Lug nuts backing out????

[tcf_dk]

About 1 1/2 months ago,felt a wobble in the 96 maxima and noticed the left front wheel was loose.Four nuts were loose with the 5th still on tight.The rim is a steelie.The studs are not stripped.Every week and a half I had to retorque them.Any idea what's the cause?Do I need a new rim or lugs?It's the wifes car.Please help.

[walleeme]

I trust you don't have any ticked off neighbors?
Does the # 5 nut always stay tight? Maybe time for a dab of nail polish to mark it.
Did you set them with a torque wrench?

[tcf_dk]

I torque them all to 90 the first time and thought that someone was trying to play games.But it has happened 2 more times after.I have a pager alarm on the maxima and it hasn't went off.When they stole my corner lights the alarm went off so guessing if they tried to loosen the nuts,it'll cause the pager to go off.

[Yellomantis]

you could always try to set it off yourself... Otherwise I would try the purple loctite. It keeps stuff from vibrating apart, but still lets you take em apart later...

[Leadsled124]

Hmmmm, are you dong it by hand or using an impct gun. I remember the diesel shop put my dads tires back on his F250 and his frnt tire came off with him truck fully loaded. The shop denied it but found out later found out they had a malfunctioning air gun. seems kinda wierd. maby hook up a cable wire with a lot of volts goin through it so if someone IS messin with you, you can get the pleasure of hearing them scream when they get zapped haha!!

[IMADOGMAN]

Do the lug nuts have the proper taper to match the wheels? Are they stock or aftermarket?

[loosenut]

1st, Make sure that the wheel does not have anything between it and the mating surface. Now to troubleshoot the problem you need to isolate. Here is what I would do. Compare the lug nuts that loosening with those on the other wheels. Carefully look for crack in the wheel as well.

Move the wheel (not the lug nuts) that has the loosening lug nuts to a different location on the car. If the lug nuts loosen in the new location, the wheel is bad. If the problem persist in the same location, try new lug nuts and think about new studs.

or

Try removing one lug nut from the other 3 wheels and swap those onto the wheel that has the problem. Make sure you mark them. If they still come loose on the problem wheel, then you now it's the studs or the wheel itself. If they come loose on the other 3 wheels, then it's probably the lug nuts themselves.

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by loosenut

1st, Make sure that the wheel does not have anything between it and the mating surface. Now to troubleshoot the problem you need to isolate. Here is what I would do. Compare the lug nuts that loosening with those on the other wheels. Carefully look for crack in the wheel as well.

Move the wheel (not the lug nuts) that has the loosening lug nuts to a different location on the car. If the lug nuts loosen in the new location, the wheel is bad. If the problem persist in the same location, try new lug nuts and think about new studs.

or

Try removing one lug nut from the other 3 wheels and swap those onto the wheel that has the problem. Make sure you mark them. If they still come loose on the problem wheel, then you now it's the studs or the wheel itself. If they come loose on the other 3 wheels, then it's probably the lug nuts themselves.

Very logical approach! I would have probably just had a panic attack and replaced lug nuts, studs & wheel.

[loosenut]

Thanks Bestatchess! I am a Field Service Engineer and like to think that I am very good at what I do. I take pride in it.

[Quartz]

Originally Posted by loosenut

1st, Make sure that the wheel does not have anything between it and the mating surface. Now to troubleshoot the problem you need to isolate. Here is what I would do. Compare the lug nuts that loosening with those on the other wheels. Carefully look for crack in the wheel as well.

Move the wheel (not the lug nuts) that has the loosening lug nuts to a different location on the car. If the lug nuts loosen in the new location, the wheel is bad. If the problem persist in the same location, try new lug nuts and think about new studs.

or

Try removing one lug nut from the other 3 wheels and swap those onto the wheel that has the problem. Make sure you mark them. If they still come loose on the problem wheel, then you now it's the studs or the wheel itself. If they come loose on the other 3 wheels, then it's probably the lug nuts themselves.

Now that's the kind of answer we all want to see! Very helpful LN.

[FLfinfan]

very good info, ironic too since your screen name is loosenut

[HudsonValleyTitan]

I've never heard of lugs, as long as they were tightened properly, backing out on their own. I'd install a set of wheel locks if it were me. This way, if it is someone screwing around, she won't lose the wheel altogether.