# Do you love life ?



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Since having a near miss on my van due to rear wheel nuts working loose, it's become a bit of a standing joke with friends "make sure your nuts are tight" . . . Well, one of our son's was badly injured last weekend when his (top of the range) Volvo overturned due to 3 wheel nuts working loose & coming out, he'd previously had new rear brakes & tyres fitted by a garage-at this stage we can't prove it bit it seems they used an airline 'gun' to put wheel nuts on & obviously did not fully tighten or torque them correctly.

Fortunately the ambulance crews & hospital surgeons saved his life & although severely severely battered about it looks like he'll be ok.

The moral of this is - DON'T TRUST WORKSHOPS OR GARAGES WHO MAY HAVE WORKED ON YOUR VEHICLE - Double check your nuts are tight !
( and recheck them every couple of hundred miles-it only takes a couple of minutes !
Vic


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

It is common for the invoice that you sign for the work to have it stated in small print that you are responsible to re check the wheelnuts after X miles.
Best wishes for a full recovery 

I bought one of these recently, good price good quality
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-1-...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3f1f892375


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Yep, I carry a long handled one behind the driver's seat-when we stop for a cuppa I've gone round & checked them before the kettle has boiled


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Not everyone is up to checking all the possible service parts although I accept that wheel nuts are vital.
The little old lady in lace gloves, the mobility vehicles where drivers are physically incapable of tightening wheel nut and many other scenarios come to mind. Surely when you pay to have a professional do the work you do not feel capable of doing, they should answer for their professional shortcomings.

I once had the wheel nuts come loose but I had plenty of warning from the vehicles behaviour that there was a serious problem, well before the nuts came off.

Alan


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your Son Vic. Hope for a full recovery and no nasty after effects.

Ray.


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## bigfrank3 (Mar 26, 2007)

Thanks for the warning Vic, and best wishes for a full recovery for your son.

Frank


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Nuts*

Glad to hear you are both okay Vic. Quite a shock for him I will bet.

No doubt blame the apprentice.

I usually try and remember to check them, most of the time I do.

I collected my Sprinter Traveliner from MB a month or so ago and there was a large red tag advising to to check the torque (how many people have one of those!).

But the same garage had the rear wheels off Our Sprinter motorhome 2 weeks before, no tag that time.

Hope you son is all okay.

TM


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

I have a thing about wheel nuts, although never lost a wheel.

Usually check before leaving and on arrival at Harwich, then check again before we leave Nuenen to come back.

Wheelbrace is on the floor just inside the door where I can grab it quickly.

Hope your son recovers, it's an awful thing to have happen.

Peter


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

When I had a proper job I spent most of my time involved with Fasteners (Bolts,Nuts,screws, etc) and how to install them. (Tightening Technique).
Wheel nuts or bolts are probably the most obvious critical fastener on a motor vehicle. We supplied equipment to the motor industry costing many thousands of pounds to correctly fit wheels.
These machines would tighten to torque, angle and on occasion yield.
( Bolts taken to yield should not be reused).
They could also count and verify that each spindle had completed its cycle. The machine could identify crossed threads, short bolts, missing bolts and so on. All of these details would then be forwarded to the mainframe and be registered against the vehicle Vin No.
This procedure is carried out on most critical assemblies in a vehicle.
Wheels, seatbelts, seat bolts, steering and so on.( everywhere failure could cause an incident0

Then a bloke at the garage takes the wheels off with a forty quid impact wrench and if you really do have incompetence puts them back on with the same tool. Ideally should use an electronic transducerised torque wrench if not then a quality torque wrench that is checked weekly and has the paperwork to prove it. 
Few garages will do this or have the equipment.

To be safe buy your own torque wrenches, look after them, do not use them to unfasten.


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

So how tight should the wheel nuts be then ?


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

vicdicdoc said:


> The moral of this is - DON'T TRUST WORKSHOPS OR GARAGES WHO MAY HAVE WORKED ON YOUR VEHICLE - Double check your nuts are tight !
> ( and recheck them every couple of hundred miles-it only takes a couple of minutes !
> Vic


Thank you. A timely reminder as I just had a new set of Conti's yesterday. I pay extra to a chap who has done the families tyres for years and he does it in a large van with a machine inside outside the house.

