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Date:         Tue, 7 Apr 1998 12:53:12 -0400
Reply-To:     Don Gibbons <dgibbons@PRESRAY.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Don Gibbons <dgibbons@PRESRAY.COM>
Subject:      Re: lug nuts--broke a socket--socket strength investigations.
Comments: To: Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Years ago in a LeCar (LeWreck) I forgot to tighten some lug nuts. Well they only had 3 anyway. Wheel flew off but all was well, no crash, no major damage to LeWreck.

After this I looked into the science of lug nuts and torque. Heres what I found:

1. Always use a torque wrench unless you are very experienced on judging torque's. Most of us are not. To little and the nut/bolt may loosen, Too much and the wheel/ rotor/ nut/bolt may be damaged.

2. It is the friction between the nut/bolt and wheel that holds the nut/bolt from loosening. But it is the friction of the threads on the nut/bolt that when corroded makes the nut/bolt hard or impossible to remove. The Best thing to do is to remove each nut/lug, clean all parts, and apply a small amount of some kind of protective lubricant to the threads. DO NOT USE MUCH, DO NOT GET ANY ON THE SEATING SURFACES OF THE NUT/BOLT/WHEEL.

If you do both these things the wheel will stay on when it should and it will be able to be removed when you want it removed. Even if some tire monkey with a Mega-Torque impact gun gets to the lugs the lack of corrosion on the threads will make it possible to get the nut/bolt off.


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