You Picked A Fine Tine To Loose Me Loose Wheel (1 Viewer)

[Denofearth]

ok...that being said...we can gather what the topic is.

I recently had no problems with loosing wheels...then I did a rear disc brake conversion. all went well until I went driving down the road...I lost my rear left side not only once but 3 times... they were torqued by Discount Tire the second time, so they were on right but then there it went again.

I bought the brackets and used montcarlo calipers
GM rotors
I got the rotors cut to 4.20 as per the instructions

Does anybody....with out the pun...know why I am loosing wheels????

thanks..

 

[liko]

Maybe studs are too long, or lug nuts too short?

 

[loosechange]

are the wheels aftermarket, do the lugs have any squash or crush washers, they appliy the pressure of the lugs to the wheel and hopefully kepp them from backing out due to vibration etc...are the lugs tapered to fit into the wheel lug hole. I can only hope that you can find this out soon, trying to wheel or drive can be a bit dangerous with only three wheels, Ive done it before. NOT good. lucky I have a rear locker to keep me moving. yes I forgot I have 4 wheel drive but I was in panic mode. NOt only did I lose the rear wheel...I lose have the shaft to wheel was mounted to. I spun a bearing and snapped the shaft.

By the way you probably and most likely Wallowed out the Lug holes and are probably going to loose your threading on the studs or they may be bent already...but definaly wallowed out the lug holes. also the lugs could have been overtorqued

Are you using lugs that sit on top of the rim or lugs that go through the rim and tighten down?

Did you hear a thunk thunkl thunk at all while driving to let you know the wheel was gewtting loose?

Wheel lug nuts may have different shapes. Aftermarket alloy and forged rims often require specific lug nuts to match their mounting holes, so it's often required to get a new set of lug nuts when the rims are changed. There are 4 common lug nut types: "Cone Seat", "Bulge Cone Seat", "Under Hub Cap", and "Spline Drive"
(SG internet 2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lug_nut)

 

[Denofearth]

are the wheels aftermarket, do the lugs have any squash or crush washers, they appliy the pressure of the lugs to the wheel and hopefully kepp them from backing out due to vibration etc...are the lugs tapered to fit into the wheel lug hole. I can only hope that you can find this out soon, trying to wheel or drive can be a bit dangerous with only three wheels, Ive done it before. NOT good. lucky I have a rear locker to keep me moving. yes I forgot I have 4 wheel drive but I was in panic mode. NOt only did I lose the rear wheel...I lose have the shaft to wheel was mounted to. I spun a bearing and snapped the shaft.

By the way you probably and most likely Wallowed out the Lug holes and are probably going to loose your threading on the studs or they may be bent already...but definaly wallowed out the lug holes. also the lugs could have been overtorqued

Are you using lugs that sit on top of the rim or lugs that go through the rim and tighten down?

Did you hear a thunk thunkl thunk at all while driving to let you know the wheel was gewtting loose?

Wheel lug nuts may have different shapes. Aftermarket alloy and forged rims often require specific lug nuts to match their mounting holes, so it's often required to get a new set of lug nuts when the rims are changed. There are 4 common lug nut types: "Cone Seat", "Bulge Cone Seat", "Under Hub Cap", and "Spline Drive"
(SG internet 2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lug_nut)

The rims are aftermarket Mickey Thompson 8 hole aluminum rims. the rim that I first had a problem I put on spare rack, so no waller for the second time it fell off, I am going to take a look at the stud length and the shaft....maybe they are not threaded long enough.
The rim holes are tapered and so are the nuts. and no the indication that I got letting me know that I lost a tire was the instant decreas in the left rear of the truck...and Hey...that looks like my tire going by me at 50 mph...lol

 

[Denofearth]

Here is what I think...the hole that was machined out to make the rotors fit the axle, might be too big and allowingthe axle tire rim to just have enough wiggle room to loosen it up...now both back rims are giving me problems with the nuts loosing up. I just keep the tri bar handy and give them a tweek before I drive,...lol

 

[Tools R Us]

Likely not enough stud to nut engagement? The chevy rotors are often thicker than the drums, so less stud exposed. Aftermarket wheels are often thicker at the lug surface, ideally needing a longer stud. Adding these two possibilities together could end with the stud being way too short?

