Help, Lug Nuts Came Loose While Driving

[alfacybersite <acs@domain.elided>]

In #1164 Dick Stachowiak mentions he has a bit of a problem: "...the lug
nuts on the drivers front wheel had come loose. This is a 71 Spider that
has late style long wheel studs.  I had installed new lug nuts that I
got from NAPA, and although I didn't use a torque wrench to tighten
them, shouldn't have come loose."

********

Dick, first are you sure you tightened the left front wheel lug nuts
after lowering car to the ground?

Do the lug nuts have the same taper as the ones in the Turbinas? If not,
rather than go to your NAPA dealer, I'd call Jon Norman / Alfa Parts
(800-890-2532) and order a set. I'm sure other suppliers can help you,
but Jon seems especially knowledgeable about correct lug nuts and should
have them in stock. True, you won't have them for your Italian Car
Cruise, but better safe than...

Also pull off a wheel which didn't loosen up and measure the stud
lengths. Then measure the one's on the left front. Quite possibly they
weren't driven in far / hard enough. If in doubt, put the left front
wheel back on and with a torque wrench tighten each nut up (in stages)
to around 70 to 80 pounds. You should be able to tell if the studs
appear to be 'pulling up'.

Anti-seize: I use it liberally on studs / nuts, but for now make sure
you don't have any on the lug nut mating surface.

Paint: Possibly you got a bit much on the lug nut mating surface, the
nuts weren't quite tight enough and as you drove, the paint began to
flake off. It's a long shot, but look carefully at paint build-up on the
taper of all four wheels.

Finally, since you had a bit of a scare, torque all lug nuts. I'd
normally say 50#, but go to 60#. Other's might suggest even higher foot
pounds.

Don't mean to question your mechanical abilities, but bet the solution
was / is in the first line of my reply.

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided