Ever got your nuts stuck?
 

Hi everyone,

genuine question, Have you ever had your wheel nuts stuck on?

I had an unfortunate case last year when getting my 370z first change of tyres.

The car was just over a year old with one previous owner. I believe the garage I bought the car from took the wheels off during 'inspection'. When they put them back on they managed to cross-thread the nut on the wheel stud and totally wrecked it with an air gun.

It was a nightmare to remove and I had to see a specialist (Nuts off in Glasgow highly recommend if you're in Scotland). They removed the whole wheel assembly in one and cut the stud from behind.

One new stud and nut later and I was good to go..... except Mr.NutsOff commented on the same wheel one of the other studs had very minor mark of a previous cross threading attempt.

I know the studs aren't the easiest to line up since they're fairly short and the wheels are fairly big and heavy but it's rather infuriating hidden issue for me to deal with. Interested to hear if this is something I'm going to have to deal with every year or so as it seems impossible to find a tyre garage that refrains from screwing the hell out of every nut like they're some pit crew for *insert your favorite Motorsport here*.

Find a shop that doesn't use air wrenches to tighten the lugs. Air wrenches are great for removing lugs, not so much for installing.

I agree with above as the suspected cause

Back when I had an S14, as shop over tightened the nuts on a rear wheel. The studs snapped on the freeway and a damn wheel came OFF THE CAR. I was totally lucky to be near the shoulder and skidded into a safe area without causing a wreck. When we got the car to a shop, the studs were shorn off

Wow. Did they replace the pants you ruined when that wheel came off on the freeway? My *** would have bitten a hole out of the seat.

Working at a parts store tells you a lot about the tire shops you deliver parts to. Around KC, NTB was notorious for screwing up lug nuts and studs, AND charging the customer for doing it.... :shakes head: :shakes head:

at tire time i always take my own wheels off and haul down to tire store, then put back on at home with a regular socket and torque wrench..those guys at shop go ballistic with the air tools:icon14:

Get yourself a bottom tap, and a thread die to clean up the threads inside the lug nuts and wheel studs. You will thank me later. :tiphat: Using an air impact to tighten the nuts up pulls the threads and damages them. Then you will get gauled threads.

Yeah, Nix on the Air to put them back on. Last time I was rotating the ladies tires, I snapped 3 of the 5 studs on one wheel. The shop she took it to was Notorious for pounding them on with the air hammer. Ended up replacing 7 total on her car.

I have had to deal with this before when I worked as a Tech at a Nissan dealer. The darn thing was stripped. What I did was drill a hole through the lugnut and stud as far and large as I could go. I then set the car down on a long pullbar and pulled up. It snapped the stuff off so I could get the wheel off and replace the studs. This is exactly why you won't see me run spacers on my car unless they are on extended studs and slip over them.

Not tightening the nuts will cause the same thing. Don't ask me how I know. (I think I posted the story in a thread here titled something like "What's the Stupidest Thing You Have Ever Done with a Car.")

Definitely be selective what tire shops you bring your Z to. If you do use a air tool when removing or installing lug nuts be careful and use a digital torque wrench to torque to proper ft-lbs. I always torque my lug nuts to 85 ft-lbs. Wheel studs can be a pain in the rear to replace. Also DO NOT EVER use cheap inexpensive made in China lug nuts on our Z’s that is never a good idea. Use premium name brand lug nuts and locking nuts on your Z.

:rofl2: some of those stories made me feel a lot better about my experience.

The infuriating thing with tyres is it's always the newbie of the garage doing that job, despite the tyres doing perhaps the most important job.

Don't worry i went back to the dealership and bought through them when i struggled to source genuine parts online.

Nope always use anti-seize and I check torque which never lessens with its use.

Not since Nam, getting ready to vacate that hellhole forever....big ol Penicillin shot in the gluteus maximus:eek:

Did you get a short arm inspection?