Differences in the lug nuts?
 

So my bro in law has either a 96 or a 98 Tacoma(can't remember which year). His has the steel wheels and I bought a combo tire/wheel package and want to swap the earlier SR5 wheels onto his truck. Come to find out he needs different lug nuts because the steel wheels use different nuts than all the other trucks. Stealership wants $6.45 each(over $150 for all). So what are the differences? I'm guessing the steel wheels don't have that acorn/cone end? Is there a simple fix like a heavy duty washer or something?

There are two main types of lug nuts, the conical mount and the shoulder mount. The conical type are used on steel wheels, they have a angle to the end which fits into the chamfer on the steel wheel holes. If you are installing alloy or 'mag' wheels, you have to look at the type of seat around the lug hole to determine which type of lug nut is required. Some alloy wheels have a hardened seat insert which has the chamfered sides and they use the conical (acorn) type. Others have a straight lug hole with no seat or chamfer and they use a shoulder type of lug nut with a washer. I would look at the type of lug nuts that were on the SR5 wheels and match them. If you try to use the conicals with a washer, they may not grab enough thread on the wheel stud to hold, and even if they do, they will probably deform the softer metal on the alloy wheel holes. Aftermarket lug nuts are available many places. I picked up a set from Wal-Mart for my extra set of wheels. They cost about $30. for the set.

Yeah, it's kind of a pain but you do have to be careful to get the right lug nuts for the rims. I have 4 or 5 Different types of lug nuts! The Audi uses a spherical seat - very tough to break loose... Some straight shoulder nut mags use deep shoulders and some short, some wheels index on the nuts and therefore some of them the nuts have to fit the hole in the rim precisely (hint: buy their nuts with the rims,) some use conical seats, and the 97+ F150 has a unique-to-the-F150 lug nut for the factory rims, a new concept that is supposed to be impossible to overtighten and also won't loosen. Kind of has a captive washer and the nut bottom and the washer both sides are ribbed so they self lock. Funnny - they were recalled 18 months after their introduction because they wouldn't stay tight... So you have to look closely to make sure the nuts mate to the rim properly.

Ya I got em they suck. Go to the Junk Yard and grab em.