I've got 4 x steel rims on my 940 wagon at present, and one wheel is a bit bent and beaten up, so I've elected to change over to a set of Volvo alloys off a 1996 wagon, that I got from a friend at a very reasonable price.

The rims are 15 inch alloys, 6J x 15 x 25, Volvo part 1329603, and I'm fitting standard 196/65 R15 tyres to these. (Dunlops specially formulated for the noisy / rough NZ road surface)

The tyre place fitted two new tyres to the first pair of rims, but balked at fitting these using the nuts that came with my steel rims, claiming that the alloy wheels should have a different sort of nut.

I rang the Volvo dealer, who went away and checked, and said that yes, there was a different nut listed - available on indent only, and NZ$15 (circa US$10) EACH !! Thats NZ$300 (US$200) for 20 nuts, and worth far more than the rims.

Naturally I went to the local car wrecker to look for a more affordable option, but Volvos aren't too common in little old Christchurch NZ, so I didn't have a lot of choice. A 1991 940 had a different style of alloy rim fitted, but was using the standard wheel nuts. A mid 80s 760 had some Volvo alloys fitted (yet another style) and these also appeared to use the standard nuts (as per my steel rims). The cars at the wreckers were all pretty messed around though, and no way could I be 100% confident that what was fitted was actually the correct thing.

The tyre shop guy postulated that maybe some of the crowds that sell fancy wheels and car aftermarket bits might have wheel nuts to suit, but I'm reluctant to go down this road until I know more. Why should a special nut be required ?

Close inspection of my alloy rims appears to indicate that where the wheel nut bolts down is a actually a steel (?) insert cast into the rim, and the hole in this appears to have a taper very similar to the taper on my steel rims.

Anyone care to comment as to whether a special nut is required or if my steel rim wheel nuts will do the job. If there is a special nut required, if someone could point me to a picture of what it looks like, or post a picture to the gallery, it would be appreciated.


John Marshall
1994 940GL wagon, 162,000km
Christchurch NZ

I'd watch out for:

The size of the lug nut. Make sure that the center cap can clear the nut. You want an open nut with that type of wheel.

The proper thread. 240s used standard threads, the 700/900s I've seen use metric. The later 960s might have used something different.

The proper shape. The alloy wheels on my 760 came with tapered nuts.



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alex

'89 765T, 177,8xx mi

There are diffences...BUT

Lugs that were on the car with steel wheels will work on the mags.
Lugs that were on the car with mags will work with the steels.

I'm not sure if it was a year difference or a model difference(200-700), but the 140-240 use SAE 1/2-20 lugs. The other uses a metric nut and stud.

The mags us a chrome lug because the are seen, and so you can grip it with your fingers as you are starting the nut. The open lugs that are are the steels are "ugly" and very difficult to hold while starting the threads. If you have the mags that have a hub cap, you can't use the chromed ones cause they are too long.

Bottom line is that if you are only switching wheels from steel to mag or back, the pitch of the hole and the lug nut are the same, and will work (when you change wheels this it the important thing to make sure match).

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Doug Margush - Independant Amsoil Dealer - www.lubedealer.com/irollracing

I've got 2 sets of those rims. They've been on 3 different cars, 240s and 700s; they all use the ordinary lug nuts, same as steel rims.
If the nuts are so special, how come the(steel) spare doesn't come with it's own set?

It's been my experience that they are the same -- at least on a '93 that I owned... but my situation was opposite yours. Mine came with alloys, and I bought a used set of Volvo steels w/ snow tires. I suppose it's possible that the alloy lug nuts will work on the steel wheels, but not vice versa.

Between what the tire guy and the Volvo dealership said, there's clearly a difference. I wonder if the problem is that Volvo changed the design in '96. If I'm not mistaken, on US model cars, '96 was the year they changed to a different offset (to match the FWD cars). Maybe they changed this as well.

Can you get your money back from your friend for those wheels? If so, I'd consider buying one of the sets you found in the junk yard... you know they'll fit.

Good luck, and post back with what you find out.

FYI: If that image you attached is of the wheels you bought... they're not original equipment from a '96. They're more like vintage '86. In which case, disregard what I said about the changeover in '96, because it definately does not apply to those wheels.

Jeff Pierce
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'93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow

I never used anything but standard nuts when mounting that nice old Sirius on my 240s. Can the 7/9 be a different situation? I doubt it.

Can you confirm that ID on the 10 spoke alloy wheel I've pictured (ie. Sirius)
Any idea of years and model range of Volvo that this wheel was used on ?

I have one plastic centre cap with a broken prong and missing snap ring and want to see about getting another, hence my interest in pinning down what car models used it. Given paucity of Volvos in NZ it may be quite a search..

Thanks to the advice from everyone above, I'll swap the rims over on my Brick today and use the standard nuts.

regards

John Marshall
1994 940GL wagon
Christchurch NZ

Your picture actually looks like the 'Nova' wheel that came std on my '84 760. See http://brickparts.d--r.com/wheels/

That "Sirius" wheel came in two forms, a sharp-edged spoke and a softer edge. Part nos.1229998-8 and 1329603-3. There were two caps as well, the nice steel cap of the 780 many-x wheel 1272666-7 and a plastic cap 1325475-0.
Most of the old wheels are the sharp-edged form that came on mid-80's 760 turbos. I might have some of the caps, drop me a note. Whether it pays to ship....?