Scary situation

Liberator84 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:10 am

So there I was ... I was cruising down the autobahn over here in Germany doing about 75 mph (average speed over here is 130KM/80MPH, most people do a heck of alot more) for about 45 minutes. I had to slow down to about 30 MPH due to construction and I started to feel thud thud thud. I would speed up alittle and it would stop. The slower I went the hard the thud was. So finally I found a shoulder that I was able to pull off onto and I was checking my tred thinking that maybe a piece of it was slapping the road, nothing. Finally I started checking my lugs, well on the driver side rear wheel 4 out of 5 lugs I was able to turn with my finger tips. I recently had my axle seals replaced and my rear brakes done. Obvisously his torque was wrong on the gun and almost killed me and the other two people in my truck.

Okay I just thought I would share my experience with you. Safety breifing of the day. CHECK YOUR LUGS! :lol:

BTW, where can I get some good solid black or blue lugs? When I tightened the stock lugs the aluminum foil on the stock lugs broke off. :roll:

4wdParakeet · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:33 am

Dude that happened to me last time I had the wheels off. Me and a buddy replaced a strut on the pass side and when we put it back together I watched him hammer the crap out of the lugs. My girlfriend was dropping off our son at daycare and he got out and said "Mom this just fell off the Jeep." When I got too her work to check ALL of them were just tighter than finger tight. The weight of the bar broke most of them loose. I thought it was a bad impact but that really makes you wonder.

Parakeet

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:44 am

Glad nobody was hurt. The moral of the story is a torque wrench is the only reliable way to torque lugs. Impact guns can't be trusted. In the absence of a torque wrench, at least check them with a regular lug wrench.

dkcase · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:47 am

4wdParakeet wrote:

I watched him hammer the crap out of the lugs.

If he "hammered the crap out of them" he probably stretched the studs or deformed the threads. You will do him a favor if you introduce him to the concept of proper torque.

4wdParakeet · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:18 am

Quote:

If he "hammered the crap out of them" he probably stretched the studs or deformed the threads. You will do him a favor if you introduce him to the concept of proper torque

He's been a tech for Jeep for about 25 years. I trust his judgement.

Parakeet

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:32 am

Better not trust him anymore. Just because someone worked for Jeep, doesn't mean they know what they are doing. Look at Enron and WorldComm. Everyone trusted the big cheeses and look what it got them.

Liberator, glad to hear you made it safely. Good thing you were able to find a place to pull over quickly.....and not be like some people and just ignore the noise until you got (tried to get) home.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:24 am

This is one GOOD reason no one but ME works on my jeep. I check all my lugs by hand with a torque wrench.. :wink:

Glad you caught it though! That could of been very bad. :shock:

Gordo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:28 am

Since we are on the topic, what are the torque specs for the lugs?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:37 am

Gordo wrote:

Since we are on the topic, what are the torque specs for the lugs?

80-100ft lbs.. :wink:

Liberator84 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:39 am

Gordo wrote:

Since we are on the topic, what are the torque specs for the lugs?

Higher then the guy that worked on my truck used!! :roll:

white04kj · **Posted:** Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:03 pm

I don't know where to get colored lugs, but you should be able to pick up some quality ones at any auto parts place. Since you're in Germany you may need to order some, Quadratec should have what you need.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:49 pm

Trust - but verify
Torque wrench set to click at 95lbs - takes about 1 minute to check all 4
and don't forget - on all Aluminum wheels - they expand contract slightly as they're heated (from the brakes) so recheck after 50 miles.

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:49 pm

The key here is to recheck after 50 miles. The wheel may appeared to be seated on the hub but may not be. When you drive it can pop loose to try to seat. When it does, loose lugs. No one the blame, can happen to the best of us.

Scary situation

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