Baystate Jeepers

Got a lesson in PM/post trail maintenance last night. Coming over the Tobin bridge from Revere (and delicious roast beef sandwiches at Kelly's) I started getting a vibration in the rear, by the time I was able to pull off on the Charlestown exit and off the road safely it was a heavy vibration. Hopped out, sure enough all of my lug nuts on the driver's side rear were loose, 3 of them were about to fall off. While tightening everything back up I snapped a stud...rode it home on 4 of 5. This was the first time I'd really driven it any more than a mile since going to MB on Saturday.

I ended up having to order new studs as these are the thread in style rather than press in, checked everywhere within bicycle distance from the house and all they had were press ins. I got 5 to replace all of them since most of them showed damage to the thread, and 5 more to sit on the shelf .

Question, does anyone actually check torque on their lug nuts, or anything else after wheeling? I always give everything a good visual inspection under the rig, check for play in the main suspension and driveline parts...but I've never broken out the torque wrench and actually verified torque settings, nor have I seen anyone do it.

My thoughts on what could have caused this...I'm guessing that repeatedly removing wheels, reinstalling them, and torquing them caused either the threads on the lug nut to stress/stretch or the threads on the stud. I definitely torqued everything to spec when I put them on.

lug nuts should typically be checked something like 50 miles after you first put a wheel on. before every long trip i check lug nut torque.

i'd also recommend getting used to it, beadlocks need to be checked regularly. if one of them loosens up...

ArticRubi wrote:Question, does anyone actually check torque on their lug nuts, or anything else after wheeling? I always give everything a good visual inspection under the rig, check for play in the main suspension and driveline parts...but I've never broken out the torque wrench and actually verified torque settings, nor have I seen anyone do it.

My thoughts on what could have caused this...I'm guessing that repeatedly removing wheels, reinstalling them, and torquing them caused either the threads on the lug nut to stress/stretch or the threads on the stud. I definitely torqued everything to spec when I put them on.

I usually don't check anything unless it took a very hard hit. Then again, I just pull onto the trailer for the ride home.

The lugs/studs are probably not stretching. They are typically a hardened steel and are designed for such forces. I would say it's the lug seat in the wheel that compresses.

As mentioned, new wheels definitely need to be retorqued after 50-100 miles, especially if they are alloy.

That problem happened to me a few years ago when my xj was driven on the street. Since then I always re-torque my lug nuts before and after a run (115 ft/lbs).. With this 5 on4 1/2 pattern and d36 inch tires they tend to get loose. And I always find at lease one or two that gotten loose. I also have beedlocks that require regular maint./re-torqueing.

I have to admit, I didn't retorque after ~50 miles like I should have. And I know better. Sometimes my hard-headed self needs a stern reminder for things like this. Truth is I'm fortunate I didn't have to watch a 90 pound rubber bowling ball take out another car on Hwy 1 South. Looks like I'll be adding "retorque lug nuts" to my post run shake down.

cvoirr wrote:I use DeWalt cut off wheels and grinding discs. A little more money, but usually no blood shed.

I hate spam.

Spammer and posts deleted

This happened to me this past spring on the Winchester Mystic Valley Parkway. Front driver's side wheel came off and went sailing down the street.
Eventually it was stopped by the front bumper of an on coming Toyota. Damage to the Toyota was $1700 which I paid out of pocket to avoid any insurance increases. Damage to my jeep was about $250.

It's scary watching my loose cannon tire running down the center of the road for over 100 yards and there is nothing you can do about it. Thank God there wasn't any pedestrians in the area.

Max