anyone else's lug nuts keep coming loose?

[deviousgst]

does anyones lugnuts keep coming loose.

 

[Gamble97]

They won't if you torque them down properly. Use a torque wrench and you will be fine.

 

[Lofty]

Just a little add in, 80lbs is the proper amount of torque.

 

[ClevelandDSM]

Does someone keep loosening yours? Owe any debts?

--

Mayby they are aftermarket and only going on a few threads for some reason?

 

[grantman10]

Stock lugnuts for our cars are spline drive (or something like that), they drive into the rim, they dont just tighten down on top of them.

I had regular lug nuts on the front tires in my car and they kept coming loose. I ended up breaking a stud. I recommend getting some oem lugs, unless you have aftermarket rims that dont allow them.

 

[deviousgst]

ya i have aftermarket rims so i need narrow lug nuts so it can go inside the rims sort of.And they are torqued down.

 

[gst96spyderman]

So I'm cruising down the road last night doing the speed limit. Then I hear this loud repetitive noise coming from the front passenger tire. (I thought it was the CV Joint)So I slow down and pull over. By this time, I'm doing about 5 mph in a hotel parking lot.

Then the rim falls off of the entire axle. After about 2 minutes of expletives, I get out to inspect what I already know. Sure enough, the car is resting on the rotor, (which is on the ground) of course, The molding between the passenger door, and wheel is cracked and off the car. The Rim is basically stuck between the wheel well and ground. (Hopefully that has saved my front axle)

So I break out the jack and get the rim back on there. (Luckily not damaged) I Start to tighten the lugs, and they keep spinning as if they were stripped. Now I'm like F*ck it, lemme see if I can get it home. I start the car and drive it like 5ft. Starts making the same noise. So I kill it and call my insurance to get me a damn tow truck. Thank god it was a flat bed.

I'm sure there's gonna be some one that tells me I should have used a torque wrench. Yeah, I did that. I torqued the hell outta the lugs.

I guess my inquiry about this topic begins here. I have the leg key for these lugs. I had almost stripped the key itself out when installing(Yeah, I'm a dumbass) but not to point where I can't use. (So I thought) Anyways, If I didn't have this lug tightened and torqued down enough, would this be the reason for my journey to the tow truck world? I mean 3 out of the 5 lugs seem to have the threading stripped a little. Where only one lug could have possibly not been tightened to requirements. I think the rotor is okay, but yet to check. I am not having a very good holiday season. Any help rather than comments about me being a dumbass are appreciated.

 

[romeen]

It definitely sounds like you over torqued some of those lug nuts. Whether that caused this is hard to say for sure. But if the threads on three of the studs had been partially stripped and the threads stretched and then on top of that you don't have enough torque on another one then I would imagine that could cause the situation you are in. There would have been uneven distribution of pressure and a whole lot of stress placed on the lug nuts.

Take a close look at the studs and the lug nuts to see how the threads look, any other defects (cracks, etc). Also make sure there is no damage to the rest of the suspension on that corner. Examine the control arms, ball joints, axle/CV, etc.

 

[gst96spyderman]

yeah. The CV Boot is tore. Just placed factory rim back on car and drove a little. I'm about 99% certain that its the lug nuts. I bought them from Autozone. I tried to torque them all the same. I'm at a loss. Guess I'm going to autozone again and see wtf is up with the crappy lug nuts they sold.

 

[Butterfinger]

Yea I have been through several set's of those and they are cheap so is the tool. To the point of keeping a extra set in the trunk.
But not to ask the obvious do you know how to tighten lugs (never in a row always across like a star shap pattern. No offence just ruling it out.

 

[gst96spyderman]

yeah. I've had these rims on my Talon TSI a few years ago. These rims are about 8 years old. I've ALWAYS rotated mounted balanced the tires myself. Always check the Tire pressure when I refuel. So I've been at this for a couple years now. I've done all this to other cars, and NEVER had this type of problem.

I guess what blows my mind is, how not just autozone, but any company sell faulty lug nuts. That have a semi-crappy reputation. If I had all the paper work, I'd see about a small claims law suit. But I do not. So the semi-bowed fender, cracked body molding, and bruised ego, will all have to charged to the game.

And of course AutoZone has only 14 of the 20 lug nuts I need. Every since I've bought this car back in October, I've had the smallest things go wrong with the car and it's been a b*tch to fix every last one. I feel like I should have said, the hell with a turbo, and gotten a 4g eclipse. I guess thats what I get for buying a nearly 13yr old beauty.

Oh yeah. There are stress marks on the studs. The lugs I do have fit on there fine. I've only driven the car about 50ft since having it towed, so it is hard to say that the suspension is fine. I'd have to get some speed on it to find out. Worst case senerio as I see it, have to replace brake rotor. Well, both i guess.

 

[cavillac]

I torqued the hell outta the lugs.

Answer to your question sir.

