[HwyStarJoe]

I getting my new tires mounted on the Cragar SS rims and then I'll put them on the car.
But I'm confused as to which lug nuts and corresponding washers I need. They're universal wheels with the oval stud openings. Will I need the center hole or offset hole washers? If I throw one on the car, will that tell me which style of washers I need?
I see different types and styles. I know I have to match the stud size.

What about not using the washers and using a type of lug nut that fits down in the holes instead? Is that an option or a no-no with universal rims?

Also, will the standard studs on our cars mount these wheels well enough, or do I need to replace them with longer (and possibly larger diameter) studs for peace of mind?

Thanks!

[Newstalgia Wheel]

If you look around the lug opening you will see the tabs on either side that the washers rest against for your paticular pattern!!
If your car is still 5x4.75 bp you will need the CENTER cut washers. (The offset washers are for 4.5 and 5.0 pattern.) You must use the washers with unilug Cragars, there is no other way of centering them up!! Your factory studs should be plenty long enough!!
Let me know if I can help you!! We stock all the lugs and parts if you need anything!!

[HwyStarJoe]

Thank you Mitchell... that helps a lot. I was confused on how the proper washer was determined.
The front hubs and rear end ('73 Nova) haven't been modified, so they're still the factory bolt pattern.

[HwyStarJoe]

Hmmmm..... threw a tape measure across the front lugs this morning as a sanity check for myself..... measured 4.5" which is the standard BP. So I'm assuming I'll need the offset washers.

[Newstalgia Wheel]

You need to measure from the outside of one stud to the center!!! of the third stud--skip one. This should yield 4.75. You DO NOT measure center to center on 5 lug pattern!!! That is how you are getting 4.5!!

[HwyStarJoe]

Thought I did.... because I had to cross the bearing cap.
But then again it was 5:45am and I hadn't had any coffee yet and my eyes were still shut.

I'll look again.... no biggy.

[Newstalgia Wheel]

Its 11:45 here and my eyes are still shut!!

[Steptoe]

When I brought my uni fit ss cragars a while back it came with instructions
One thing mentioned was Always use the cragar washers and nuts....

Even so I have a very faint vibration....
So had a chat to an old friend who not only is the Pres of the NZ muscl car club, owns a very tough 70, and a very respected manager of a major tyre chain.
1st thing he did is check that the balance weights on the rear drums dis not interfer where the rims go up against the them....filled a hairs breath smidgen off
2nd was he scraped all the paint off the drums where the rims touch the drum.

Then got a set of ordinary tapered lug nuts....used these to center the rims but not over tighten....then 1 at a time replaced each one with the factory cragar nut and washer ..and torqued each nut up.

Perfect.

Some months later I had to take a couple of wheels off....didnt use the taperd lugs to locate...slight vibration between 65 and 80 mph.
I was couriose, to located with the lug nuts on 1 wheel....very slight vibation around the 75mph only
Did the other perfect.

[HwyStarJoe]

Thanks Steps.

I've found that the stock lugs on the front wheels (haven't checked the rears yet) are WAY too short to get tapered nuts on them. Probably didn't even catch 4 threads. The Cragars are thick in the center so I'm going to need lug nuts that spin on past the washers and down inside the wheel hub.
I'm sure the rears are the same way.

[Steptoe]

Probably didn't even catch 4 threads.

The tappers only need enough to nick up to hold the wheel firm..put too much torque on them and you will distort the stud hole.
The taper on each stud will line up the wheel straight,,,then remove each one by one and use the cragar stud nut and washers.