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Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:31 am
by Rattlenbang
I had my wheels rotated before my alignment a couple weeks ago, and today I found a missing lug nut. Checked them, and all were loose on that one wheel. Went back to big-o to complain and he was apologetic and said they have been having problems with a few Delicas doing this; all the nuts get torqued to 110 lbs, but they have had 3 come back to them in the last year with lug nuts working loose. He suspects that the round clip that holds the center cap might be coming a tiny bit off centre and if so, it doesn't sit on the shallow groove between the wheel and the brake drum, keeping the wheel from seating properly. Maybe. Anyway, I've you've recently had a wheel off, better double check them.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:11 pm
by alti2d
Agreed!!! Found 3 missing one one wheel one day soon after new wheels were installed. Bought some extra lugs just in case, everytime I have the van somewhere warm I go around and double double check. They can work loose.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:19 pm
by thelazygreenfox
Disagree
The only time my lug nuts were loose was when i didn't tighten them. I check mine frequently and they don't loosen up. I'd always be skeptical of a shops statement blaming the vehicle.
Good luck
TLGF

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:28 pm
by nxski
I disagree as well, I've never had them work their way loose, alloy rims should be tightened shortly after putting the wheels on, and shops will tell you this when you pick it up from them, but I've gone to tighten mine after and they hadn't loosened off at all (not to say they couldn't). The only reason they should work their way loose if the proper procedure is followed is if someone has been loosening them or maybe if you're driving on rough roads. I had mine almost fall off, it was one wheel that came loose and the general consensus between shops I asked is that someone was trying to steal my tires, which were brand new, while I was in Whistler.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:39 pm
by FalcoColumbarius
Disagree as well.
In fact torquing to 110 ft lbs is getting a little high and much more could lead to an eventual stripping of the stud. I had my lug nuts loosen on me once, that was after driving on 26 kilometres of rough FSR (not to mention the highway that got me there). The tyre people who had put them on told me that they had tightened them to the Mitsubishi spec or 80 ft lbs. In fact the Mitsubishi spec is between 95 & 105 ft lbs. I now torque mine to 100 ft lbs (since 2008) and when I check them a couple of weeks after going on because they're aluminium rims and I want to be sure ~ they're snug. Moral to this story ~ if you want to be sure a job is well done ~ double check it ~ peace of mind.

Falco.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:51 pm
by thelazygreenfox
Now we just need Mark to Disagree. Ha Ha

TLGF

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:32 pm
by konadog
I've heard the aluminum wheels are more apt to do this. I know my steel ones never have. I don't double check after the lads at CCA have rotated my tires either. They put wheels on with a hand torque wrench which is more than I do when I torque the lug nuts with a breaker bar to what feels right. Which, btw, I am entirely comfortable with. If I had a torque wrench I'd use it, but I'm not getting one just for a lug-wrench. I didn't check them after I got new tires at Kal-Tire this fall, and never have after dealing with them. It's not a bad idea I suppose, but you sure shouldn't have to. One has to assume that guys who put wheels on and off vehicles all day are going to know how to do it. Funny, my 71 VW bus had a horrible tendency for the lug nuts to get tighter. And I mean really tight. I had to carry a section of pipe to extend my wrench and I recall standing on the end of that...

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 6:48 pm
by Rattlenbang
Well, whether we agree or not, it might be an issue. Things like this tend to appear and not appear seemingly at random, which means not everyone will experience it. It might be the shop, but I prefer to give folks the benefit of the doubt, and really, if they had a habit of forgetting to torque wheels down, I doubt a tire shop would stay in business long. But the point is simply to double check your wheels with a torque wrench after a shop looks at them in case it might be an issue. Besides, as it was mentioned, you're supposed to do that anyway with alloy wheels after about 100k of driving.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:36 am
by yojimbo
I had a wheel fall off my Series 3 Landy once, it over took us, then jumped lanes then accelerated downhill in the opposite carriageway, luckily it didnt hit anything, but if it had I would have been very upset at the damage/injury/loss of life, so whether you agree or not its a serious business.

SOmething like this could be funky

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=w ... &_from=R40

I think the square fitted nuts that go on the pajero type rims are probbaly more secure than the cones though, but are also a real pain to take off and put on.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 6:55 pm
by FalcoColumbarius
Oh, you should always check your nuts, I do this all the time. Or in the case of Konadog whom has someone proven and trustworthy checking his. But if your nuts have been twisted up @ 110 ft lbs I really can't see them coming off. Seriously, ever since I started torquing mine @ 100 ft lbs they have never loosened. I still check them, all the same because that's the prudent thing to do.

Falco.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:09 pm
by Mephisto
That was simply a case of a careless worker and a supervisor despicably blaming the vehicle instead of taking the blame. They say to always double check to cover liability issues, as no matter how many times you put on wheels a person is still fallible, and can miss properly tightening a lug or two, or even worse an entire wheel. I would be more disappointed with the shop for blaming the vehicle than for forgetting to properly torque the lug nuts, as mistakes happen, but playing the blame game is something done intentionally.

Re: Check those lug nuts!

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:33 pm
by thedjjack
FalcoColumbarius wrote:Oh, you should always check your nuts, I do this all the time.Falco.
That is funny...LFMAO


But, change my wheels or had wheels off the delica tons never ever had one loose ever....Nothing on L300 any would explain a wheel coming lose...

You need to tighten the wheels again after you let it down off the jack