2020 Jeep Wrangler Sport S stock JL wheels and tires on a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport JK.............NOT!

[TreborJL]

So I upgraded my 2020 Jeep Sport S JL with some 2020 Rubicon stock takeoff wheels and tires. Mine had the stock aluminum wheels and road tires. While my swap worked great, I tried to sell my old set to my neighbor after reading that the wheels would fit on his 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport and only the lug nut socket size was different. Thread size was supposed to be 1/2-20 on both from my internet research. Well I can tell you from personal experience that 2020 stock aluminum JL wheels will not fit on a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport with stock steel wheels. The first thing I noticed is the JL lug nuts fit really sloppy on the JK's studs which are supposed to be the same size thread. I had read that you can just use the stock JK lug nuts and all is well. The JK lugs do engage with the JL wheel holes but the size of the cone is so much smaller the lug nuts sit way down in the holes. This might not be an issue but also the amount of stud thread sticking out is much less than the stock JK steel wheels. I'd say about half the thread engagement. IMO this is unacceptable and unsafe. Maybe he could purchase longer studs? I have lost some faith in the interweb today. : ( Note: all the information I obtained about wheels and tires came from forums like this. Did I just happen to fall into special situation where the wheels can't be swapped? Or is the info presented on the internet wrong?

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[blnewt]

The JLs have a 14mmx1.5 thread pitch, the JKs are a 1/2"x20 lug thread. The wheel bolt pattern is the same so the wheels can be used on either model but you must use 1/2" lug nuts on JKs and 14mm nuts on JLs, and yes very unsafe, get those JL lug nuts off that JK vehicle ASAP!

 

[TreborJL]

The JLs have a 14mmx1.5 thread pitch, the JKs are a 1/2"x20 lug thread. The wheel bolt pattern is the same so the wheels can be used on either model but you must use 1/2" lug nuts on JKs and 14mm nuts on JLs, and yes very unsafe, get those JL lug nuts off that JK vehicle ASAP!

Now those stud sizes make sense as to what we experienced. We only test fit one JL wheel to see if it would fit. He is still running his stock wheels and tires since the wheel studs on his JK only stuck out of the JL wheels about 1/2 the distance with the stock JK wheels. I wonder how safe all of these JK owners are out there who are running JL wheels with the stock JK lug nuts or using the JL lug nuts (hopefully zero). Like I said it was about 1/2 the thread engagement as the stock JK setup which can't be good long term and the torque requirements are surely based on how many threads are engaged inside the lug nut. Thanks for the reply.

 

[blnewt]

Now those stud sizes make sense as to what we experienced. We only test fit one JL wheel to see if it would fit. He is still running his stock wheels and tires since the wheel studs on his JK only stuck out of the JL wheels about 1/2 the distance with the stock JK wheels. I wonder how safe all of these JK owners are out there who are running JL wheels with the stock JK lug nuts or using the JL lug nuts (hopefully zero). Like I said it was about 1/2 the thread engagement as the stock JK setup which can't be good long term and the torque requirements are surely based on how many threads are engaged inside the lug nut. Thanks for the reply.

Also the larger lugs on the JLs require much more torque, the JKs lug nuts are about 85-90 ft lbs IIRC, and the JLs are 130ft lbs.

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