Loose lug nuts

[DominicM]

I got the new tires on the MCI last Friday. Saturday I noticed the lug nuts on the back were loose. Loose enough that I was able to take the nuts off by hand.  I called them on Tuesday to notify them of the situation and that I WILL NOT be driving it up to have them tightened.  They will need to send a truck out and to call me prior to coming out so that I can be there to verify.  Last night I check and sure enough there is still some of the nuts loose.  This time I took one off and stopped by the store after work.  The lady at the front desk stopped in her tracks when I set the nut down.  They assured me that they tightened all the nuts down with an impact, and can not explain why they are still loose.  Tomorrow they will be back out again with new nuts.. 

What would cause the lug nuts to remain loose?  Or is it a better assumption that they did not torque down all of them just the couple that were loose and doing so it loosened the other ones?

Dominic

[Jim Eh.]

That sounds like a pretty logical explanation. They can't loosen by themselves just sitting.

[bobofthenorth]

........They assured me that they tightened all the nuts down with an impact, and can not explain why they are still loose.

That's a big red flag if they're claiming that the nuts should be tight because they torqued them with an impact.  If they're not using a torque wrench then they're cowboy clowns. 

[DominicM]

I want the job complete. After that I intend on using my torque wrench to verify/ complete torque.   

I told the shop the same thing that they couldn't/ shouldn't have come loose just sitting.   I doubt the West Texas heat loosened them.   

[Iceni John]

I want the job complete. After that I intend on using my torque wrench to verify/ complete torque.   

  

If they zapped them on to a bazillion ft/lb, and if your torque wrench is set to 500 ft/lb, it won't tell you how much overtightened they are.   Sure, they can use an impact for the run-on and initial tightening, but they also must use a torque wrench for the final full tightening, not just to make it click and call it good.

John

[windtrader]

Not sure why you want them to touch your wheels again. Especially if you are going to recheck and torque them, just do it yourself and avoid further issue with them. And find a new tire shop.

[eagle19952]

If they zapped them on to a bazillion ft/lb, and if your torque wrench is set to 500 ft/lb, it won't tell you how much overtightened they are.   Sure, they can use an impact for the run-on and initial tightening, but they also must use a torque wrench for the final full tightening, not just to make it click and call it good.

John

Which is why a 1 inch gun takes them off and a 1/2 inch puts them on....

[chessie4905]

1967 mc5??? How many times have lug nuts been off and on since new? How often have bad ones been replaced? Quite common to have worn out studs and nuts tighten, but won't take rated torque anymore. May be time for stud and nut replacement on all of them? Consider...

[eagle19952]

In anticipation of getting old...I got me another tool...

[dtcerrato]

I'm not familiar with that tool, what is it? Torque multiplier?

[eagle19952]

I'm not familiar with that tool, what is it? Torque multiplier?

yes.

[bigred]

This sounds like the crap Snider Tire would do!!!

[Branderson]

You guys got me paranoid b/c I've never checked lug nuts.  One b/c I have hub covers and never really thought of it.  Next time I get it serviced, I'm going to ask my guy how he tightens it and if he tests with torque wrench. 

[lostagain]

You cannot test with a torque wrench. As mentioned above, your wrench could be set at say 450 ft/lb, and click. That tells you that the nut is at least at 450. But it could've been tightened to 600 or 800 and you wouldn't know.

To do it right, you have to loosen the nuts, then tighten with the wrench to the proper torque. Then re-torque after a few hundred miles.

JC

[lvmci]

Dominic, I would have somebody video tape you torquing the nuts all the way around so that you would have video of the event in case you need to go to court, lvmci...