Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

[fred12]

I just finished replacing the axel, hubs bearings and springs on my older galvanized single axel. Tuff job with boat on the trailer! Had to cut all bolts with cutting blade on portable grinder. Dropped back on ground and next morning one of the bolts was sitting in driveway (trailer not towed anywhere). Thought I might have overtightened so went back for another stud at trailer supply house.....they gave me another hub and bearing as no studs available. Replaced again (getting good at this!) You guessed it, next morning another stud on driveway........back to the supply shop again. This time I had used a torque wrench and set it at a low 65lbs just for s & giggles. New hub and bearings again, just flying on and off the trailer now. Replaced again and have used the trailer for a 5 mile trip to the lake and back. Any ideas what may be causing this? I'm afraid to go over to eastern Washington (150 miles) if it might happen again.

 

[TMALEGA]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

1 it could be low quality studs, but i would think it would more likely that the torque wrench is not calibrated anymore and is over torqueing what you are setting it at. I had that happening during my job as a auto tech come to find out the torque wrench was off by about 20 lbs. It had been many many many years since i had checked it. There had been some other techs using my tools and come to find out dropping it. I would check that first then check to see where the studs are made and what out of. Other then that it might be possible the hub and rim are not seating correctly with each other and therefore transferring excessive weight to the stud and shearing it off. Others may weigh in here but this is where i would check to start off with. Hope it helps.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

Also, make sure you are not greasing the studs. Torque values are only vaild for dry studs.

I had studs shear off after I lightly greased the studs. Didn't know at the time that this is a no no.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I guess I'm not real sure what is in the driveway. Is it breaking off the wheel studs? I would think if that is the case you would know it when you tighten up the lug nuts. No torque wrench or not.. Do you have a picture of what you are doing?

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

If these are your everyday steel wheels, 65lbs of torque sounds way high.

 

[guy74]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

Here is some spec on lugnut torque:
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=107

Odds are your working with 1/2" studs. So 75-85 is recommended.

I tend to use the high end of those figures, and have never had a stud break in service. Only failures I have ever had was when removing the nut on a rusted stud.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

Here is some spec on lugnut torque:
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=107

Odds are your working with 1/2" studs. So 75-85 is recommended.

I tend to use the high end of those figures, and have never had a stud break in service. Only failures I have ever had was when removing the nut on a rusted stud.

And pay particular attention to this that is mentioned:

Unless specifically stated otherwise, wheel lug torque specifications are for clean and dry threads (no lubricant) that are free of dirt, grit, etc. Applying oil, grease or anti-seize lubricants to the threads will result in inaccurate torque values that over tighten the wheels.

 

[fred12]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

Thanks for all the good advice and comments......at least no one is laughing at me too hard. I will get my torque wrench checked out. But all were installed dry and did not break for at least 1-2 days later..........sitting in driveway, thank god, not tooling down the road at 60 mph. Looks like it may be a bad bunch of studs as the trailer house said they now have a bulletine on "bad studs". Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I've always used marine grease on trailer wheel studs to keep out water and corrosion, but I tighten them by hand carefully, "just good and snug" so as not to get too much torque caused by the grease. The grease may be very good, especially if launching in salt water. Corrosion on lug nut threads can weaken them. Anyway, I've done it this way for 40+ years and never had a broken wheel stud or any other problem. Good Luck!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I've always used marine grease on trailer wheel studs to keep out water and corrosion, but I tighten them by hand carefully, "just good and snug" so as not to get too much torque caused by the grease. The grease may be very good, especially if launching in salt water. Corrosion on lug nut threads can weaken them. Anyway, I've done it this way for 40+ years and never had a broken wheel stud or any other problem. Good Luck!

Just because you've done it for 40+ years does not make it "good advice". Nice & snug is also not a good torque setting either. You have been very "lucky" as are those who have followed you down the highway.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I have always used anti-seize on my studs on the truck, and on the trailer for years, I never had a problem. If I were to buy new hubs, I would never buy from wal-mart, most wal-mart stuff is made in China, and they are not the quaility of, Made In USA. I would go to a Napa dealer and ask for made in USA or Canada, only. Canada makes good wheel hubs, and brake parts. Re-tighting and checking your studs should be done a few times a year.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I have always used anti-seize on my studs on the truck, and on the trailer for years, I never had a problem.

Just because you never had a problem does not mean it is good practice.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I have never told of it being a bad practice from people who own a tire sales business, that sponsers my drag race car. I dont use it on the rims on the race car, because they have note, to keep lug threads dry and clean. The same people do all my tire work on my hauler. truck, and boat trailer. I use a very lite coating on the threads only, not the rim nut seats, and also on the rim centers, with exception to the race car wheels. Im not saying anyone is wrong here, its just what I have been doing for over 30 years. I have to add that when we change out slicks, I have had to replace studs ( 11/16 body/ 5/8 thread), do to the threads being pulled from high torque.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

Just because you've done it for 40+ years does not make it "good advice". Nice & snug is also not a good torque setting either. You have been very "lucky" as are those who have followed you down the highway.

Saltwater corrosion on wheel studs can be a big factor just like over-torquing them, so I'll keep my grease for now, no problems! I even grease my shackle bolts, nuts and leaf springs, all of which can fail due to corrosion. If your trailer or wheels fail going down the highway due to corrosion, the folks behind You may pay the price! Good Luck!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

What's interesting to me is that you can show people the proper way of doing things but since they have in their own mind how they think things should be done they ignore all other advice and INSIST on going with what they have always been doing even when its wrong

I used to lubricate the studs and had a wheel fly off my trailer due to over torqueing becuase of the lubrication. When I found out that they are supposed to be dry, I stopped doing that.

I boat in salt water. I have never had a problem removing a lug nut.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

The use of anti seize, grease or even loctite (until dry) will reduce the friction and thereby reduce false torque wrench responses. The rule of thimb is simple. If a bolt has a dry value of 100ft lbs, the wet torque value is reduced 20%, so you set your wrench for 80 ft lbs.

If you?re concerned about rust, spray the lug and nut with a protecting spray after installation. Boeshield T9 works very well for this application

 

[skargo]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I know all about lug nut shearing off, this happened to me last week...

 

[robert graham]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I know all about lug nut shearing off, this happened to me last week...

That's scary!...maybe some ever-zealous meatball with the impact wrench at the tire store. That's one reason I rotate my own tires! Glad you weren't hurt!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

That's why I stand by my car when new tires are being put on it and insist that they use a torque wrench. I also always ask what torque they are setting their wrench to.

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Lug Nut Bolts Shearing Off

I've always used marine grease on trailer wheel studs to keep out water and corrosion, but I tighten them by hand carefully, "just good and snug" so as not to get too much torque caused by the grease. The grease may be very good, especially if launching in salt water. Corrosion on lug nut threads can weaken them. Anyway, I've done it this way for 40+ years and never had a broken wheel stud or any other problem. Good Luck!

Me too....except in my case 30+ years.

Just because you've done it for 40+ years does not make it "good advice". Nice & snug is also not a good torque setting either. You have been very "lucky" as are those who have followed you down the highway.

I boat in salt and fresh water and literally tow for thousands of miles each year and I have NEVER had a problem following the above posters, Robert Grahams, advice..... a little marine grease on the threads and tightening the lug nuts / stud tight has worked well for me.

Usually before a long trip, I will go out to the trailer and make sure the lugs are tight......never ever has a stud break on me.