Loose lug nuts?

[BugginOut]

Anyone else have problems with the lug nuts getting loose?
These new wheels I got, each time I've had to take them back off, I've found lugs loose. By loose I don't mean ready to fall off, but more like loose enough you could twist off with a screwdriver....if that makes sense.
The other day when I got my RC shocks and put them on, I really hammered the hell of them with my impact when I put them back on. Today, my black lugs showed up. Decided just to go old school so I didn't have to shift cars in / out of garage and all that orchestration. Busted out the ol' star lug wrench! Ohhh yea. lol.
Some of the lugs I about shat myself trying to get loose, yet others I hardly had to use any force to loosen them. I only counted three lug nuts out of 24 that 'creaked' when I broke them loose. When I use the impact putting them on, I typically go until it pops 5 times in the same place. That's ALWAYS been sufficient with my other vehicles.

I looked it up, since these are factory Nissan Titan wheels...and they use the same acorn style lugs as the Tahoe. So it's not a case of mismatched surface.

If I thought I wouldn't get a ticket, I would go to the local grocery after hours and do some barrel racing...
circle left, circle right, circle left, circle right.... then recheck tightness.....

But has anyone else had these issues with their hoe?

 

[wjburken]

Anyone else have problems with the lug nuts getting loose?
These new wheels I got, each time I've had to take them back off, I've found lugs loose. By loose I don't mean ready to fall off, but more like loose enough you could twist off with a screwdriver....if that makes sense.
The other day when I got my RC shocks and put them on, I really hammered the hell of them with my impact when I put them back on. Today, my black lugs showed up. Decided just to go old school so I didn't have to shift cars in / out of garage and all that orchestration. Busted out the ol' star lug wrench! Ohhh yea. lol.
Some of the lugs I about shat myself trying to get loose, yet others I hardly had to use any force to loosen them. I only counted three lug nuts out of 24 that 'creaked' when I broke them loose. When I use the impact putting them on, I typically go until it pops 5 times in the same place. That's ALWAYS been sufficient with my other vehicles.

I looked it up, since these are factory Nissan Titan wheels...and they use the same acorn style lugs as the Tahoe. So it's not a case of mismatched surface.

If I thought I wouldn't get a ticket, I would go to the local grocery after hours and do some barrel racing...
circle left, circle right, circle left, circle right.... then recheck tightness.....

But has anyone else had these issues with their hoe?

Others may have other thoughts, but there are only a few reasons that I have seen that cause lugnuts to not stay torqued.

1) Not torqued properly. These trucks call for 140 lb-ft of torque on the lugnuts. Too loose, well, they are loose. Too tight you can start to distort stuff and maybe stretch the stud. Sounds like you are definitely not on the loose side.

2). Dirty threads. These will cause you to achieve the target torque before the nuts are applying the proper clamping force and may loosen up as the vehicle goes down the road. Maybe run a wire brush over your studs.

3). Wrong nut seat profile. Might see what happens if you use Nissan lugnuts so you have a matched set. Even though it may say GM and Nissan are the same, there may be subtle differences.

 

[Fless]

Others may have other thoughts, but there are only a few reasons that I have seen that cause lugnuts to not stay torqued.

1) Not torqued properly. These trucks call for 140 lb-ft of torque on the lugnuts. Too loose, well, they are loose. Too tight you can start to distort stuff and maybe stretch the stud. Sounds like you are definitely not on the loose side.

2). Dirty threads. These will cause you to achieve the target torque before the nuts are applying the proper clamping force and may loosen up as the vehicle goes down the road. Maybe run a wire brush over your studs.

3). Wrong nut seat profile. Might see what happens if you use Nissan lugnuts so you have a matched set. Even though it may say GM and Nissan are the same, there may be subtle differences.

You could also try torquing them in two or three steps. Say, do them all at 100, then 120 then 140 lb-ft. And ditto check on the nut seat vs. wheel profile.

 

[BugginOut]

Plan on checking torque since I laid the star wrench whoopin on it.

Thanks all.

 

[drakon543]

new wheels are you talking factory oem or an aftermarket brand wheel? most aftermarket wheels do come witha torque drive torque drive recommendation. metal can squish especially aluminum which is why they recommend doing it that way. but also as mentioned above incorrect lug nuts and such can cause it too

 

[Joseph Garcia]

My guess is that you have a seat profile mismatch between the new wheels and the lug nuts that you are using.

 

[swathdiver]

Anytime you remove a wheel, they should be hand tightened and then torqued to 140 foot pounds. You tighten and torque in a star pattern to get the wheel evenly tightened against the hub. Then after you've driven it 50-100 miles, torque the wheels again. We do this all the time, and once in a while will get a nut or two that moves a little before clicking the torque wrench.

Banging them on with an impact can stretch the studs/threads and they'll never get tight, especially if you use lugs without an opening, they could be bottoming out inside the nut.