2001 xc70 wheels lugs fell off

[darylrobert]

Check your wheel lugs on a regular basis

i have two types of wheel lugs on the vehicle, the front wheels have the newer lugs with the washer and the rears have the old standard 1 piece lug. Which is better or are they not much different?? Its possible i neglected to tighten the lugs as i recently did some work on that strut.

lugs.jpg (460.75 KiB) Viewed 2023 times

wheel-lugs.jpg (375.23 KiB) Viewed 2023 times

[abscate]

When you get old and break wind a lot, you learn that good practice is no wheel goes onto a car unless lugs are attached and torqued to spec.

For example, I will do front brakes, each side, then lastly mount each wheel loose, drop car to ground , torque all nuts/bolts.

When I did my P2 clutch I broke this practice and sure enough ended up on a 100meter test drive with wheels loose as a reminder of good practice

[93SCMax]

It's always recommended to hand torque your lug nuts (with a torque wrench). I know it's an extra step, but the consequences of loose lugs can be dangerous.

I believe the washer type is a better design...

[oragex]

First, for the front wheel, if you hear a thump-thump when braking stop right away and check the lugs with the wrench that's inside the trunk.

For the question between the lugs with washer and those without washer, the ones with washer should help getting the torque more accurate. The lugs without washer rubs against the hole in the wheel when torqued and this hole gets corroded in time: because of this corrosion the torque is artificially increased and the torque may not be correct. This is what I do every time I remove the wheels

The lug with washer, the lug rubs against the washer while the washer sits against the hole in the wheel: even if the hole is corroded, the torque is not affected and should be accurate.

What is important here is to see if the lug angle (the angle of the surface that sits against the hole in the wheel) is the same as the original lugs that came with the car. This angle can be different on some lugs (and also on some aftermarket wheel) and the lug will to be seated properly and will break loose while driving.

Don't forget to tighten the wheels in several steps. I usually torque by hand a little with the wheel in the air, then I lower the wheel to touch the ground a little so it doesn't slip (I don't fully lower it until the lugs are fully torqued), and torque the lugs in another 3-4 steps increasing the torque each time. I personally always torque clockwise, not in a cross patter, I'm not sure if a cross pattern is good for these wheels with uneven (5) number of lugs.

Lastly, here's something that happened to me: I hammered out a wheel bearing kicking on the plate with the holes for the lugs. Then I installed back the same wheel bearing. But the plate was slightly bent from the hammering, and the wheel lugs broke loose while I was driving. I had to replace the wheel bearing.

[jonesg]

I just hammer them on with the impact.
Then check 50 miles later.

[abscate]

Lug nuts are another of those Internet topics that get ugly fast

[93SCMax]

I just hammer them on with the impact.
Then check 50 miles later.

Major fail in my opinion. If you want to bend or warp your rims (esp. if they are aluminum), don't use an impact wrench. I'd never do this and warped rims is the main reason you hand torque them.

To each his own, but I don't like buying new rims, and also why I don't let tire changers use an impact wrench. With the higher torque needed due to a higher speed rating, an impact is not the way to go. Maybe if you don't have a T5, and you have steel rims, you can get away with it, but I won't risk it on any of my vehicles/wheels.

Simple, extra steps can really make a difference and save you $.

[jonesg]

If impact wrench warp alloy rims mine must be defective. I can't impart common sense.

[DrDan]

I used to have the old style (one piece) ones along with alloy rims. Each and every time the wheels had to be changed, I was a major pain because they were super tight or rather seized, although they had been torqued to spec. Mechanics used long pipes and truck spec impact guns and still complained. It would have been impossible to change a wheel on the road. I think the reason was that the conical contact surface seized on the rims.

Bought a set of new style (washer type) bolts, and since then I never had a bolt I could not break loose with a normal ratchet. However, I've been told that the new style bolts should not be used with steel rims.

My conclusion: Alloy rims - washer type bolts, steel rims - one piece bolts.

[93SCMax]

My conclusion: Alloy rims - washer type bolts, steel rims - one piece bolts.

Sounds reasonable to me. Good advice.