Wheel rims have been designed with an optimum number of studs and nut torquing to provide a balanced load that is not subject to flexing. Zafety Lug Lock® has been designed and engineered to ensure that the wheel nuts have resistance to loosening, maintaining these balanced loads on the rims. The purpose is solely to assist in ensuring the nuts on the studs continue to provide this balanced load on the wheel rim. Wheel nuts will loosen as a result of temperature change, wheel end vibration and rim surface condition.
Zafety Lug Lock® prevents wheel loss by using the resistance between two nuts to minimize their ability to rotate and loosen. The unique design pairs together two lug nuts and ensures that resistance is applied continuously to the lug nuts to secure them from loosening. The raw materials that are used in the manufacture of Zafety Lug Lock® have a long history of engineering applications involving extreme environments, both in temperature ranges, and in chemical exposures. The resulting product is chemically inert and resistant to intermittent and continuous exposure to the range of chemicals typically found in automotive and transportation applications. Most importantly Zafety Lug Lock® has a high strength to weight ratio, and the design has been proven in independent vibration testing to retain lug nuts from rotation in operating temperatures ranging from -40⁰F (-40⁰C ) to +122⁰F (+50⁰C).
Zafety Lug Lock® in high temperature formulation is functional with wheel end temperatures up to 450⁰F (232⁰C) and is suitable for severe stop and go braking.
Installation procedures
It is important that not only should Zafety Lug Lock® be installed properly but also that Zafety Lug Lock® be installed on all wheel end lug nuts and not leave any pair of nuts unsecured. To not do so is not only unsafe, it promotes added stress on the secured nuts, stud bolts and wheel rim increasing the risk for potential serious lug nut, stud bolt or wheel problems.
Wheel rims have been designed with an optimum number of studs and nut torqueing to provide a balanced load that is not subject to flexing. Zafety Lug Lock® has been designed and engineered to ensure that the wheel nuts have resistance to loosening, maintaining these balanced loads on the rims. The purpose is solely to assist in assuring the nuts on the studs continue to provide this balanced load on the wheel rim. The purpose of preventing a loose nut is to prevent the occurrence of rim flexing. A single nut coming lose creates an unbalanced load on the rim, which may result in flexing of the steel. Continuing to drive a vehicle in this condition is creating stresses on the remaining lug nuts that they were not designed for. In addition we have not completed any testing of wheels with the Zafety Lug Lock® in situations where the wheel has effectively lost any of its nut retention. Thus we cannot claim the product will function in these situations. In fact without extensive long term testing there are concerns this may create a sense of security, which is not justified. Any loose nut will permit the wheel rim to flex adding stress to the other wheel end components. This stress can potentially result in the following incidents:
Rim flexing and wheel wobble
Additional unsecured nuts beginning to loosen
Nut backpressure stripping the Zafety Lug Lock® gripping teeth.
Wheel studs being cross-threaded.
Broken or sheared stud bolts.
Damage to rim mounting holes.
Damage to wheel or loss of wheel
Therefore it is critical that a nut does not loosen. The practice of securing select nuts with Zafety Lug Lock® and not securing other nuts on the same wheel only increases the possibility of wheel rim flexing, the occurrence of events described above and defeats the sole purpose for which Zafety Lug Lock® is designed.
Improper installation and use of Zafety Lug Lock® will also invalidate the warranty provided by the manufacturer.
Removal procedures
Zafety Lug Lock® (ZLL) must be removed before all nut loosening, nut removal or wheel removal activity. ZLL can be removed easily at indoor temperatures. Correctly removed Zafety Lug Lock® units can be reinstalled. In cooler or cold weather conditions, ZLL may be more difficult to remove and the procedures detailed below should be followed:
Normal procedures:
1. Use your fingers (gloves if needed) to pull up on the ends of the ZLL unit adjacent to the nuts, using an outward wiggling or flexing motion.
2. Do not pull the ZLL unit from the center area between the nuts.
Cold weather procedures:
1. Select a flat piece of metal with a 90-degree bend and no sharp edges to assist in removal. A SPECIFIC TOOL (Fig. 1) or small crowbar, pry-bar tool or lady-finger tool works well. In our product listing we sell such a tool.
2. Do not attempt to remove the ZLL unit by applying force at the middle section between the lug nuts.
3. Place the tool as close to the nut as possible and apply pressure to move the ZLL unit off the nut (Fig. 2). A gentle wiggling or flexing motion will successfully remove the ZLL unit.
4. Repeat step 3 for ALL remaining lug nuts.
5. Prior to reinstallation. Allow the ZLL units to warm to indoor temperature.
Figure 1
Figure 2