 

[asexton6969]

I have used two sets of gorilla lugs on both my cars. Never had an issue, but I have never cheaped out on lug nuts before. Maybe its time to buy a brand name lug nut set? Just be glad you pulled over and didnt ignore it like some people do.

(Customer heard a loud pop and said car seemed like the tire was flat. Well the compression arm ball joint popped out of the socket. He drove the car all the way home and ripped the halfshaft out also while the compression arm continued to rub the tire.)

Just be glad you pulled over and no one was hurt. Good Luck. It is possible the lug nuts are really cheap and stretched or that your studs are weak but to be safe you may want to replace the studs and lug nuts? Up to you though. To be precise, ALLdata specs for torque is 87 ft lbs.

 

[gst96spyderman]

Yeah. I'm VERY glad nothing else happend to the car or someone else. It wasn't the fact that I over/under torqued the lugs. I went by the specifications listed in manuals sold @ AutoZone, which was 80psi. Or close to it. The only thing I can think, is that I didn't torque the lug that needs the key to adjust.

Anyways, The car runs/handles fine. Because I did pull over and was going so slow, I saved one of three things. 1. My suspension. 2. my rims. 3. My control arm, if not everything. I did upgrade lug nuts, but they only had 16 of the 20 I need. Plus AutoZone and the company that produces the lugnut, are going to have my car fixed on their dime through my insurance. Sweet justice.

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[DSMunknown]

Something I have experienced over the past few weeks - if you have undersized or an improper rim choice on the car, you may also find the nuts loosening. I have 15 inch steelies on (just for the winter) and they do not come in contact with the large patch of the hub (the area where the studs are connected). The rims only touch the small ring just outside of the pin. This is not enough contact area for the rims to be stable, especially at higher speeds (50+ mph).

If this happens to sound like your situation, or if you notice that your new/used rims are only sitting on top of the hub, instead of flush against the face, then you will need to look into getting another set. Driving around like this can damage and possibly break the studs of the hub. And you shouldn't just "port out" the center of the rim. Doing this could damage/crack the rim or throw the wheel out of alignment.

This is usually not the case for "aftermarket" rims where larger sizes are common. Just something to be aware of when using OEM rims off another vehicle.

 

[EclipticalGS]

6 spline drive gorilla locking lugs really nice, theyll stay on with finger tightening as a jsutincase. but you still need to torque them. theyre cheap too.

 

[Kastigir]

Yeah. I'm VERY glad nothing else happend to the car or someone else. It wasn't the fact that I over/under torqued the lugs. I went by the specifications listed in manuals sold @ AutoZone, which was 80psi. Or close to it. The only thing I can think, is that I didn't torque the lug that needs the key to adjust.

Anyways, The car runs/handles fine. Because I did pull over and was going so slow, I saved one of three things. 1. My suspension. 2. my rims. 3. My control arm, if not everything. I did upgrade lug nuts, but they only had 16 of the 20 I need. Plus AutoZone and the company that produces the lugnut, are going to have my car fixed on their dime through my insurance. Sweet justice.

Thanks for all the feedback.

You torqued your lugnuts to an air pressure?!?!?!? There's your problem right there.

 

[SnprSlick]

You torqued your lugnuts to an air pressure?!?!?!? There's your problem right there.

I think he meant an impact gun?

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Rule number one: Never torque with an impact gun.
number two: Torque with a torque wrench.
80-100 ft/lbs and forget about it.

 

[Bubbs Malone]

I had the two locking lug nuts come off of the front wheels once, now I'm a little more carefull about it.

Also, you might have oil or something on the studs. Clean them good and when you tighten the lug nuts, make sure you alternate across from the last one you tightened, then repeat until they are all snug.

 

[EclipticalGS]

if your super duper scared and cant fix it, put some silicone sealer ..i think its red..on the lug studs..it'll keep on a lil while..

 

[DSM-sagacious]

Its always been one of those unspoken rules i thought to tighten lugs after you drive for a few miles? Tuner wheel lugs are notorious for coming loose, dispite even being impact wrenched on. Ive found on my car that the studs have to be replaced occasionally because the teeth that hold them in place wear down or off and only allow the lug to be tightened a little before the stud spins with the lug.

 

[Kastigir]

Rule number one: Never torque with an impact gun.
number two: Torque with a torque wrench.
80-100 ft/lbs and forget about it.

^Truth. I torque mine to 84 ft/lbs.

 

[gsx951]

ya i have aftermarket rims so i need narrow lug nuts so it can go inside the rims sort of.And they are torqued down.

Let's hope that the rims are hub-centric and have the correct bolt pattern.

Do you have the correct centering ring installed?

 

["G"]

Stock lugnuts for our cars are spline drive (or something like that), they drive into the rim, they dont just tighten down on top of them.

I had regular lug nuts on the front tires in my car and they kept coming loose. I ended up breaking a stud. I recommend getting some oem lugs, unless you have aftermarket rims that dont allow them.

That would be shank/ washer style.