Are Steel Lug Nut Inserts Needed for 16" Aluminum Trailer Wheels

Published 09/22/2021

Question:

Whats your feeling of importance of the steel in the lug well on these different aluminum trailer wheels? I see some have them and some dont. Is it a deal breaker if your looking for a trailer wheel and it doesnt have the steel s? Im looking specifically at 16inch wheels with the 4080# rating, so more at the top of the load carrying capacity. One concern I have is, if the lug nut is clamping onto the metal , what keeps the itself from over time becoming loose in the aluminum lug well of the wheel? Thanks for your input!!

asked by: Ryan

Helpful Expert Reply:

There are some aluminum trailer wheels that have steel lug inserts and some that don't. The steel lug inserts are a nice added feature to help further protect the wheels but it's not a must have. Honestly, I wouldn't let it sway me one way or another. The main thing they help with is reducing deformity of the lug nut holes with frequent tightening of the lug nuts. It also helps protect from deformity when over-torqueing. The Aluminum Lynx Trailer Wheel part # LHSL513B is a 16" wheel with 8 lug pattern and 4,080 lb rating. It also has steel lug nut inserts.

In regards to running aluminum trailer wheels without steel lug inserts, since aluminum is a softer metal it is recommend to periodically check the lug nut torque more so than steel wheels but it's not common for them to come loose, just an extra added measure of safety.

expert reply by: Conner L