Check your lug nuts

[JamesT]

I was pulling out the trailer today with the Jeep on it and heard a weird noise every tire rotation. I get out and look and one wheel of my trailer was hanging on by one loose lug nut the other 4 studs were broken off. I have had the trailer for about 1.5 years and never had a wheel off it. I checked the other three wheels and the lugs are tight.

Last time the trailer was off my property and not behind a locked gate was the BBQ, the time before that was Hackleberry Creek. I seriously doubt the lugs started to come loose on their own and no one would have messed with it at the BBQ. HC????? There were a bunch of hikers around there.

This is just an FYI.

Thank God for air hammers and impact wrenches, once I found the correct studs everything went easily.

[treeofliberty]

I can second this. We took our Unlimited to a local (unnamed) 4x4 shop to have the 33's balanced before our trip to Colorado in July. The next day we left for the San Juans, towing our tent trailer. After a couple days in camp, we drove the Alpine Loop (Engineer and Cinammon Passes). The next morning I found a lug nut near camp. After checking the wheels I found the right front tire on two lug nuts. Checking the pictures I found that we had, at least, run the trails on just two lug nuts. I'm shocked the tire stayed on during all those switchbacks.

[Devil Man]

to a local (unnamed) 4x4 shop.
I HAVE NOT HEARD OFF THAT SHOP:rolleyes:

[jeepsonly]

Had the brakes on my first YJ worked on and noticed a noise when driving after I picked it up. I pulled over and one wheel was missing 4 of the 5 lug nuts and the last one was loose. I screamed bloody murder over that one, they sent a guy out with new lug nuts and a wrench. My wife was pregnant at the time so I thank God she wasn't driving or she might not have pulled over to investigate. I'm more diligent about checking now.

So ya'll, there are enough stories here to scare the crap out of the rest of you. Do yourself a favor and learn from our experiences :)

[AZXJ]

When I ran my 34 inch LTB swampers on the road, I was comming back from a weekend get away with a lady friend in Strawberry. heard wierd noise up front while comming down the big hill into Sunflower. Pulled over to find all 5 lugnuts loose on drivers front. tightened them and circled the entire Jeep checking all the lugs.. Talk about close.... :eek:

[Desertjeep]

Thanks James. Glad there was not a serious accident.
I started down the street one time and at the last moment before getting out of the neighbourhood I decided to finally investigate the clicking noise from my front wheel. Sure 'nuff my lug nuts were loose, all five of them. Not good. I would hate to loose a wheel on the freeway. Mine i am sure worked themselves loose from not being torqued correctly.

[Linda]

A few years back a friend happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A truck hauling a car trailer lost a tire (off the trailer). The tire bounced a few times before embedding itself in the windshield (passenger side) of his wife's ZJ. Fortunately there wasn't anyone in the passenger seat at the time! After that, checking the trailer's lug nuts, tire pressure, and skid plate bolts (my little VenturCraft has a skid plate under the cargo tub) before a trip have always been at the top of my checklist.

In another case, some friends of mine lost the spare tire on their truck (Dodge). It somehow got loose from the standard carrying location, under the bed. It fell out on the road (at highway speed), went under the 5th Wheel trailer they were hauling and hit the car behind them.

[Special K]

I was sitting at a stop light today and happened to look over at a Ford Taurus stopped next to me. I looked down at the rear tire as it was pulling away and saw that it only had 2 lug nuts!! It's scary to think how long they have been driving the vehicle that way.

[desertdawg]

Hey James, I saw a bunch of Chipmunks out at HC that day. Maybe they had an iron deficiency or something and started chomping on your lug nuts?:D

[DsrtJeeper]

This is very common with new wheel installations. That's why Discount Tire always recommends retorquing wheels after 50 miles. The nuts seat in after some miles with vibration, heat,etc... and will sit loose on the wheel until they spin themselves off. Ever rev an engine when bolts are threaded loosely onto one of the components? The harmonics will spin the nut. Now picture steel nuts tightened into aluminum wheels. ;) I torque my Jeep wheels after every trip.

It's also common for lugs to snap after years of use due to torquing. Torquing is basically stretching a bolt to a recommended measurement. Stretch and stretch and snap! :eek: Walk around your favorite junk yard sometime and look at all the studs missing in axles. Makes you wonder if there's a stud ferry. :D

[Triple-XJ]

The nuts seat in after some miles with vibration

:eek: OUCH, It hurts when I seat on my nuts :o


I torque my Jeep wheels after every trip.

mm-hm, :rolleyes: So thats what your doing when you dont answer the phone after a long trail ride.


Makes you wonder if there's a stud ferry. :D

Is that what you call your male passengers :eek: :D

[Stomper]

My Dodge dually has extra large nuts. Er...well much bigger than standard size. Er...well they are all tight. Whew!!

[DsrtJeeper]

:eek: OUCH, It hurts when I seat on my nuts :o



mm-hm, :rolleyes: So thats what your doing when you dont answer the phone after a long trail ride.



Is that what you call your male passengers :eek: :D

You'll always be my stud ferry; Geno.

[desertdawg]

You'll always be my stud ferry; Geno.

You guys need to be on the Brokeback Mountain thread.:D