Wheel fell off
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Rochester NY
I failed you use my torque wrench. I'm sure that contributed to the issue. Pretty stupid on my part - no comments please!! What can I say - I'm learning as I go.
If anyone knows the correct torque setting, please let me know.
If anyone knows the correct torque setting, please let me know.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
I see cars losing wheels every year as we have mandatory winter tire change every autumn and back to summer tires in april. People forget or don't realize they have to retorque alu wheels once after 60-100 miles. After that they are ok.
Even I myself almost lost a wheel 5 years ago when left front wheel nuts unscrewed themselves on my DD. Luckily heard a weird noise and stopped to inspect for a flat. Felt stupid because I knew I should have retorqued them but forgot.
No need to retorque steel wheels though.
Even I myself almost lost a wheel 5 years ago when left front wheel nuts unscrewed themselves on my DD. Luckily heard a weird noise and stopped to inspect for a flat. Felt stupid because I knew I should have retorqued them but forgot.
No need to retorque steel wheels though.
Last edited by ToniH; Mar 31, 2009 at 12:37 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
Straight from the 2002 Corvette Service Manual. Besides, it's a lot less than the amount those idiots at the tire stores put on with their impact wrenches. Anything over 100 foot pounds risks warping the rim.
Steel rims from C3's are 80 foot pounds also taken from the 1972 Chevrolet Shop Manual.
cc
Steel rims from C3's are 80 foot pounds also taken from the 1972 Chevrolet Shop Manual.
cc
Last edited by CCrane65; Mar 31, 2009 at 12:26 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
I almost lost a weld wheel on my Cutlass I used to have for not tightening the the lug nuts up good. Fortunately I felt hte vibration and got off the interstate. If I remember right, I was down to only 2 loose lugs holding the wheel on, so yeah, recheck the tightening after some driving.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,821
Likes: 204
From: Lincoln CA
I had a strange clunking sound coming from my right front wheel on my 69 Mustang. A few months earlier I had coverted the car to front disc brakes, so I was concerned that something had broken loose. The car has the chrome rallye wheels with the little center caps. I pulled off the center cap and there was one of my lug nuts bouncing around inside the cap. Pretty embarassing, and I was sure I had tightened all of them, but I have to admit I must have missed one. I kind of like the suggestion above of torqueing just prior to putting the caps back on. If the cap is on, the lugs were torqued.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I've never had an issue with aluminum or steel wheels coming off. I do the same as mentioned previously by not putting the caps on until I tighten the lugs, just my reminder. I was also thinking about the loctite suggestion as well.
When you tighten, do you alternate the lug pattern? What I do is hand tighten the first lug, skip one, tighten the next one, skip one, tighten the next one and so on. I keep going and each time through the sequense I apply more torque. I don't use a torque wrench, but just use one of those cross shaped lug wrenches. I don't over-tighten them, but I do get them very snug. I know getting them off can be a challenge . . . you might even hear a grunt or two.
When you tighten, do you alternate the lug pattern? What I do is hand tighten the first lug, skip one, tighten the next one, skip one, tighten the next one and so on. I keep going and each time through the sequense I apply more torque. I don't use a torque wrench, but just use one of those cross shaped lug wrenches. I don't over-tighten them, but I do get them very snug. I know getting them off can be a challenge . . . you might even hear a grunt or two.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
I always use a torque wrench because at 54, my musclemeter is just no longer reliable enough to provide an accurate measure of whether the nuts are all tightened the same.
Come to think of it, it never was that accurate.
cc
Come to think of it, it never was that accurate.
cc
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I've never used a torque wrench on aluminum or the old mag style wheels and never had a problem, 35 years now, might go out and check mine right now though 
I got a wheel bearing change on DD and immediately felt a vibration and took it back to the shop, they never tightened the lug nuts, you would think you get a real bad vibration before all the lug nuts backed off and the wheel fell off
I got a wheel bearing change on DD and immediately felt a vibration and took it back to the shop, they never tightened the lug nuts, you would think you get a real bad vibration before all the lug nuts backed off and the wheel fell off
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: rochester ny
my other vehicle that i am forced to drive in a service van ford E250
i had a wheel come off when making a turn ,,this was after having three new tires put on,,,i decided to use the full size spare wheel with tire that had never been used before,,,i torqued down the lugs,,,,the only thing that i could chalk it up to was that the rim was warped from sitting under neath the car for 6 years...hope this helps
i had a wheel come off when making a turn ,,this was after having three new tires put on,,,i decided to use the full size spare wheel with tire that had never been used before,,,i torqued down the lugs,,,,the only thing that i could chalk it up to was that the rim was warped from sitting under neath the car for 6 years...hope this helps