Lugnuts - yes or no?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,782
Likes: 15
From: Lower Mainland B.C.
Lugnuts - yes or no?
You take your vehicle in for new tires, or to rotate tires, or to have the brakes inspected/replaced. Bottom line is the tire/rim comes off the vehicle and when I leave from the "shop" they tell me to re-torque the lugnuts after 100kms of driving, which I do.
But I am wondering about everyone else, do the shops/garages tell everyone this?
or
Do the shops/garages tell most people to bring the vehicle back after 100kms of driving for re-torqueing of the lugnuts?
Wouldn't this cause loosening problems for vehicles that DO NOT have their nuts tightened again? (I can't think of a way to re-word that for some reason...)
But I am wondering about everyone else, do the shops/garages tell everyone this?
or
Do the shops/garages tell most people to bring the vehicle back after 100kms of driving for re-torqueing of the lugnuts?
Wouldn't this cause loosening problems for vehicles that DO NOT have their nuts tightened again? (I can't think of a way to re-word that for some reason...)
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 173
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i have heard this once, when i bought my tires at walmart (go figure), they told me to retorque them or bring it back in the next day to retorque them...believe me i took it back, i could almost take off every lug nut by hand the day after...
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 339
Likes: 1
From: north central Indiana
It's called "maintenance".....a term that apparently very few people are familiar with these days. Yes, lug nuts can loosen until they've been torqued and run enough to "take a set". It's not normally an issue in most cases but it can and has happened. Why risk it? Get out the lug wrench and check 'em!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,651
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From: Maine
I've seen it printed on the reciepts from a few places that sell tires in Maine.
Here's the best reason to do it though: I've twice seen shops screw up the process of reinstalling lug nuts. Once, my friend's wheel fell off shortly after having new tires installed (the vibrations from the wheel wobbling on the hub broke off the studs, I think); and after a brake job, a local place only put 3 of the 5 lug nuts on someone's Jeep. If you or they look at it, they should find any errors that were made.
Here's the best reason to do it though: I've twice seen shops screw up the process of reinstalling lug nuts. Once, my friend's wheel fell off shortly after having new tires installed (the vibrations from the wheel wobbling on the hub broke off the studs, I think); and after a brake job, a local place only put 3 of the 5 lug nuts on someone's Jeep. If you or they look at it, they should find any errors that were made.
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: State of Misery (Missouri
The ones that don't need to be redone, are the ones where they used the airgun and overtorqued. With today's alloy wheels, expansion and contraction, it is neccassary, more then ever, to recheck them.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
With aluminum wheels it is a good idea, though not needed in most cases if you used an actual torque wrench instead of a torque stick. Then did the lugs in a star pattern and then followed around one more time in a circle.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: wichita kansas
I have been told that it was mainly with the alum wheels that this is needed most, but is a good idea no matter what. With my B3000 however my problem was not being able to get them off. 3/4 in breaker bar finally broke them loose. Luckily I had the flat at home and not on the road so that I found out about that problem and also not having a key to the spare tire carrier lock.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
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From: Isanti, MN
A little off topic but...
I would check them regardless of whether they recommend it or not because of the simple fact that mistakes happen, and no mechanic will ever have the personal interest in YOUR car that you will.
In November of 2003, I was driving a government van in Norfolk, VA through a construction zone. I was going around a corner when I saw a tire come barrelling straight at me. I couldn't avoid it, and it hit me, deploying the airbags, pushing the bumper into the wheel, and making the van undriveable. The vehicle coming the other way was an '01 Ram truck that had gotten new tires that day, but the tire shop didn't torque the lugs down on the left front wheel. The wheel went into me, and the truck swerved into a pile of dirt. I still thank god that the left front tire was the one that came off, as if it were the right front tire, the Ram would have gone into me, with the tire going into the dirt pile.
It was a real PITA because of the mountain of paperwork I had to fill out being involved in an accident with a government van...
I would check them regardless of whether they recommend it or not because of the simple fact that mistakes happen, and no mechanic will ever have the personal interest in YOUR car that you will.
In November of 2003, I was driving a government van in Norfolk, VA through a construction zone. I was going around a corner when I saw a tire come barrelling straight at me. I couldn't avoid it, and it hit me, deploying the airbags, pushing the bumper into the wheel, and making the van undriveable. The vehicle coming the other way was an '01 Ram truck that had gotten new tires that day, but the tire shop didn't torque the lugs down on the left front wheel. The wheel went into me, and the truck swerved into a pile of dirt. I still thank god that the left front tire was the one that came off, as if it were the right front tire, the Ram would have gone into me, with the tire going into the dirt pile.
It was a real PITA because of the mountain of paperwork I had to fill out being involved in an accident with a government van...
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 253
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From: Marietta, GA
I've heard this with aluminum wheels, as mentioned above. No one has EVER told me to retorque them, again as mentioned above it's usually the opposite problem--they won't come off.
I worked, briefly, Firestone. We did a LOT of tires & other "wheels off" work. Not once was I told to tell a customer to have the lug nuts retorqued. Not once did I hear a tech or a manager tell a customer that.
Once, when I had the struts replaced on my Taurus, I had to take it back the next day because of vibration in the front end. (This is after it took the 8+ hours to do 4 struts & an alignment) When the guy comes back with my keys, he says, "hear you go, it's all set". I asked him what was wrong with it. He looks down and says "I don't really want to tell you". At that point, I asked the question again, a little more forcefully
He says that ALL of the lug nuts on the right front wheel were loose & 2 or 3 of the lug nuts on the other 3 wheels were loose!
I found out later that I wasn't the first one that had experienced this problem at that particular shop. The tech involved was not employed there when I went back for the alignment recheck a few weeks later.
I worked, briefly, Firestone. We did a LOT of tires & other "wheels off" work. Not once was I told to tell a customer to have the lug nuts retorqued. Not once did I hear a tech or a manager tell a customer that.
Once, when I had the struts replaced on my Taurus, I had to take it back the next day because of vibration in the front end. (This is after it took the 8+ hours to do 4 struts & an alignment) When the guy comes back with my keys, he says, "hear you go, it's all set". I asked him what was wrong with it. He looks down and says "I don't really want to tell you". At that point, I asked the question again, a little more forcefully
He says that ALL of the lug nuts on the right front wheel were loose & 2 or 3 of the lug nuts on the other 3 wheels were loose! I found out later that I wasn't the first one that had experienced this problem at that particular shop. The tech involved was not employed there when I went back for the alignment recheck a few weeks later.