Help fitting alloy wheels?

Question

I bought a set of brand new KEI RACING RSS alloy wheels for my 1999 Civic from Wheelbase, but the idiots keep sending the wrong alloy wheel fitting kit (twice) for these wheels

After speaking to POTN, I purchased the following set:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/x20-Black-Alloy-Wheel-Tuner-Nuts-M12-x-1-25-Kei-racing_W0QQitemZ140231652450QQihZ004QQcategoryZ72257QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

What I want to know is that will I need these nuts go straight on to the wheels without any special tools, and will I need to purchase specialist alloy wheel locking nuts such as McGuard. I am really quite annoyed at Wheelbase for messing me about like this and will avoid them like the plague next time I shop for new wheels. My Kei Racing rims have now been gathering dust for 3 weeks. Hope somebody can help? Thanks.

Answer 1

The only thing you might need are rubber spigots, I needed some for my Swift GTi. McGuards are not ally specials, they are simply locking nuts. Just looked at your link, they are just black ally wheel nuts, they have a different seating angle than for steel. ALL ally wheel nuts would be the same, even the ones from your car if you had ally's from new.

Answer 2

For hard competitive driving always use steel rims,they will take lots more punishment.Alloys have a known problem in very frosty weather,you can find all your tyres flat in the morning if they are not treated correctly.The alloy can corrode and the seal breaks.

Answer 3

Absolute rubbish about alloys not retaining pressure, I've had alloys on my cars since the mid 80's, most are now fitted as standard, what a pile of nonesense!

Anyway, I can't understand why you refer to a wheel 'fitting kit' - the Ebay listing you show is a set of wheel nuts (and not for a Civic - it states they're for 5 stud wheels, the Civic has four). Never mind, you'll have some spare.

You will still need locking nuts if you want some - the 20 supplied in the set are al standard, none - locking ones.

Answer 4

Not an expert at all on your Honda, but there is nothing to fear from alloys - in fact it is my old cars on steel wheels which don't hold pressure all that well.  I have alloys on my cars (Alfa Romeo and Mercedes) which I have stopped bothering to check the pressures of, as they just never change.