Flex Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 (edited) So just had all the suspension replaced on the Zed. 2 days later I find a wheel nut on the drive and check all of the nuts, they are all loose! Went back today and guy said they where are tightened to 130 ftb ( I think manual is 120 or 80NM) not sure without checking manual and might have my units mixed up, sorry!! Is it even possible that after they tightened them that they became that loose? I mean I've changed wheels over winter and NEVER had this. They seem nice enough but FM that's a bit of school boy error. Perhaps I'd be less p1ssed off if it wasnt the Mrs car. Anyway not like I havent had issues with other garages but.... Edited March 21, 2017 by Flex Quote
Jay84 Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Some vehicles recommend a retorque but not many. If they didnt scrub the wheels and hubs before refitment it can cause them to appear tight at garage but loose later. But unlikely to be all four. I'd say they weren't done properly, human error/oversite. It shouldnt happpen. We have to do a quality check once the technician has done them, a road test, then another recheck of torques. Quote
Stutopia Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Crap. My guy always re torques after the road test too. I've even seen him do it when the wheels haven't been touched. Sloppy job. 1 Quote
Jay84 Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Take it back and complain. I know itll not get you anywhere but they need to know Quote
GMballistic Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Any time you have a wheel off it is generally recommended that after 100 miles or so you check the wheel nuts to make sure they haven't come undone. This is safe practice. In saying that every single time I have checked the wheel nuts after a wheel was removed and then put back on the wheel nuts haven't come undone in my experience. Doesn't mean it can't happen though. It could be though that the garage put your alloys back on whilst the car was in the air, nipped them up and then forgot to fully tighten/torque them up once the vehicle was lowered back down to the ground. Seen that happen before. Quote
ZMANALEX Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 School boy error but it should never happen. Think of what the consequences could have been. I would be looking for the garage to take your complaint seriously and sweeten you accordingly. Talk to the dealer principal and not his monkeys and be polite but assertive. 1 Quote
RobPhoboS Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 I leave my torque wrench in the car (of course not set!), so if I've had the tyres done or whatever, I drive around the corner and check it myself Also after they have been taken off it's worth torquing them, drive a little and check again. Quote
evilscorp Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Drove the missus car home after MOT and wheel bearing replacement... the bonnet had not been shut correctly. Unfortunately these things can happen as most garages struggle to pass on experience until it bites them in the face. Usually learning the hard way. Hence why I don't trust anyone with my car.... shame the missus doesn't trust me / is impatient. Quote
ioneabee Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 I went to have a chat with a wheel refurb guy in Swansea last year and whilst we were discussing what I wanted, he took a phone call, went as pale as any person can whilst listening to something being said .............. and as he ran out the door, over his shoulder he shouted gotta go, wheel has just come off a car he'd just done on the M4 :scare: needless to say, I didn't go back 2 Quote
Strudul Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Other way round on torque specs. 110Nm, 80ft/lbs Quote
Ekona Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 Crap, but this is why you should always check your nuts are tight (fnar) after 100 miles like GMB says. No comfort, but a timely reminder for us all. I'd expect either a very genuine apology, or a crap one and some kind of monetary gesture. 1 Quote
Strudul Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 I'd expect either a very genuine apology, or a crap one and some kind of monetary gesture. Unless it was Halfords. They just ignore your complaint until it drops off the system 1 Quote
Jay84 Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 I'd expect either a very genuine apology, or a crap one and some kind of monetary gesture. Unless it was Halfords. They just ignore your complaint until it drops off the system We're not all bad lol. I've had no wheels fall off. 1 Quote
Flex Posted March 22, 2017 Author Posted March 22, 2017 Cheers guys, I dont know why I didnt check, I would have if Id have swapped winters over for sure. Bit busy. Thanks for putting me right on the torques strudel. I still wont remember next time though. Have a note in the garage to help my puny brain. Quote
rabbitstew Posted March 22, 2017 Posted March 22, 2017 Sounds like you had a lucky escape. I usually do all the work on my cars myself and tbh never re-torque nuts. Never had a nut come loose so far, but following this I think i`ll start re-torquing anyway just to be on the safe side. Quote
Ricksta1980 Posted March 22, 2017 Posted March 22, 2017 They usually nip them up when jacked and should tighten when back on the ground, sounds like they forgot !! You had a lucky escape, I'd be screwing and make sure you let them know of their failings ! 1 Quote
350zedd Posted March 22, 2017 Posted March 22, 2017 Lost a front wheel years ago at Oulton Park doing the Mid-Cheshire Stages rally. It was entirely my fault....tyres were found to be rubbing on the inner arches, so wheels off and out came the lump hammer. In my excitement, I forgot to tighten the nuts up. Had violent steering vibration doing 80mph before it let go, taking all the studs with it! Quote
nixy Posted March 22, 2017 Posted March 22, 2017 My mate had the wheels refurbed on her mini, I borrowed it for a few days after and all was fine. Her son then drove it the day after I gave it back and one of the wheels came off on a dual carriageway! I think it's more common than you realise. 1 Quote
Flex Posted March 22, 2017 Author Posted March 22, 2017 Sounds like you had a lucky escape. I usually do all the work on my cars myself and tbh never re-torque nuts. Never had a nut come loose so far, but following this I think i`ll start re-torquing anyway just to be on the safe side. The mrs did! Not even got life insurance on her! Quote
mattross1313 Posted March 22, 2017 Posted March 22, 2017 Not even got life insurance on her! Priorities! 1 Quote
Flex Posted March 31, 2017 Author Posted March 31, 2017 So I've checked them a few timers now, thought I heard voices must have been my talk wrench. 1 Quote
RobPhoboS Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) I was at Snetterton yesterday, I had checked my wheels before the sighting lap, I noticed one of the guys with us driving very slowly around Coram heading back for the pits. I came in a couple of laps later to do my tyres, and he was saying something is up with the car. He'd just popped on AD08R's on his R26R, I asked if he torqued the wheels, he said no the tyre place did it... (you know what's coming next) Sure enough the front left wheel, every single nut was loose and could be spun with my fingers ! It was visibly away from the brake disc by about 3 or 4mm ffs. (oh and the other nuts weren't very tight either) He was VERY lucky considering he only got the car about a week ago. Edited March 31, 2017 by RobPhoboS 1 Quote
docwra Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 Muppets. However, you generally get some warning that a wheel is about to fall off, unsurprisingly it will start as a thumping and vibration that gradually gets worse, unless you have all 5 studs fail at the same time you should have a chance to pull over and swear at whoever put the wheels on last 1 Quote
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