Wheel bolts loose!

[PeterM]

I'm a mechanic to trade and yet never had anything like this.

Major work on the VRS last month including brakes, suspension and four new tyres. All great, no problems, finished as I would normally do including torquing the wheels as specified.

1400 miles later, after all sorts of driving - commute, around town, motorway, fast countryside. The wheel bolts on the left front have loosened off! WTF?

Anyone else had this? Everything on that corner seems completely normal, nothing hinted at a problem until this happened.

[hutchysrs50]

Someone may have tried to kill you off.

....just saying.

[mattbvRS]

Will be checking mine this morning...

 

I have heard someone say that they should be rechecked after a few miles to make sure they are still the correct torque but I've never heard of them coming loose as such. Seems strange!

[giandougl]

Old saying never buy a mechanics car LOL

 

Seriously though the mind boggles what could have happened if that wheel came off.

Some use of locktite on ALL those wheel nuts, springs to mind ASAP

 

So glad your in one piece to tell the tale.

[hutchysrs50]

Lock tight wheel bolts?!

[Gizmo]

Lock tight wheel bolts?!

 

I am hoping that was a joke?

[Robbbbie!!]

I'm a HGV Mechanic by trade, Can't say loose wheel nuts are a new thing. 

 

Never had any come loose on my car though, Whenever ive had a wheel off they are Torqued up and checked twice, then i check again say 500 miles. 

[rum4mo]

I'd think that Locktite especially the lovely green one would work very well, be just as good as a Kwikfit fitter's air gun - though I'd never ever plan to try either of these methods!

[fletch101]

Would jave thought someone mentioned this beforw but.

are the wheels and bolts standard?

[Guest BigJase88]

Old saying never buy a mechanics car LOL

Seriously though the mind boggles what could have happened if that wheel came off.

Some use of locktite on ALL those wheel nuts, springs to mind ASAP

So glad your in one piece to tell the tale.

This is what happens

[hutchysrs50]

Id still buy that ^

One of my favs!

[felicia16v]

Did the brake disks have paint on the hub part, it sounds like you either missed to torque that wheel or something between the wheel and hub has compressed thru a few heat cycles,if you are going to lose a wheel it is usually the nearside that comes loose.

[PeterM]

Why the nearside felicia16v?

Standard alloy and bolts, defo torqued and check torqued all wheels after fitting and then a few miles. A smear of copper slip between wheel and disc surface to stop sticking.

No locktite anywhere near them!

[rwbaldwin]

If crud gets between the brake disk and hub this can happen. The crud gets ground up over time. This is why it's important to replace the disk retaining screw if it breaks.

[BossFox]

Maybe someone loosened them?

I had this with my Rapid.

[felicia16v]

It's to do with the rotation, vans and trucks have left hand thread on the ns wheel studs to counter act it

[Tech1e]

Had the wheel refurbished recently?

[dazzler22]

I did a little front caliper cleanup yesterday after getting some nasty squeaking, 

 

Had the opposite problem, I have never come across wheel nuts on so tight!

 

I'm not a small lad.... in-fact quite the opposite! im a fat old man...  if it takes my full weight jumping on a breaker bar to crack a nut off my guess is the person that put them on was in-fact "The Hulk!"

[rwbaldwin]

...the person that put them on was in-fact "The Hulk!"...

Weedy little guy + high torque impact gun = Ape

[Phil-E]

A colleague of mine took her campervan (converted transit) to have some work done.

 

The garage didn't tighten the wheel bolts properly and the wheel came off on the motorway!

 

She was very lucky and was able to not crash. Garage very apologetic and sorted any damage etc out.

 

You are supposed to check them after a few miles.

 

Phil

[giandougl]

E

[giandougl]

Lock tight wheel bolts?!

 

 

I am hoping that was a joke?

Your solution is ???

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Not lock tight for a start! 

[hutchysrs50]

A small amount of grease and the correct torque setting.

[Phil-E]

Think I might have mine welded in place... that should stop the buggars coming out right?!