Wheel lug nuts keep coming loose

TheTominator · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:09 pm Post subject:

My experience and intuition tell me "probably not". I wouldn't mount them up on a race car though. I'd check em daily for the first hundred miles. Again at two hundred, etc...........
But, as was mentioned earlier in this thread, lugs and lug nuts, are cheap.
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thaistick · Samba Member Joined: March 07, 2004 Posts: 31

Question here.
I painted my wheels and cleaned the backs of the wheels and the lug nut seats and noticed that the lug nut seats are slightly rounded down.
If the lug nut seats are slightly rounded at the edges, will this cause the wheel to come loose?
I'm getting new tires on tomorrow and if this can cause i problem i won't use them.

greenbus pilot · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:54 pm Post subject:

greenbus pilot · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:53 pm Post subject:

OMG- 3 pages about lug nuts......... Think

OK, I still read them. Confused

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SGKent · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:37 pm Post subject:

it occcured to me that we overlooked the obvious test. The nuts and wheel should be marked with a scribe after they are tightened and then compared each time they are re-tightened. If the nut is backing off, that somewhat indicates that the paint and anti-seize might be at issue. However if the scribe is the same and the nuts have to be turned more to tighten, I might question if the paint is migrating off the back of the wheel or if studs are stretching.
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Desertbusman · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:00 am Post subject:

The topic is back. And this guy is located in the desert. Shocked

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=328281
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akscooter · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject:

have you also checked the balance on your tires..out of balance tires can cause enoucgh vibration to loosen them also..worth a check.
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1967250s · Samba Member Joined: May 02, 2007 Posts: 2137

One thing I noticed, have the size of the holes in the rim been checked? If this has been happenning repeatedly, it is very likely the holes are buggered out too far. Looking at your pictures, it does look like a couple of holes are larger than spec'd and the nut may be bottoming on the hub.
On the anti seize- Seems like you have a bit too much, just a tiny bit will get you by and it has never caused mine to come loose and that's 200,000+ miles just on my Bus. Rims are cheap enough to replace, so please check them for your safety. Luck!

TheTominator · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:41 am Post subject:

Like I said earlier, replace the lugs and nuts. They are cheap and you eliminate half of the hypothesis posted here.
_________________
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth" Albert Einstein - 1901

If I can't curse, I can't fix it.
71 Bus
78 HD FXS Lowrider 1200cc
An Oldsmobile for crying out loud.

Desertbusman · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:07 am Post subject:

Air_Cooled_Nut · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject:

VDubTech · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject:

Air_Cooled_Nut · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

VDubTech · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:53 pm Post subject:

Desertbusman · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 2:12 pm Post subject:

twinfalls · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:54 am Post subject:

I do nothing about lug nuts and never had any issue.
I simply carry a strong X wrench to unscew those damn overtorqued lugs from others, and I am sure I put the right torque myself with that tool.

This thread is one more example proving :
Overdoing things is bad news in basic car stuff.
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Desertbusman · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:17 am Post subject:

Of course it is super low humidity usually here in the desert but I always prevent the rust and binding up by using WD-40 in the nuts and on the studs. When ever I take them off they usually have the residue from before and don't need recoating.
And actually about every fastener on the bus gets some treatment before putting together. WD-40, anti-seize, or silicone spray. Whichever seems more applicable for the situation. And any nut or bolt, if it isn't about as clean as new, it also gets cleaned. Solvents, wire brush, thread chaser, and sometimes a quick acid dip. Whatever is needed.
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71 Westy

busfreak_71 · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject:

I personally put a VERY thin film of general purpose grease on all of the lugs of all my vehicles. I haven't had a problem. It is mostly there to ward off rust and the very fine dust that gets into everything from driving gravel roads, that stuff seizes lugs like nobody's business. Mad

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Air_Cooled_Nut · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject:

There were a few things that lead to the issue and attending to all of them at the same time makes it difficult to determine exactly what was the cause.

Based upon my experience with various lugs/studs/nuts, I would recommend a VERY light coating of oil or (better) anti-seize on the threads to keep them from rusting up and making removal difficult. I've been driving for decades, doing much of my own work, and never had an issue of lug nuts/bolts loosening (and I always use a torque wrench). Just my opinion...it sucks having to drill out a bolt...
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PicklePickle · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:19 am Post subject:

It is. I should have made sure that anti seize was cleaned off to begin with, but just never really thought about it after so many months went by. That, and the paint in those seats really seems like it was not helping at all and may in fact been a huge part of the problem as it would not allow the bolt to seat in and make good metal to metal contact like it should.

I was to the point where it scared me driving it at all and terrified me to think of my wife out driving it around with my kids because generally women inherently just do not seem to be cognizant of things going awry mechanically. I know that is a generalization and my own mother is an exception to that rule, but my wife is not. She trusts me to make sure the vehicles are safe.

I am just glad that each time the nuts did come loose, I was in the vehicle. I thank God for that and sincerely appreciate all of your input on this most serious issue.
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