Tighten those lugnuts!

[Yo]

I've had this ongoing clunking/settling thing going on. I replaced my ujoints last weekend and the truck was still exhibiting some weird behavior when braking.

Yesterday I rolled into work and heard a squeek-squeek-squeek when I was coasting in the parking garage, coming from my driver's rear wheel.

I was pissed thinking I had installed a bad u-joint or maybe I had a wheel bearing job to do, so I got home and had my roommate look under the truck while it was coasting. We determined all the racket was coming out the wheel, and when he checked the lugnuts, all were loose except ONE.

About 4 weeks ago I pulled some 2" blocks out the back and replaced with zero rates. I torqued the wheels down afterward, but it just goes to show to ALWAYS RECHECK after 100 or so miles. The passenger side was just as bad, but at least all the lugnuts were seated.

When I tightened them down it made a night/day difference in driveability. It even knocked my steering wheel out of line since I had adjusted it recently with the rear wheels loose

Anyway, safety first!

 

[C1090blazer]

that could of been bad ........

 

[NorCal_Chris]

My buddy had a 89 rx7. He had just put the wheels on after putting new bushings and doing some other stuff. Had no plates so i followed him in my car to the gas station up the street.

About 1000ft down the road i see all this shiny stuff come off his car and his back wheels come off! driver side all the way, and passenger rested down in the rotor. Gathered all the lugnuts and the wheel and stuck em back on before the cops came.

 

[rocknerd]

sometimes the simple stuff gets overlooked... brother had his tire pass him on the highway... couldn't find it till the next day when the sun came out.

 

[oatsk5]

I have noticed that when i do use a torque wrench i find more lugs loose than with putting them on with my star bar or impact but thats me i guess.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I recheck lug nut torque anytime i have my torque wrench out for anything. It is more critical with aluminum wheels than steel due to the expansion rate difference. Also aluminum wheels require more torque than a steel wheel.

 

[DeviousK5]

I had that same squeaky-squeaky biz goin on in my old high shcool ride, 86Monte Carlo SS. The most hilarious thing is that it will definetly get quieter, you look out your passenger window and look at the weld draglite doing 50mph next to you. Snapped the lug studs completely off and ground about 3/4 inch right off the bottom of the rotor.Young and dumb me i didnt know , later talking to a wheel shop the technician advised that with the lug nuts that go through the wheel (with washers) require tightening every 300-400 miles .
PS jumping the car on the levi road probably doesnt help