Skirt Nut for the Hub Piloted Wheel PREVENTS EMERGENCIES by limiting the owners liability. Virtually Eliminates wheel IMBALANCE and CLOCKING. Designed to provide a true running position for the Drums and Wheels. Extending the life of expensive Hubs, Tires and Wheels also Reduces Wheel maintenance and Re-tourquing Costs.
Cost savings - May be difficult to track for some Fleets, but Fleet costs can absolutely be reduced in critical areas:
Tire Wear - Improvements in tire life results from true-running wheels. Combine with tire balancing, your tire life can be greatly increased - by as much as 40%!
Suspension life - Many fleets report improvement in suspension life as a result of reduced wheel vibration.
Driveline life - Fleets report improved driveline life because off-center wheel vibrations are not transmitted into mechanical components.
Brake life - Reduced vibration damage improves brake life and performance.
Fuel Economy - True-running, balanced wheels can improve fuel economy by 5% - 8%.
We get asked many good questions by a lot of knowledgeable folks. A few of these are listed below. You may also address your questions directly to us just contact us for all of your inquires.
1. How does Skirt Nut compare to any other flange nuts in terms of quality?
Skirt Nut meets and exceeds all of the applicable standards for wheel hardware including SAE J1965. The nut is also Grade 10 material and has been independently tested for torque holding ability, etc. It is also specially coated to make it compatible with aluminum wheels and hubs. The results of engineering tests are available on request to the manufacturer's website, www.safetytrigo.com.
2. What stud sizes does Skirt Nut™ fit?
Right now, Skirt Nut™ can be used only on 22mm studs to fit the standard 10-hole and 8-hole hub-piloted disc wheels.
3. Can Skirt Nut™ be used with Budd Wheels?
Absolutely not! Budd wheels require nuts with a "ball seat" method of attachment.
4. What are the recommended torque settings for Skirt Nut™?
The SAE torque specification for M22 flange nuts is 370 500 ft/lbs and Skirt Nut is approved for that torque range. Skirt Nut also supports the Industry recommended torque setting of 450 500 ft/lbs.
5. Can Skirt Nut™ lose torque after initial installation?
Some torque can be lost with any flange nut due to the settling effect of all the components and is perfectly normal. It is also the reason why you must re-torque wheel nuts within the first 100 miles of installation. Even with some torque loss though, Skirt Nut™ will continue to hold your wheels concentric to the hub to prevent "clocking".
6. How can I tell Skirt Nut™ from other types of nuts?
The hex head of the Skirt Nut™ is notched on all six surfaces to make Skirt Nut™ easily identifiable.
7. Can Skirt Nut™ be used with aluminum wheels?
Absolutely! Skirt Nut™ is specially coated to prevent the steel-to-aluminum type of oxidation that can damage aluminum wheels. Your investment is safe with Skirt Nut™.
8. Do you recommend using a thread lubricant to prevent rusted studs?
We are concerned about lubrication only as it may affect torque values. Using a lube can distort your torque reading (usually causing over-torque) which can lead to mechanical failure of the stud and sometimes the hub. The stud is already protected from corrosion by Skirt Nut™ because it engages twice as many threads as a standard flange nut, which makes stud damage unlikely. Also, since torque is spread over more threads there is less likely to be any permanent stretch on the studs.
Some users report great success using a very high grade nickel-based non-seizing type of grease.
9. Should I use Skirt Nut™ on my drives and trailers?
Of course you should! It is a false economy not to do so. Why? Because the same dangerous conditions can exist on all axles even if vibrations may not be felt while the vehicle is loaded. Also, vibrations will be transmitted into the suspension and driveline, accelerating wear in both.
Tires will also wear excessively without Skirt Nut™, as much as 25% faster.
10. Will I have problems if I use only a few Skirt Nuts per wheel?
Yes. Some owners choose not to use ten Skirt Nuts per wheel. This can be a problem in some cases because a torque imbalance between studs can result, leading to vibration issues and accelerated wear on tires.
11. Is there a special Skirt Nut model for dual wheels?
No, this is not necessary. If the tires on any dual assembly are properly matched (within 1/4" of each other on circumference), the assembly will settle on center after installation. The inner wheel is "bossed" by the outer wheel, and no clocking on either wheel will occur.
12. Will I need to balance the wheels?
Possibly. Skirt Nut™ only eliminates any mechanical variance between the wheel and hub. This will correct a lot of vibration problems by itself, but tire-to-wheel balancing may still be required. Tire manufacturers recommend balancing the tire to the wheel for maximum tire life and performance. Balancing can improve tire life by as much as 40%.
13. What makes Skirt Nut™ retain torque while other nuts lose torque?
Skirt Nut™ engages twice the number of threads that other nuts do. This allows Skirt Nut to develop torque earlier in the tightening process, it spreads the torque over more threads, and at the moment where threads begin to stretch to develop peak torque, they are required to stretch less.
This results in more torque retained with less effort, less short term damage to components and far fewer broken studs.
Real world vibration tests have also shown that Skirt Nut will hold any torque setting longer than conventional flange nuts will as much as 2-1/2 times longer!
14. Do Skirt Nuts need to be retorqued like other wheel nuts?
Some torque loss can be expected after initial installation because all the component parts need to settle. After that, you should always follow recommended service procedures just as you would with ordinary nuts. However, you will note very little if any torque loss during your normal maintenance checks, a result of Skirt Nut's superior design.
The main point, though, is that even if Skirt Nut was to lose as much torque as other nuts, you will still enjoy the benefit of superior design your wheels will remain secure, they will not "clock", and you will suffer no wheel or hub damage.
15. Where is Skirt Nut™ made?
Skirt Nut™ is a patented product made only in North America to protect the manufacturer's commitment to providing a top quality product. As of today, it is the only nut of its kind, and it is the only product that eliminates the causes of wheel failure and damage.
Frankly, some cost-savings would result from off-shore sourcing, but quality would be extremely difficult to supervise. The manufacturer insists quality should not be compromised on this kind of product.
At present, the product is manufactured only in Brampton, Ontario.
16. Who invented it?
The patent holder and inventor of Skirt Nut™ is a long-time trucker who operates a mid-sized fleet in Canada and the U.S. His own fleet was the "proving grounds" for the product and he has continued to upgrade it over the last ten years.
He is proud to report that NO wheel attached with Skirt Nut™ has ever been lost!
© 2010. MB Clark Automotive.