Thumping noise under hood.

[Lily&Me]

On the flatbed.....

I don't know what all this is, this is just what is where the wheel once was.

[A W Warn]

My $.02.
I would guess your tire guy left the lug nuts loose?
I would file a claim with his liability insurance company instead of your's.

Glad you are OK.
On to the next adventure!!!

[Lily&Me]

I will see what they tell me....I did tell them my nephew tightened the lug nuts about 60 miles in, so his were the last hands on them.


Maggie

[Foiled Again]

Maggie, any mechanic with a pneumatic wrench can under or OVER tighten a lug nut (or any other nut for that matter). An overtightened lug nut (or lug bolt) can actually stretch the metal and then you start the rotating the wheel... and heat builds up and the lug SNAPS. And anyone in a hurry can over-tighten one or two, and under-tighten the rest.

It doesn't take arm strength to manipulate lugs - It takes "butt". Use a pipe over the end of a long wrench and sit on it. Loosening or tightening - the sucka is gonna move!

Tightening an over tightened lug... I really don't know how you detect that, and I actually own and use my torque wrench. When I last changed tires on a trailer I also went from 15 inch to 16 inch rims. I had a shop put the tires on the rims, but I ran my rig up on ramps, busted the old lugs loose (breaker bar assisting) and installed and torqued the new rims - with new bolts too.

So experienced mechanics? How do I detect over tightened lugs?

Thanks in advance, Paula

[Lily&Me]

Well, I know zilch about such things.

If I were tightening them myself, how would I know when they were tight enough? When they no longer moved?

Can you over tighten doing it yourself?

My eyes are crossing, and my head is starting to ache.


Maggie

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Well, I know zilch about such things.

If I were tightening them myself, how would I know when they were tight enough? When they no longer moved?

Can you over tighten doing it yourself?

My eyes are crossing, and my head is starting to ache.


Maggie

Performance Tool Click Torque Wrench — 1/2in., Model# M200DB | Torque Wrenches| Northern Tool + Equipment

Turn the handle at the end of the wrench until it reads the amount of torque you want. Put a socket of the correct size on it, probably with an extension so the tool will reach the lug nuts. Turn the lugs clockwise until you fell the wrench go "*click*". The lug nut is then properly torqued. Move on to the next one, in a criss-cross (not the very next one, but skipping one) lug nut, and repeat.

[A W Warn]

A torque wrench is a socket wrench has a dial at one end. When the wrench is in storage you set the dial to "0". When you want to check the torque on a bolt you set the dial, by twisting the handle, to the appropriate setting. When you tighten (torque) the bolt the wrench will click loudly when the proper torque is achieved.
I don't know how to know if a bolt is over tightened, except to loosen it the re-torque.

There is a video at this weblink that gives an example of how to use it. You would need one similar to this along with a deep socket that fits your lug nuts.
Klutch 1/2in.-Drive Torque Wrench — 20–150 Ft.-Lbs. Torque | Torque Wrenches| Northern Tool + Equipment

[A W Warn]

Terry must have faster fingers than I

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, guys.

I can't think about this right now. I'll think about it in the morning.


Maggie

[xrvr]

Call your tire place to let them know. See what their reaction is. They will probably handle it for you since you are a long standing customer. Act concerned but don't be accusative. If they were the last ones working on the van, they most likely will step up and do what's right for you. Your nephews couldn't have hurt anything, especially since the the damage was already done due to the fact you could hear the noise. Sounds like a professional place, give them a chance. This will be solved and be okay shortly. One more bump in the road of life. Good luck.jim and Linda.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you.

I had it towed to the tire place yesterday, after calling them, telling them what had happened, and having them tell me they should be able to handle it.

They are a large, longstanding dealer, not a garage that just changes tires. I have no reason not to trust them, so will see what they tell me.

I feel foolish that this happened, feeling I should have recognized the noise from the rear tire before it got to the point that it fell off.

On a rural road.....hard for my untuned ear to distinguish road noise and vehicle noise, although the thumping under the hood on Monday got my attention.

One of those gentle lessons learned.....it could have been much worse.


Maggie

[xrvr]

Don't blame yourself. If we could solve these problems ourselves we wouldn't need tire shops. Be patient, it appears you are in good hands.

[Lily&Me]

.....but, I do.

I've learned something, and think I need to buy a wrench and figure out how to use it, if I'm going to own the Interstate and continue to travel.

I'm going to have these guys recommend a specific tool, and show me how to use it.

There was an older man making fun of this with the tow guy yesterday....he didn't speak to me, of course. I despise people like that.

This will resolve, and I will go on to figure out yet something else.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by NWRVR

Our first camper was a VW pop-top in Alaska. After buying a new set of tires we had one pass us on a gravel road, didn't realize it was ours until the drum settled on the road. Since then, I always check lug nut torque!

This is rather comforting to read.

Thanks for sharing.


Maggie

[cwf]

Yeah, Miss Maggie, "lose the lumps, not the lesson"

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

.....<snip>
This will resolve, and I will go on to figure out yet something else.


Maggie

That's the attitude to have!
Continue the journey.
Learn and have fun! That's life.

[Lily&Me]

Just spoke with the tire guys, their first order of business is finding a new wheel, getting that mounted, then driving it to get a sense of what if anything else may be going on.

He said it may be the middle of next week before that part is done.

Did relay to him the suggestion to check the brake drum and axle, which he already knew....but thanks for the suggestion.

He also said he would be happy to show me what to do to check and tighten the lug nuts myself.


Maggie

[Skater]

Apparently you got the first option - over tightened. I'm sorry.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by cwf

Yeah, Miss Maggie, "lose the lumps, not the lesson"

For some unknown reason, that reminds me of something I once heard, maybe from my dad… "The difference between school and real life is, in school you get the lesson, then you take the test. In real life first you take the test, then you get the lesson!"

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, guys.

It will be okay, and I have learned something.

And.....it could have been much worse.


Maggie