Lefty loosey, righty tighty

[Racer Boy]

So after a hit-and-run, you now have the problem? It doesn't appear that the wheel or surrounding bodywork is damaged, so I don't understand what the hit-and-run has to do with your issue. Why did you have to remove the wheel after the hit-and-run?

I'm just trying to understand what is going on. Is the problem merely that you have aftermarket wheels that aren't hub-centric and probably don't fit properly, or is the problem that the car got some damage in the hit-and-run crash?

[Strayconch]

The highly unlikely case of two tires kissing and nothing else as he was sitting at an intersection she turned into him. My driver side rear. Her driver side front. Rubber to rubber. We lost. It pushed the wheel out 15 deg and he had to crab home. All parts replaced and realigned. I just can't get it to mount centered. I think the mounting studs will help. I like the wheels, just tricky to mount. Thanks for your help.

[Strayconch]

I'm out of town. Best picture I have for now.

[Strayconch]

[Strayconch]

[mikefocke]

So you take the center cap off the wheel so you can see the hub and how the wheel fits there. You hoist the wheel and center one lug hole over the hole in the hub and you choose one of the topmost ones. You insert the first lug bolt and turn it a few times. You now center the other holes and insert their lug bolts and tighten a few turns by hand. You note the way the inside of the lug nuts will contact the wheel and act to center the bolt in the lug nut holes in the wheels as the bolts are tightened. Now you tighten the bolts a bit at a time in a pattern that skips around, not doing two consecutively but every third one (from memory). You tighten then by doing this a few turns at a time going around the rim. I actually hold the tire and rim in place with my thighs while I am tightening the bolts so I am bearing the weight and so they go in the center of the bolt holes in the wheel and I'm not depending on the bolt head to center the bolt in the hole. You tighten until the wheel doesn't wiggle and the bolts are centered and bearing the weight of the wheel and tire, then get out the torque wrench.

At what point in this sequence are you seeing a problem? I think people are having trouble seeing what you are seeing.

[Strayconch]

I use the same technique while cradling the tire between my feet. I think you hit the nail on the head as I was ordering an Alignment pin last night at 3:00 a.m. I noticed the ball style lug nuts. I have the beveled lug nuts. The cross member and upper control arm were bent and replaced along with a new 4 wheel alignment. I will be ordering a new set. I have spacers. What size bolts do you recommend