Nuts - A Warning

[clarky]

Guys,

Couple of weeks ago I got a new set of front tyres from Kwikfit.

All fitted no hassle.

Decided to give the car a good clean at the weekend and ended up removing the cover of the locking wheelnut to give it a wipe. (I have the toyota supplied nuts - three prongs with a plastic nut puller)

I was less than impressed to discover that the air-gun at Kwikfit had managed to distort one of the three holes in the locking nut to the stage where I couldn't get it off with the standard nut wrench.

I ended up having a joint effort between my missus and me (one pushing the nut adapter on and the other using the handle from my trolley jack over the wrench) and we finally managed to get it off!

<the spuds of lurrrrvve>ed Kwikfit to discover that this was by no means an unusual occurence - they suggested that I dont get another set of replacement nuts from toyota as they are soft - rather an aftermarket set from Halfords or similar.

Refunded me and sorted it all out. So be warned - Toyota locking Nuts are soft!

Clarky

[kebwob]

A fast-fit centre not using the correct torque settings? Thats a new one!

Thats what knackered your locking nuts!

[clarky]

Apparently not - they checked and re-checked the recommended torque settings

Clarky

[echohb]

It is the recommendation of finer alloy wheel makers like Enkei (http://www.enkei.com/Installation.html) that tightenning of lug nuts using an impact wrench (air-gun) should be avoided. I don't think the tourque settings on an impact wrench can be very accurate. Also, the thing spins at a pretty high rate, and the mass of the spinning driver will be stopped by our poor lug nuts and wheels, overshooting the tourque setting. Steel wheels are not as much of a concern.

Any shop is usually too lazy to change the tourque setting of an impact wrench, and to err on the safe side of loosening, and lawsuits, they set the tourque higher than any spec. to boot. All two of my experiences receiving my car from the shop have required significant force (standing / bouncing on 12+ in. stock lug nut wrench) to loosen. My first experience at a dedicated wheel and tire shopt was not pleasurable and inconsistent lug nut tourquing was just one of the problems. I was the proud owner of a mechanical break and click tourque wrench within an hour of leaving the place. I agree with kebwob. "Kwakfit" is just covering their butts just like any other business would.

Hopefully, the condition of the locks was known before going to Kwikfit. In either case, they refunded and pointed fingers. Perhaps a smarter shop would recognize the soft locks and warn you to buy "better" ones, but that would require effort. Bottom line, if they didn't use the porper tool and a proper tourque wrench, they will over tighten and damage close tolerance (read soft) wheel bits. If anything be more concerned for the condition of the wheels. They're usually a little more expensive than lug nuts. I would have to say that over tightening with hard lug nuts would damage alloy wheels more than softer ones.

If by now you have become concerned, find a decent manual tourque wrench and retourque to your vehicles spec., and retourque again after rolling around for ~40km.

[Chappers]

Well said.. I'd type something like that if I could be bothered

[yvvan]

A fast-fit centre not using the correct torque settings? Thats a new one!     

Thats what knackered your locking nuts! 

Exactly!

Fact: air wrench + grease monkey = overtightened nuts!

When I get new tyres fitted I either take the wheels only with me, or take my tools and take them off and fit them myself. They can point and laugh at me all they want.

Cheers, Yves.

[T V O R]

Torque Wrench

Any good? Something I keep meaning to invest in, especially now it’s only £15! Operating range 28 to 210 Newton metres.

YTS wheel nut torque:

103 N.m (10.5, kgf.m 76, ft.lbf)

[Viper_7]

When ever I have the motor serviced...or when ever the wheels have to come off...I always get em to slacken the wheel nuts off again...hand em my wrench..and get em to tighten it with that! If they tighten it with that..I know I can just as easily remove em again.

I've been caught out twice where I couldn't get the damn nuts off as they had been overtightened with one of those air-guns. Never again!

I wouldn't say that the locking wheel nuts of soft...but the suface contact of nut to spanner is a little less than standard nuts...so they probably would chew up a little easier than standard nuts .

Vipes

[Scottish_SR]

Yeah it seems like the 3 small holes are only a few mm deep which means its easy to shear the hole. I did it on a couple of my standard toyota alloys and they were quite hard to take off after, so i just used the standard nuts on them. Ive got a lot better locking wheel nuts on now and know they are fine!!

So be careful!!

[Kenno]

Kwik Fit knackered my nuts too!!

on my old car, they blamed the locking wheel nuts, but they were pretty expensive ones, so it's probably their fault.

[clarky]

Looks like I've touched a nerve here - I'll be investing in a torque wrench sooner rather than later then,

thanks for all the advice ...

Clarky

[T V O R]

Looks like I've touched a nerve here - I'll be investing in a torque wrench sooner rather than later then,

thanks for all the advice ...

Clarky

The Argos one?

[yvvan]

Torque Wrench

Any good? Something I keep meaning to invest in, especially now it’s only £15! Operating range 28 to 210 Newton metres.

TVOR, I can't comment on the ARGOS brand, but it looks decent enough for occasional use.

Check if it comes with a calibration certificate, store it in a place that's not humid and where there are no large variations in temperature and set it back to it's lowest setting (28 Nm for this one) after use as this is a spring loaded type and has a rather large multiplication. It's range should cover most of things on a car. You should have it recalibrated every 1 or 2 years, depending on how much you use it and at what values you mostly use it.

Cheers, Yves.

[knightrider]

toyota bust my nuts twice!

[alanbradley]

[off topic]

Sounds painful...

[*off topic]