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Lug Nuts backing out.

BizeeB65

BizeeB65

1/2 ton status
Joined
Oct 12, 2005
Posts
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Location
Louisville, KY
Ok gents, please post your input on how to remedy this problem. I was on my way home from wheeling yesterday, and all of a sudden BAM, I'm on three wheels and the 4th (pass. front) is chasing me down the road. shortversion = I need to know if I would be better off replacing the studs on both front hubs (D44 6 lug) or risk putting new lug nuts on the less-than-reliable studs? I had purchased new lug nuts for all 4 wheels, and didnt replace the ones on the wheel that fell off (time/space crunch). Give me your suggestions. I am pretty sure I have to replace the hub/rotor I was riding on, since it ground off some of the outer ring slowing down. I have considered getting a trailer to haul my rig with too, to prevent these sort of things from happening. Plus the ride is much nicer in my Tahoe, and I would be able to go to some of the long-distance events! :D
 
Ditch the studs..

I'd replace the studs if they were damaged even slightly..your life is riding on them,and the road is a deadly enough place as it is,without the added risk of your wheels passing you!..also,the rims might need to be junked too,if the holes got egged out..NO lugs will stay tight on a damaged rim,no matter how "new"....

Also,some cheap steel rims are not "coined" where the lug nuts seat,they are just flat stamped steel,with countersunk holes....lugs constantly loosen up on rims like that,I had a set of chrome spoked ones that I had to tighten the lugs DAILY when I drove 150 each day to work and back..:eek1: ..

I torched the centers out so no one else would be tempted to use them again..I almost got killed when one came off the right rear at 65 mph!..and it caught up with me after I stopped,and rammed itself under my truck so hard it lifted it off the ground,bent the bumper to hell,and blew the tire's sidewall right out(GASH!)..even bent the rim,and my rearmost crossmember!..

Yeah,I'd change all the studs,check the rims over good,and get new lug nuts too...cheaper than a casket and funeral..:crazy:
 
I had it happen to me twice. the first time it was Sam's Club's fault (stupid tire jockeys) the second time (different wheel) they had loosened on me. I replaced just the lugs and nuts, haven't had another problem with that wheel. I'd replace them and be done.
 
My wheels have the deep hole in em that requires a long lug and washer to seat them. It is a PITA to take the wheels on and off, which is already reason to ditch them. I dont think the holes are egged out now, but I didnt have time to examine them after it happened. I would love to get an 8 lug axle front and rear, but being a full time employee/student/dad leaves little money for that swap right now. Anyone got some 15" 6 lug rims they wanna get rid of?
 
I have had this happen to me twice on one of my k5's. Both times they were aluminum wheels.

The best thing you can do is replace the studs and the lug nuts. At the bare minimum replace all the lug nuts. The threads in the nuts are cut, not rolled,and are therefore softer than the stud threads. Because of this, it is usually the threads on the lug nuts that "strectch" (yield actually).

If you have aluminum wheels make sure to re-torque the nuts after about 25 miles or so.

Also, look up the torqe specs for your lug nuts and use a torque wrench. Many people over-torque the lugs, which damages the threads.
 
yeah studs aren't that expensive when you compare the cost of repair after losin a wheel. studs on halfton running gear get torqued to 100 ftlb for these years of trucks.
 
MattK said:
studs on halfton running gear get torqued to 100 ftlb for these years of trucks.
Click to expand...

Uhhh... no they don't. The torque spec for 7/16" studs is 85 ft-lbs.

100 ft-lbs is the spec for 88-up IFS trucks because they went to a metric 12mm stud.
 
goldwing2000 said:
Uhhh... no they don't. The torque spec for 7/16" studs is 85 ft-lbs.

100 ft-lbs is the spec for 88-up IFS trucks because they went to a metric 12mm stud.
Click to expand...

interesting. i suppose we over-torque chevy trucks at work.

and we never torque 88+ with anything less than 120...most are 140 on up even through the brand new gm fullsize trucks.
 
Don't take my word for it. Look it up in the service manual. I'll gladly admit I'm wrong if the book says otherwise.
 
I had this problem on my 79 rig. Was pissing me off, I thought someone was out to get me and loosening my lugs while I was sleeping. Anyway, I found the problem was due to the wheel bearing having some slop and making vibrations. I replaced the wheel bearings and studs on the messed up hub and no longer had the problem. if I were you thoug, I would deffinately NOT run the studs that the lugs backed off of.

~Brian
 
broke73 said:
A little blue loctite wouldn't hurt.
Click to expand...
No way I'm putting loctite on my lugs, not unless you wanna come over and take em off when I need to work on it. :D Nice first post NOOB!
 
haha, had it happen to me as well with 6 lug aluminum rims, not as extreme as ur story, but i kept hearing banging noises and it was the rear rim banging against the studs, took me a couple days to figure it out and when i did they were almost all off....that woulda been rear ugly
 
Ok, info taken, but arent lugs designed so that you dont have to add anything to them for them stay on?
 
BizeeB65 said:
Ok, info taken, but arent lugs designed so that you dont have to add anything to them for them stay on?
Click to expand...

yes, working at a tire shop, ive never encountered a car that required us to add a sealant or thread locking substance when reinstalling the wheels.

if anything, occasionally we add antisieze. proper torquing with proper hardware should keep them tight.
 
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