My buddy had tires balanced at the local Ford dealer. Aftermarket wheels (which they sold him as they fancy themselves an "upfitter") and they used stick-on weights....poorly. He was finding weights in his driveway for the next week and of course forced them to re-balance
Discount Tire FAILURE.
- Thread starter gregk24
- Start date
If (1) lug nut out of (20) was loose, it is NOT the cause of your issue. You can drive with 4/5 lug nuts. I wouldn't do it permanently or go 100 mph, but the wheel isn't going to fall off from (1) missing lug nut.
I agree with that. But as I stated earlier, just because I couldn't turn the rest off by hand doesn't mean they weren't loose.
Also, if only 1 lug was loose, what caused the horrible vibration?
At this point, all seems well and I'm leaving it at that as long as nothing else pops up.
You said the tires were out of balance and that can definitely cause it. Not sure if this is such a "FAILURE" on DT's part either. When they balance a tire, the machine tells them how much and where to place the weight(s), then it either passes or fails after the weight(s) are added. If it were one wheel, I'd say the weight fell off and caused it to be out of balance. There's no point in the worker telling you this either because you'll still see it as their fault (they didn't apply them properly). Since it was two tires, it's harder to say the weights on both fell off, I'm admit.
You asked about the 35º F "cold" weather and no, it has no relevance. I know it's unusual for FL but there are plenty of us who get colder temperatures and for weeks or months at a time.
Do yourself a favor and go to walmart or even pick a part and make sure you have a jack, lug wrench and serviceable spare... Flats seem to have a way of picking the worst possible time and waiting 3 hours for roadside assistance is no fun at the best of times...
That is my advice anyway - it comes from long experience...
Good advice. Thanks.
The most bizarre thing about this whole situation is that everything was fine, then suddenly it got progressively worse and happened around 30-45 mph. Then the next drive all is well again. The weights didn't fall off then re-attach themselves.
It's all very odd. Again, I think they did what they could to address the situation and I'm happy with the result.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
My Grand Cherokee was missing just the lug wrench, I bought this a couple months ago to keep in the trunk, seems nice.
I drove past a guy the other day sitting on shoulder in his Subie with space saver spare leaning against vehicle.....stopped and asked if he wanted help as I carry a HF "racing" jack, cordless impact, flip sockets and even M12 inflator with fully charged 6.0 in each of my three trucks
Subie guy says he's been waiting 2 hours for AAA and they just updated him saying "any minute now". Ok says I, enjoy your day!
I drove S into New Mexico to run some errands, stopped in the Safeway to pay too much for Starbucks (my vice), went to the pawn shop, Harbor Freight, etc etc
Come back past him 2.5 hours later and he's still sitting there. "Sure ya don't want help now?" says I. I made it clear I don't need money or fame, it just sucks he's sitting there for such a simple reason.
This time he accepts. Checked his spare first thing -- yep -- ~12psi. Got that filling with the M12 inflator, dug out my jack and cordless impact....by the time car was elevated and wheel off the spare was nearly 60psi. Waited to hit 60, threw it on, snugged lugs with impact and warned him they're not properly torqued but if anything too tight and will get him the ~20 miles to town.
4.5 hours wait time for 4.5 minutes of actual work.....crazy
Go to Harbor Freight and buy their 1/2", 25" long Pittsburgh breaker bar - $20 for the version with the cushioned handle. Get the socket that fits for less than $5. Using a torque wrench is ideal (I have one) but by no means mandatory. Automakers don't include torque wrenches in the spare tire kit and 75% of people who put lug nuts on don't use a torque wrench. With a 25" breaker bar, you can probably snap the wheel studs off and tighter is better than looser.
This. I bent the wrench that came with my ‘04 GTO because the tire place over torqued lug nuts. The manager did apologize and gave me a long Gorilla wrench.
This sets up another perfect example of checking the torque yourself after a new tire install or tire repair. I can't tell you how many times I have come across lug nuts that were so over-torqued, that without a long breaker bar, would have never come off with a dinky little tire tool. Sometimes, even with a good breaker bar, it takes a good bit of "oomph".
So go get that torque wrench. If your wife gets mad at the expense, you can blame all of us, we're bad influences. Cheers!
Didn't read all 5 pages, but look up "Michigan Lug Nut Case" if it has not been mentioned yet. Loose lug nuts, accident, some injuries. Went all the way to Mich supreme court. The employee admitted he f'ed up. Court ruled just cause someone started a service does not mean they have to finish it.......
I thought that everyone spent their formative years driving around frequently with fewer than all lug nuts on their wheels and a bottle of cheap vodka in the trunk. Was that just me?
Interesting. Was very recent, too. But obviously since it wasn't the US Supreme Court laws may still vary by state
Court: Tightened lug nuts not guaranteed in tire rotation
Three judges agreed a tire rotation could be considered performed even if the lug nuts weren't tightened and the wheel fell off
www.google.com
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Fascinating article- thanks for posting it. I had to wonder if the passenger may have loosened the lug nuts himself.Interesting. Was very recent, too. But obviously since it wasn't the US Supreme Court laws may still vary by state
Court: Tightened lug nuts not guaranteed in tire rotation
Three judges agreed a tire rotation could be considered performed even if the lug nuts weren't tightened and the wheel fell offwww.google.com
Checking the lugs is the same concept as people counting the pills in their filled prescriptions when they pick them up. Quality of work and work ethic aside, you can never be 100% certain that work is done correctly these days.
Healthcare and Auto Repair should never be held to the same standards, at least not in the US.
+1 on just torque it down and continue on with life. Nothing fell off, got damaged, and nobody died. They got the other 19 lugnuts correctly so the 1 loose could have just been an unlucky fluke; you trying to raise hell could just be an unnecessary "Karen" move in their eyes. I've driven 150miles back home from the track with all 5 lugnuts finger loose on my driver's front - which were torqued correctly before and during the session. The only way I caught it when I got home was checking because I was hearing a clicking sound and I have no idea what caused it.
