Retorque wheel and FEL bolts

[jimh406]

Most larger company auto parts stores recycle oil, so you might be able to find somewhere closer.

 

[BCfromVA]

My Ram pickup has had a wheel balance problem since I bought it in 2013….the wheels having been off at least 50 times for re-balancing or rotation, etc. When I asked what the life-expectancy is of lug nuts and the wheel studs…. no one seems to have an answer. Yet anytime the nuts are R&R’d there’s clear evidence of fine metal filings present…indicating that wear DOES occur.

I’m guessing that the torque-specification in also intended to “proof” the lugnuts/studs….that if the recommended torque can be met without stripping the nut/stud…. then sufficient thread -engagement must be satisfactory.

Any thoughts on this by others?

There is something called Hooke's Law. In a nutshell it says that a solid object has some elasticity up to a point. In other words, a bolt will stretch like a spring up to a certain point. That is how it creates a clamp load to hold the wheel on tightly. The problem is if you stretch the bolt beyond its zone of elasticity and it permanently deforms. So, if your lug nuts have not been overtightened enough to the extent they have permanently deformed the studs you should be OK. However, the action of many cycles of tightening and loosening can put enough wear and tear on the fasteners to affect the torque spec. For example, when torque is being calculated for a joint, all the things that use up the torque force, but don't contribute to stretching the bolt have to be accounted for. This includes such things as lubricity, frictional loses between the bolt and the joint, as well as thread pitch and fit. So I would say as long as the condition of the studs and nuts is good enough that you can still apply the appropriate torque, and they haven't been over-torqued already, then you should be good. Since this is a safety issue, if there are any doubts, I would change them out. A good visual inspection of the threads, and joints should help with the decision. I don't know of any published maximum number of cycles for these.

 

[GeoHorn]

Most larger company auto parts stores recycle oil, so you might be able to find somewhere closer.

I’ve lived out here in ranch-country 30+ years and I can promise you that the nearest town or seller/recycler of motor oil is 14+ miles away….making it a 30-mile round trip.

If I lived “up nawth” ….I’d install a used-oil heater for the barn/hangar…but I only need heat out there about 5 days a year.

After all this time, … I have to admit I enjoy making that guy at WalMart have to move a dozen jugs of old motor oil just to get to the door so he can open-up in the mornings. I try to put the used SuperTech oil in some other barnd-name jug or old Tide laundry detergent jug to make him think it was never purchased there just to irritate him,… but sometimes I have to use the SuperTech jug. I’ve got a NAPA 5-gal gear-oil bucket I‘m saving up just to leave there full of old motor oil. (There’s a NAPA only a half mile from the WalMart. He will develop high blood pressure over that.)

 

[jimh406]

I’ve lived out here in ranch-country 30+ years and I can promise you that the nearest town or seller/recycler of motor oil is 14+ miles away….making it a 30-mile round trip.

I agree that if the closest store is 14+ miles, then the closest place that recycles is 14+ miles away.

 

[mikester]

However, these were not high-school flunkies…at least not recent ones…. they were older guys who should have known better and who should have immediately notified the customer…

Young high school flunkies turn into old high school flunkies. Stupidity is ageless.