Don't loose a wheel in Northern Indiana!

OK - So I didn't lose a wheel but I did run into town to pick up some lug nuts. After a trip to Auto Zone, Advance Auto, Big R (like a tractor Supply) and a few other stores I managed to find 1 lug nut! Not like it was an odd ball, I just needed a handful of 7/16-20 open end lug nuts. They all had tons of stick on chrome plastic, vinyl stickers, and fuel injection cleaner but no one has plain old lug nuts. I guess now I know why I do most of my shopping on-line! Rock Auto here I come!

 

Last time I needed some I bought them at the pull a part yard.

 

I have a crapload of new ones for oddball stuff I got in a parts store going out of business auction in a little one-stoplight town that was just big enough to have had a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership - but not big enough to have had a showroom in said dealership. Thinking about just scrapping them, I've had them out at shows and no interest and they're probably not worth enough to spend the time to list online.

 

you have to go to the counter and ask for them- the light bulbs and lugnuts and other real parts are behind the counters and only cents/each instead of in the blister packs out front for 3.49....

I was gonna buy a two pack of 1157 bulbs for 2.50 and the guy just grabbed a couple from behind for 29 cents/each or something stupid cheap like that...

-rick

 

I went to the counter and they really only had 1 between all the stores! I know a few shops that will have them during the day tomorrow. It just reminded me of the local Harley dealership. They have 1000's of T-shirts but have to order brake pads, WTF!

 

Another problem is foundin quality ones.
The last set i ordered went to fuk the 1st time i unbolted them.
The thread looked like if it was aluminium, you can knock it by lightly pushin it w/ a screwdriver! and its not like its a case. Many are built this way.

 

Junkyards man , that's the "traditional" way of doing things around here for people who have more knowledge than pocket book , and most of the time , they're free when you pick up some other small part...

 

We were towing a rented 4 wheeled trailer with 6 Harleys in it. On the return trip from Sturgis SD event a few years back. One of the wheels passed us on the highway. Somewhere in the middle of West Virginia. Seems all the lug nuts just snapped off. We limped into a small out of the way town, it was sunday morning. We pulled into a garage/scrapyard towing service place. We called the number on the door and they said someonewould be there shortly, he only lived amile away. We waited over an hour and no one showed. I told one of our follow car drivers, lets go into town there's alway an open auto parts store. we walk in the store to buy studs and nuts. We ended up buy 4 different type/sizes in cluding one left hander. Get back to the garage, it's been about 2 hours now andno one has showed yet. I look around and find a jack that looks like you could die using it. Jacked up the trailer and knocked out what remained of the old broken studs with an iron rod and a hunk of iron. Put the new studs in loosely and mounted the wheel and tightened it on. It's been 2 3/4 hours now and we are packing to leave, the guy ( looks like someone from deliverance...I think I hear banjo music in the back ground) finally shows up, we ask to use the bathroom, say thanks and leave. He's probably still standing there waiting for someome to showup.

 

We were towing a rented 4 wheeled trailer with 6 Harleys in it. On the return trip from Sturgis SD event a few years back. One of the wheels passed us on the highway. Somewhere in the middle of West Virginia. Seems all the lug nuts just snapped off. We limped into a small out of the way town, it was sunday morning. We pulled into a garage/scrapyard towing service place. We called the number on the door and they said someonewould be there shortly, he only lived amile away. We waited over an hour and no one showed. I told one of our follow car drivers, lets go into town there's alway an open auto parts store. we walk in the store to buy studs and nuts. We ended up buy 4 different type/sizes including one left hander. They really should replenish their stock! Get back to the garage, it's been about 2 hours now andno one has showed yet. I look around and find a jack that looks like you could die using it. Jacked up the trailer and knocked out what remained of the old broken studs with an iron rod and a hunk of iron. Put the new studs in loosely and mounted the wheel and tightened it on. It's been 2 3/4 hours now and we are packing to leave, the guy ( looks like someone from deliverance...I think I hear banjo music in the back ground) finally shows up, we ask to use the bathroom, say thanks and leave. He's probably still standing there waiting for someome to showup.

