it serves as the only part of the automobile designed to host tires. By ‘host,’ I mean accommodate. The four tires, in the case of a car, find rest and balance for effective movement and alignment on the rims.
Cons of Rims to a Car
Good that rims accommodate tires, holding them in place. However, arguments against the rim seem to be arguments against the wheel as a whole.
1. Acceleration and Fuel Economy
Plus the evil of sluggish acceleration, a strain could be placed on fuel economy traceable to larger and heavier rims which cause automobile engines to work harder.
More simply put, more giant rims have larger weights which cause the engine to work harder than usual. This results in fuel consumption.
2. Tough Steering
It has been pointed out that cars with giant rims tell on the steering ability. Tires large in size mean increased weight, ending in stiff steering.
Poor car handling is not far suffered too. The most experienced drivers may be taken for some fresh learner on the highway.
3. Tire Wear
Large tires necessitated by giant rims wear out in no time. Thanks to the stern steering.
Do Lug Nuts Fit All Wheels?
Lug nuts fit only wheels designed to use wheel studs. Without wheel studs, nuts have nothing to be fastened to. Thus, if a wheel has been manufactured or designed to need studs, the need for lug nuts may be inevitable.
Can Lug Nuts Just Fall Off?
No. Lugnuts do not just fall off. A lug nut falls off eventually where the need to tighten its loose state is not fixed. Lug nuts are designed to reach a firm level of tightness when fastened appropriately, thus holding it firmly in its place. If it’s not tightened, it will continue to lose until it falls off.
Is it OK to Drive with Missing Lug Nuts?
Driving with missing lug nuts is as good as driving without tires. Where lug nuts are missing, tires have nothing to hold them in place on the wheels; hence, they fall off before the driver has moved any distance.
This, in no small way, increases the risk of accidents, car somersaults, and a resultant explosion.
In the case of a missing lug nut, extra pressure is exerted on the wheel. Driving a car in this state can cause other lug nuts to fall off damaging the studs and as well, the wheel bearings.
Conclusion
As rims are essential to every automobile, lug nuts are, too. While the rim hosts studs for the nuts, the nuts complete the studs, holding the tire in its place on the wheel.
The differences in lug nuts should be treated directly with the differences in rims. Automobile Users, for the sake of avoidable highway issues, are counseled to ensure an all-time elevated ‘sanity’ of their vehicle to the best of their abilities. Do not drive with missing lug nuts.