Even though I trust him implicity for his knowledge and experience I assume even he could make mistakes and your advice should almost be a mandatory requirement as it is not only the lives of the car occupants but innocents on the road too. Perhaps a free but mandatory check available at all good MOT places.

I am so sorry about your son, and hope the prognosis is as you say and soon this experience will just be a bad memory but never forgetting it could have been so much worse. So, lots to be thankful about.


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## Jimbost (Aug 25, 2012)

Hope your son makes a full recovery.

Wheel nut torques should be in the owners manual AFAIK.

We had a Ford Galaxy from our local Ford dealer Dagenham motors. on two occasions after servicing I did my wheel nut checks I found the wheels 'gunned' up so tight I could not undo the nuts. on each occasion I took it back to the dealer. The first time they re-torqued as I watched and although the fitter struggled with one wheel it was not a problem. The second time they could not get the nuts/bolts? (Cant remember now) off even with a long extension (scaffold tube  ) on the bar. Got into a heated discussion with the manager about over stressed parts and replacement. Eventually, reluctantly, all the wheel nuts/bolts were replaced. Never got an apology though.

My family use an independent local tyre dealer ( RM tyres Medway City Estate Rochester) to fit all our new tyres and repair punctures. He always tells us to check and retighten after 50 miles or so. He will also offer to "bring it back in" and they will recheck for you if you choose. Its a dingy old school set up, no posh four post lifts, it gets so busy now though, the queue can be ten or so deep at times.


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Gretchibald said:


> So how tight should the wheel nuts be then ?


This should be in your manual if not contact the manufacturer or converter.
It depends on rim size and material. 
Fiat steel 15" 160Nm 16" 180Nm


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I find that my nuts get tighter in cold weather.

Is that a problem?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Son released from hospital but got to take it easy,they gave him 5 units of blood & managed to sew his ear back on (looks a bit like Dr Spock out of star trek at the moment), he has gash halfway across one side of his face past his ear & to the back of his head + cracked rib . . Ho hum, looking at the wreck of the car it could have been far far worse but TG he'll recover & be ok.

Our thank to you all for your your kind thoughts & best wishes.

(I'm amending my signature to say "keep your nuts tight" :roll:


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

vicdicdoc said:


> managed to sew his ear back on


Some good news. Lucky he didn't suffer gonnaear. Best wishes to hi for a speedy recovery and Dad better go for a lay down after all that worry.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Pusser, fortunately not that  but I've bought him some Echinacea tablets . . (The nearest thing I could find that sounds like ###ear :lol:


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Good news that he will be ok.

Thanks for the heads up about checking wheel nuts,will get mine done today before our trip to France at the weekend.


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## knothobber (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi, Glad your sons' outcome was positive. With regard to torque values, I believe most people would be surprised how little effort is needed, with a spanner, to achieve the correct value required. I would be surprised if a lot of DIY work did not result in overtightened fastenings., given that most of this type of work will be undertaken without the use of a torque wrench. Overtightening can, depending on its' severity, result in stretching of the screw, bolt, stud, etc., such that it will weaken the fastener. 
Regards,
Trevor.


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

As tight as the manufacturer recommends. Look on the website or ask your Dealer. Never, never use Copperslip on critical bolts.
Its the friction that keeps your vehicle in one piece. Hence modern design uses flange nuts and bolts ( increases friction ).

Steve


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

If using Techo's chart don't forget they are 10% of the value.

16da/Nm = 160 NM = 118ft lb

Steve


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Phew!

I am glad I have never used copper slip on my nuts - I'm not that wacky!


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

Good on Shafts tho !


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*Wheel Nuts*

Thank you Vic. Just checked mine after having new tyres 1200 miles ago. All OK just a couple needed pinching up, haven't got a Torque spanner just used the wheel brace.

Hope your son recovers OK.

Regards,

Graham


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