Patent ID: 8087860

Claim:
A method for visually verifying that a lug nut has been threadibly engaged with a mating automobile wheel stud of the type having a plurality of external threads including an outermost first external thread and an unthreaded extension, the method comprising: (a) providing a lug nut including internal threads, a seating end, an outer end, and an indicator member removably attached to the lug nut proximate to the outer end, the indicating member including an opening sized to permit passage of the unthreaded extension, but not the external threads; (b) placing the lug nut onto the wheel stud; and (c) the axial dimension of the threads on the stud between the wheel rim and the end of the threads being the same as the axial dimension of the internal threads on the nut body; (d) wherein displacement of the indicator member from the lug nut provides a positive visual indication that all of the internal threads of the lug nut have been engaged with the external threads of the wheel stud, and wherein non-displacement of the indicator member from the lug nut provides a negative indication that all of the internal threads of the lug nut have not been engaged with the external threads of the wheel stud.