Lugnuts coming loose!?!

SHINTON

SHINTON

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
Triad area of NC
Ok, lost 2 lugnuts Friday at Windrock and had to stop and tighten the replacement(s) once or twice on Saturday!

The rims are Centerline Hellcats (alum/alloyish) and have a REALLY tight fit around the lug nuts. So tight my regular impact sockets would not fit and I ended up using a spark plug socket to get in there.

I guess my questions are:

One of the guys on the ride told me alum/alloy rims are "bad" about this, he had to set the tension on his two or three times before they 'held'? True..BS..? Why?

Could I have a bolt that is causing this (all occurred on the right rear, other 3 tires are all fine...), maybe it is a bit worn somehow and the lugnut is not gripping it properly?

I know folks put anti-seize on their bolts (I haven't done this personally), what are the benefits, etc? I imagine thread lock would be a REALLY BAD idea since it would be really hard to get this nut off later (on the trail or something)?

Other ideas, thoughts, suggestions, etc? I think am gonna pick up a set of thin wall "impact" sockets at HarborFreight or something, so I can use my gun to seat these suckers!?!

Sam...no missing NUTS jokes please...Hinton :flipoff2:
 
Do your lugnuts have the correct taper for the style of wheel?

Anti-sieze helps the torque you're applying to the nut be completely for clamping power, not trying to overcome friction between the threads.

I'd make double sure that the wheel sits flush on the wheel hub before you crank on the lugs...

Yes, all my aluminum car wheels have needed a little snugging after the initial mounting... must be the softer metal...

Rich "loose nut behind the wheel" Quinlan :flipoff2:
 
yup as rich said, definitly use anti-seeze on the threads double check the lug nut taper. You didn't mention what torque you were tightening them to. But d be using a torque wrench and then monitoring them that way... as far as studs etc. again torque readings will indicate any problems, if it holds torque its good...
 
Sam, when John Donovan was running his TSL's on his Aluminum rims, he had to Locktite the lug nuts on. that's all he could do to keep them from coming off. NOT A LOT of lock tite, just a little dab'll do ya.
 
Aluminum is a softer metal and some require a certain lugnut for the wheel. Make sure your not using steel wheel nuts. I've done this before and had similar problems. I'm not exactly sure but it would almost seam impossible for the stud to have a prob. The studs are pressed in after the first time you tighten the wheel. I won't say it will never happen but with it being pressed into place and with the proper torque it shouldn't strip out. I know some of the steel nuts look like the aluminum type and seem to fit but not correctly.
 
fryedaddy said:
Aluminum is a softer metal and some require a certain lugnut for the wheel. Make sure your not using steel wheel nuts.
Click to expand...

I've never seen a lug nug specifically for an aluminum wheel.. what are you referring to?

I've got aluminum spacers, and steel wheels - the lug nuts are interchangable, because the taper on the wheel and the spacers are the same..
 
look real close at the lug holes on the rim. if it has been tightened down w/o being on straight the holes could be wallowd out and almost egg shaped, once this happens the lugnut will continually back themselves off. i lost a few wheels in my youth on my first hotrod this way.
good luck
 
i had this same issue when i had hellcats on my truck. they would require retorqueing 2-3 times ANY time the wheel had been taken off. they were even worse new, but got better as time passed.
 
Rich said:
I've never seen a lug nug specifically for an aluminum wheel.. what are you referring to?

I've got aluminum spacers, and steel wheels - the lug nuts are interchangable, because the taper on the wheel and the spacers are the same..
Click to expand...

Sorry fearless moderator you are correct. I forgot those are able to work on steel as well.
 
fryedaddy said:
Sorry fearless moderator you are correct. I forgot those are able to work on steel as well.
Click to expand...

No worries.. Just wanted to make sure *I* was running the correct stuff too! ;)
 
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