Lug nuts falling off

[CharBaby]

I have never seen this lug nut issue personally but have heard of it several times. Coincidentally it was always on a GM vehicle however I’m sure it’s happened to all make at one time or another.

 

[wlk]

Are you running stock rims?
If you run after market rims and the center bore is bigger than your hub - that's a big possibility for lug nuts to get loose. If the center bore of after market rims don't match the OEM rim specs, regardless of how much you torque your lug nuts - they'll always get loose. The weight of the vehicle is on the center bore of the rim, not on the studs. Studs are just used to keep the wheel in place.

Also, once I tried to put grease on my studs and my mechanic told me to don't do that. I watched video where people proved when you use any kind of grease or anti-seize it helps to over torque that nut or bolt.

No everything is stock. Yes, I have seen where antiseize can cause it to be over torque as well. I am hoping this, under torque with the torque stick, is just the cause.

 

[Cujet]

Sounds like the lugs were under torqued...

Yup. When I was trailering SeaDoo's I had constant problems with rusty lugs. I used grease, and eventually Corrosion X MaxWax with good results, they never came loose. I always torque with a Beam Torque Wrench. Old school style, where one can HOLD THE TORQUE for bolt stretch. Click type and torque sticks do not hold a torque and will always be insufficient for stretch applications.

Note: Head bolts/studs and rod bolts are stretch applications. As are most wheel studs. A few exceptions include the bolts used by Volkswagen from WWII, where the steel wheel was designed to compress instead of the bolt stretching.

 

[Marcozi]

Anti-seize on the lug nuts/bolts is def a no-no.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Torque sticks on aluminum wheels. That's the problem.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

When I was younger, I remember all too well NOT being able to get a lug-nut off because of rust or over-tightening.
Today, living in the rustbelt, I always add one drop of oil to the studs and finish with a torque wrench.
I wipe all the parts with a rag upon removal and reduce the torque by 10%.
I've never had a lugnut loosen, and they can be easily removed using a breaker-bar.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

I use a regular click wrench, then go 15lbs over. Since stop using grease, haven't had a problem with anti-seize. Will monitor during OCI's. Stock rims on all vehicles. I did notice anti-seize gets sticky after awhile. I'll stay the course.

 

[Auto tech]

Most car wheels OEM advice torque of 100 to 110 ft lb. Torque sticks are not really that accurate. Most shops run over 90 PSI in fact I've never worked in a shop that didn't run at least 120 to 140. The torque sticks are supposed to be regulated at 90. Every shop I've worked at we hand torque it with a torque wrench. People that just zip them on with air guns or torque sticks are more likely to have problems with wheels falling off then properly hand torquing with a torque wrench. Over tightening can stretch the studs causing them to break.. Some of the hardest Wheels I've ever removed in my life had old anti-seize on it