Well, after a long spring completing my masters, I've finally got a weekend to change out my winter tires after a long delay. Unfortunately, the Kazera KZ-R rims use a special lug nut that required an adapter to remove/install and guess what?...It' doesn't hold up very well. The damn thing broke on my mid-install, and now I have a car with 2 18" wheels and 2 17" wheels becasue I can't get the Kazera off, and can't put them on either, there is no way to tighgten/loosen the lugs. No one seems to have a replacement adapter anywhere, so I'm going to have to call Tire Rack tomorrow and see if they can set me up with one.

I just wish I had been told I was getting something so specialized before I bought it. Now I am without a car until I resolve thtis mess. Befoire you buy, be sure you know what you are getting into. Even the auto/tire places I went to couldn't help me.

This really sucks.

 

I've used mine for 2 years now without any problems... must have had a defected one

 

^hehe i bet it was made on friday or monday :p

seriously though that sucks...hopfully teh 18"'s are on the rear..so it'll look agressive...lol

 

Boy if only! Unfortunately, I only got the front passenger 18 on. The rear passenger has loose lug nuts that I can't tighten, so the car has to sit where it is. Hopefully, if I call Tire Rack in the morning, they'll be able to set me up with a replacement, I'll even pay overnight shipping to get it

 

Call around to different aftermarket wheel places in your area, they might have what you are looking for. Aftermarket rims often have smaller diameter lugs and they should all carry those type adapters.

 

It has happened to me a couple of times. Both times I went to a tire shop and they removes them without a problem. The first time I losted a key, and the second time I broke the key. Both times they used a chiesel and impact gun and an over size socket to remove the locks. It took half an hour and they didn't even damage the wheel, just give you locate tire place a call, these things happen.

 

I had the same problem while installing my Kazera's this past week. The lug nut adapter split while I was torquing down my lug nuts. It seems as if those thin walled sockets provided do not hold up very well. I was stuck with two 17" tires on one side of the car and two 18" tires on the other side. After about 5 hours of searching I located this socket at an antique sports car shop in the area. I have since had Tire Rack send me a free replacement and purchased an additional socket in the event that this happens again.

 

I learned the hard way to keep a couple of extra lug adapters on hand. I local performace shop sells them. Never even think of cranking away with one until you are sure it is firmly seated.

 

I didn't even take the Tire Rack socket out of the box until after I installed all 4 of my winter tires. They included 2 of them with my wheels. I used a standard Craftsman socket and ratchet to install, then the socket with torque wrench to tighten. I don't have Kazeras, but I assume they're the same as the Koseis I got. I'm gonna bet a standard 1/2 drive socket is gonna last longer than your car, and definitely longer than the cheapo adapters Tire Rack throws in for free. I'd recommend getting a quality socket and breaker bar to keep in the trunk in place of the standard lug wrench that is not the proper size anymore.

If anyone wants the 2 Tire Rack sockets (17 hex x 17 hex x L 110mm) I have, let me know, and I'll send em your way.

 

The Kazera's lug nuts do not use a standard adapter. The lug nuts need an extended 6 point, splined, thin walled socket. Good luck finding that at your local auto/hardware store.

 

Since I've been thinking of getting a set of Kazera rims for snow tires can anyone tell me if I can just replace the lugs with some that will fit a standard or metric socket?

 

Like PETEC said : once you get this tool from tire rack I would remove all the special lugs and get some 'tuner lugs' you should be able to find a set at a local wheel/tire place, the one by mean has a few differnt types, for 1 dollar each (so 20 bucks for our car) not bad... They use a standard size socket to take them off.

There are also spline drive that use a special socket, but actualy have MORE surface area to grip...but you could run into the same problem with those.

 

hmm... make that 3 years now without any problems