Why did my lug nut studs break?

I am just curious.

Why did two lug nut studs break on the same wheel? I am pretty sure I was the last one who worked on them. Torqued them to 80 ft/lb in a Cris-cross pattern.

One just broke when I had to put a breaker bar on it when it stopped moving. When the second one stopped moving I sprayed it with the penetrating oil but still could not save it. When I finally removed it the threads were stripped.

The vehicle is 1999 Accord, 4 cylinder with 136000 miles on it.

Regards, Sam

Reply to
somick
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somick wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

Wheel lugs break because somebody severely overtorqued them at some point. And I mean "severely" as in, "somebody jumped on the wrench to tighten them".

Or they seize due to rust, and then break when somebody tries to force them over the rust by jumping on the wrench. Are these acorn nuts or the kind with open ends?

Cross-threading is /extremely/ unlikely.

How do you know the threads were stripped? Did you remove the remains of the stud from the nut? That's the only way to tell for sure. And removal sometimes requires cutting the nut in half, which ain't easily done.

Reply to
Tegger

And that point could have been years ago. They could have had tiny cracks in them for a long time, through several tire changes, and then suddenly failed.

Given the description of the original poster, this is probably what happened. I've done it myself.

If the thing has ever been driven with the nuts all loose, it can goober up the threads and make them look like they are stripped. And again, this could have happened a decade ago.

My suggestion is not to worry about it, but to use anti-seize, to always use the torque wrench, and don't let the kids at the chain tire store touch your car.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Chryslers used to have left-hand threads on one side of the vehicle, so I snapped off a couple before I had figured that one out when I was a kid!

Luckily, they're trivial to replace.

Reply to
Liam O'Connor

the last one who worked on them. Torqued them to 80 ft/lb in a Cris-cross pattern.

but still could not save it. When I finally removed it the threads were str ipped.

Thank you Tegger and Scott for replying.

The nuts are acorn style.

They were not cross-threaded. I usually turn them by hand until they touch the rim, impact them for a second and finally torque them with the torque wrench. If there would be any resistance when I installed them, I would ha ve stopped and investigated.

I just realized that I was going to reuse the two old nuts and they did not want to go. So I used all four new nuts that I bought at Pep Boys. Proba bly old Honda nuts have reached their end of life. This is sad. I prefer Honda's stuff. The car needs new tires. So I will most likely replace lug nuts on the rest of three wheels.

The nuts COULD be overtorqued in the past. I bought the car with 55000 mil es from a friend who worked at a garage. The clowns there could have done anything.

Scott, There have been few discussions about lubing the lug nut threads. With all my respect to you, I prefer not use anything on the threads. As far as I understand the torque value provided is a dry torque.

Regards, Sam

Reply to
somick

Do not lube them! You can use anti-seize and it will not affect the setting torque value. Anti-seize is not lubricant!

If you prefer not to use anti-seize, just make sure you loosen and tighten them every once in a while.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

I wonder if you put SAE threads/size lug nuts on metric lugs when you got those PEP boys replacements.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

was the last one who worked on them. Torqued them to 80 ft/lb in a Cris-cro ss pattern.

il but still could not save it. When I finally removed it the threads were stripped.

uch the rim, impact them for a second and finally torque them with the torq ue wrench. If there would be any resistance when I installed them, I would have stopped and investigated.

not want to go. So I used all four new nuts that I bought at Pep Boys. Pr obably old Honda nuts have reached their end of life. This is sad. I pref er Honda's stuff. The car needs new tires. So I will most likely replace lug nuts on the rest of three wheels.

miles from a friend who worked at a garage. The clowns there could have do ne anything.

all my respect to you, I prefer not use anything on the threads. As far as I understand the torque value provided is a dry torque.

The lug nuts that failed were original ones. The new ones from Pet Boys di d fit, what really surprised me! They even have the rings that hold the hu b cap from falling. The bad thing is that the rings are made of a quite so ft material (fiber?) and most likely will eventually fail.

But seven dollar at Pet Boys vs thirty dollar at the dealer made me go towa rds the Pet Boys.

Sam

Reply to
somick

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