 

hell i would have been knocking on farm doors,--but thats me.
then the guy could show ya his 32 5 window out back....LOL

 

Usually tire stores have them since they strip them out regularly.

 

tire stores or pull a part

 

Not so strange that stuff like this is getting scarce in stock...I think anything out there that uses SAE lugs is eligible for the AACA. Around here, where road salt rules, there are few traditional cars left in regular use and they are mostly vanished from the junkyards too. The stuff most rodders consider "late model" like disk brakes and 9" rears are from vehicles that are now relics...
Probably the last 500 lugs that store sold were all metric for Hondas and Toyotas.

 

I thought about stopping by the neighbor's house and getting a handful off one of his cars. Considering I've had to run him and his thief of a kid off my property more than once it would have been justice served! I should be able to get them today, when the REAL parts stores are still open!

 

hmm, guess another thing to add to the tool box.. who would of thought..

chris.

 

I've had it happen on my chevy. Just hitched a ride to the nearest Napa warehouse store. They definately have everthing in stock. I have also bought lugnuts by the pound from the part store, but as some have said they were kept behind the counter.LB

 

unfortunately once a crook always one.. my mom just lost 8k worth of rings to my brothers gf.. yet she denies, unfortunately she is the only one who could of done it.. mom is going to pond shops today.. my guess it was used for drugs and a dealer has the rings.. i hate theifs, now i dunno how ill ever be able to be nice to her at family reunions. why would he stay with her, they have a 6 month old kid.. so i would hate to be him this week.. stealing from family is the worse.. sigh.
chris.

 

For whatever reason have tone of them laying around usually. But when I want new ones I go to NAPA. its a sure thing there.

 

........and thats the way stuff like that happens. Well not to me but you know what i mean.

 

Last time I went in looking for 1/2 x 20 lug nuts, I heard the dreaded "What's it off of? I gotta look it up in the computer.". I wish I was making that up. Needed 5, finally found 4 of them (in the back, on a dusty shelf). But, had I needed an air freshener shaped like a crown...they had me covered.

 

One word....NAPA. Autozone, O'reilly's, Advance, Pep Boys, Big A, Carquest, Checker etc. etc. is the last place I go if I'm looking for real parts.

 

It is strange... I had a lugnut search a while back and was amazed I couldn't find any at any local parts stores.

Yes I have a set of five real pre50s ford lugnuts in my vehicle toolbox now.

You can get, I think, the best repos here... Roy Nacewicz - fordbolts.com

That sucks. But why would they bring it to pond shop

 

Also in Indiana, though I don't know that it matters...

There are more and more common parts that are being discontinued as our world gets further and further behind that of normal civilians.

The last time I bought Felpro Blue head gaskets for my 327, the parts guy told me to get them while I could because all they would have left is what is left in stock.

 

My local NAPA has ford lugnuts in stock I have all new on my 39.

 

Ooooooo.....chrome stick on plastic.

 

I stock them at my tire store, not for sure what part of IN that you are from, but I would try a local tire dealer if you haven't got any yet.

ps I'm from Chesterton

 

What about Kniola's???

 

Yeah, I hit Jack up at Kniola's his happen to be out but hooked me up with some like the stock car guys use. They take a 1" socket and are made so the wheels cannot pull thru. Maybe I'll hit deansrr tonight, I believe I know which shop is his.

 

last time I went to the local "parts place" and looked for lugnnuts, I told him the exact size I needed, but he still wanted to look them up on a computer.

He asked what are they for?

I again told him the size

What year car?

a '47 Ford, with a 77 Mustang II suspension, with rotors that have been drilled to 5 lug.........

blank stare........

 

Yeah, uh, I just looked and I have 26 7/16 in stock and 58 1/2 stock open stock style lug nuts. But! No stick on "port vents" or other such shit! We tend to sell more industrial/farm supplies then your average FLAP (Favorite Local Auto Parts)
But we also stock POR15 and refill NOS, custom battery cables, etc.