 

[inkpot]

Are you using the proper nuts for those wheels? Acorns vs shank/ washer style? Are the wheel studs too long for those nutz?

 

[Denofearth]

OK, I understand, BUT this isn't the first rear disc brake conversion ever done...so....now what and where do I find the right longer studs????

 

[lostmarbles]

Glad you live a long way away from me.....

Something's VERY wrong if you're having trouble seeing why your wheel nuts are loosening and your wheels are falling off!!!

No offense meant ... But struuuuthhhhh!!!!!

 

[sadam_husain]

is it just the LH side coming loose is the RH side ok, have you checked to see if the lug holes have flogged out and elongated or been damaged after the first time you lost the wheel

 

[inkpot]

OK, I understand, BUT this isn't the first rear disc brake conversion ever done...so....now what and where do I find the right longer studs????

I think the 60 series is longer. Don't remember how much.

 

[inkpot]

Went back and read the O P. IF Discount way over torqued your lug nuts the first time, the studs may be so stretched out that they will never hold good torque again.

 

[shawnfj40]

Is your caliper hitting the rim? If you have the wrong back spacing it will cause your problem

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

I think the 60 series is longer. Don't remember how much.

I believe I went to 60 series studs in the rear...not positive about the application - but this is the exact part number that I used:

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Wheel-Bolt-Rear/_/R-NDP6411620_0375767698

NOE 6411620

My wheels have stayed attached so far, and the lug nuts are completely seated with a few additional threads coming through. I'm running the Monte Carlo rear disc conversion.

As others have said -

Make sure you have the proper lug nuts for your wheels,
make sure there is enough stud sticking out to get sufficient thread engagement with the lug nuts,
check the holes in your wheels - make sure they aren't reamed/"egged" out (not round, worn, etc.)
make sure they are torqued to spec
If all else fails and you lose a wheel again, assume the studs are stretched and replace them

 

[loosechange]

Wow I'm am sooooo totally slow. It took me this long to actually understand your title (catchy little tune by Kenny Rogers lol) wow I am such a.... Insert adjective here

 

[cjgoode]

Love the title, did you put in new studs? Maybe the studs were not seated all the way and the studs are seating enough each time to loosen the lug nuts.

 

[Howard705]

Just says you lost your wheel. Did the nuts come off? If so they. Were. Not. Tight. Enough. Go tighter. Something like a burr or rust. may be between the axle, rotor, wheel and after digging in to flat metal has reduced the thickness of this sandwich of metals so you lost stretch of the studs. Go tighter

 

[Romer]

Nothing to add other than that happened on my last 40. Discount had done a rotation and then I went wheeling and hit a real bumpy section drove 50 miles home and about 1 mile from my house I started to feel a vibration, was close to home so I figured I would pull in and check it out. 200 feet from my house my tire comes off goes rolling past the 40 and into my neighbors flower bed. My daughter was behind me in her 4runner and was a bit shocked to say the least. I had one stud left so I jacked it up, got the tire out of my neighbors flower garden (they never noticed) and slowly crawled it into the garage.

Scary thing. I do tend to check them before and after wheeling now

 

[71FJnick]

I saw this topic and it got me thinking.
I agree with all the posts that the only way lug nuts loosen is if they don't have enough preload on the threads to keep them tight.

That must mean there was either not enough engagement to begin with, or they weren't tight enough OR that the wheel, brake disk, hub wasn't fully seated.

You said this started after a disk brake conversion.
Have you verified that the brake disk is fully seating on the hub?
Then that the wheel is fully seating on the disk?

I'd remove the rear brake disk, put some grease on the backside of the hub (just a little on the whole mating surface that contacts the hub)

Grease on the wheel/brake disk interface, then assemble everything and torque it down.

Be sure to put the brake caliper back on, if it's sitting too far outboard (toward the wheel) it will push against the brake disk and wheel.
This would allow you to fully torque the wheel, but once vibration and heat come into play when driving, the lug nuts will loosen.

Anyway assemble everything, torque it, then Pull it back apart.

All the grease should be fully squeezed out and you should have a nice imprint of the contact between the wheel/brake disk and brake disk/hub

Since it started after the conversion I'd start by looking there.

-nick