Tighten those lug nuts! - Montana Owners Club

WorkerB · 08-13-2009, 07:50 AM

Walking into the local RV store yesterday was this rim and tire at the front door. I always thought that the people with aluminum /mag type wheels had to keep a closer eye out for loose lug nuts. My thinking was the TV and other cars I own have steel wheels and they don't have a problem with wheels falling off. So I checked my steel wheels once in a while. Not any more! As seen below the wheel is steel. Now I need to find one of those torque wrenches that go CLICK! Another thing to add to the pre-flight check list. Well worth the effort.

DarMar · 08-13-2009, 08:04 AM

A torque wrench and a pre-flight check of the lugs has always been on my must have and to do list to the point that my DW has questioned why I am so neurotic about them. Your pic has reinforced why. Thanks.

Fire5er · 08-13-2009, 08:18 AM

Always check our prior to departure. A torque wrench is a must it you have an RV. Thanks to this forum I also found out you need to torque your axle U-bolts.

richfaa · 08-13-2009, 08:26 AM

Yes...We had to buy all new tires for the 3400 a couple of weeks ago and the tire guy said to be SURE we checked the lug nut torqe at 10/ 25 and 50 miles. We did and had to adjust. We checked again when we got to Mackinaw City, @ 100 miles and torqued again.We checked long the way on the rest of the trip @ 800 miles and again just today in the drive way. We have needed no further ajustment. We have steel wheels....

8e3k0 · 08-13-2009, 08:35 AM

With steel wheels and torquing can eliminate failure and be correct, the metal in the vacinity of the lugs bolts can fatigue from too thin of material to handle the load or simply overlaoding that area to a point where the metal starts to crack in a spider web fashion. This is very common on farm tractor front wheels where loaders are used and overloading results in wheel failure. I have experienced this also with tandem trailers and steel wheel failure. If the bolt holes are elongated, then that is resultant of lose lug nuts over time. We have found and experienced that if you check and retorque after the first trip the probability of any problems are greatly reduced. .

VanMan · 08-13-2009, 08:58 AM

Well, now I need to go check my tractor! It just never ends, does it?

Art-n-Marge · 08-13-2009, 09:46 AM

Yup, torquing is our friend. I had been checking the TV lug nuts and the RV lug nuts for years, and since joining the MOC have added the Fifth wheel hitch bolts before each trip and recently added the U-bolt and center pin nuts for the RV every few trips.

I have not had problems with the lug nuts, but after joining the MOC and reading others' posts about loose hitch fasteners and U-bolt nuts, the first time I checked these they were loose! Since then, they have been much better upon rechecking.

Happy maintenance, all!

bncinwv · 08-13-2009, 10:13 AM

Harbor Freight can come to the rescue again. I think they have the 1/2" drive Torque wrenches on sale for $12.95. I have used mine for two years now and feel comfortable that I made the right choice. This statement represents my opinion only since I usually only buy Craftsman tools.
Bingo

sreigle · 08-13-2009, 03:16 PM

Walmart also has a click torque wrench. Any time a wheel has been removed I stop every 25 to 50 miles to check the torque and continue doing that until all lugnuts have held the torque. I then occasionally check them again but have never found any loose other than right after removal and replace.

BB_TX · 08-13-2009, 03:47 PM

I check mine before each trip. Last 4-5 trips and several thousand miles, none of the lug nuts have been loose. Took a short trip last week and checked them again. First 3 wheels all nuts were tight as usual. Considered not checking the last, but just not in me to do that. Found 4 of the 8 nuts on that last wheel needed 1/2 to 3/4 turn to get the torque wrench to click. No obvious reason why that one wheel (front street side) suddenly needed some nuts tightened. But you can bet I will check them all before I go out again.

**Rondo** · 08-13-2009, 04:18 PM

Bingo beat me to it on the Harbor Freight idea! I got mine there and it even came with a carrying case. Always remember one point with a torque wrench! Once you set it and check your lugnuts for correct torque, always set it back to "zero" on the gauge again before storing it again. It will mess it up if you don't and will give you an inaccurate reading when you torque the next time or later on!

WorkerB · 08-13-2009, 04:36 PM

Well, I'm a believer now! DW was in Reno and I called her cell and redirected her to Harbor Freight. Thanks Bingo I got it for the sale price. Also thanks to Rondo for the advice on return to zero when not in use.
John

simonsrf · 08-14-2009, 05:59 AM

After any tire changes, I always double-check the torque settings. Having the aluminum wheels, makes it mandatory to continue to check them until there are "no clicks" at 120#. Once there is no click on the torque wrench, I typically will only check every 500-1000 miles.

Isn't Harbor Freight wonderful for those tools we seldom use?

We should probably torque everyone's wheels at the rallies!

PowellsMonty · 08-14-2009, 06:41 AM

is it 120# or 90#?

simonsrf · 08-14-2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by PowellsMonty

is it 120# or 90#?

I have the aluminum wheels, and I torque them to 120.

WorkerB · 08-14-2009, 07:48 AM

Anyone know where I find the torque on steel wheels?
John

**Rondo** · 08-14-2009, 09:12 AM

I can't remember where it is in the manual but if my memory serves me right, it's 110# for the steel wheels! That's what I have and that's what I've been torquing mine at anyway for the past three years! I had "new" used tires(will explain if needed) put on my Monte before the Great Lakes adventure and that's what they were torqued at by the shop and that's what we torqued them at when we checked them on the way to the rally and on the way back from it! We did find two or three of the nuts sllightly below the 110 lb torque so they got tightened up to specs on the first check at 50 miles. No problems from then on!

Tom S. · 08-14-2009, 09:32 AM

Something is fishy here.

Aluminum wheel manufacturers recommend re-torquing wheels then they are first put on or removed because aluminum, being softer than steel, will compress and therefore cause the lug nuts to loosen. Steel on steel is a different animal. Once it's torqued, it should be good to go. I would be willing to wager the wheel in the picture was not only not torqued, the lugs probably were never tightened to begin with. This can happen two ways: someone screws up and forgets to tighten them, or they were acorn nuts that are too shallow for the studs and bottom out before the wheel is tight.

I had a guy fail to tighten my lugs one time when I was having snow tires installed. The guy put both wheels on, then put the lugs on each side and only tightened the last wheel he put the lugs on. Because it was on a car, I could feel it immediately and stopped and tightened the lug nuts. Had it been on a trailer, I would probably have a picture just like that one to post. In over 40 years of driving, and over 30 years of trailer ownership, I have never had the lugs on a steel wheel come loose.

Red939 · 08-14-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

Harbor Freight can come to the rescue again. I think they have the 1/2" drive Torque wrenches on sale for $12.95. I have used mine for two years now and feel comfortable that I made the right choice. This statement represents my opinion only since I usually only buy Craftsman tools.
Bingo

I saw that ad too. I paid $15 for mine from HF a few years ago, it works great and guaranteed for life.

Countryfolks · 08-14-2009, 12:38 PM

Just a note to those using inexpensive torque wrenches, including me [I have a Craftsman]. I worked as a calibration tech many years ago. Most torque wrenches should be checked [calibrated] at least once, they can be inaccurate from the retailer. I'M not sure where it can be done but a tire or machine shop may have a calibration jig. It doesn't need to meet national standards, just verified to be reasonably close. They are most accurate in the center third of their range.

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