So I had my tires rotated and when I got the car back after driving around 20 miles (at very high speeds) I started to notice server vibration and thudding coming from the front left tire. Pulled over and got out to inspect and found the wheel bolts for the front left tire where loose... I could turn them with my fingers. So, I tightened them down and the car was back to normal. My concern and question is given the amount of miles, the severity of the vibration and noise and the high speed 100+, could the bolts or anything else be damaged or stressed and could the bolts possibly sheer? Thanks.
7
Loose wheel bolts after rotation
- Thread starter GTI2016
- Start date
MeltedSolid
Autocross Newbie
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Car(s)
- '16 Golf R, e36 328i
Yes! That is a serious problem! Get out your car's breaker bar from the trunk and tighten them down immediately, make sure to check all of your wheels, then promptly call up whoever rotated your tires and scold them vigorously!
They should be tightened to 88 ft lbs (Far tighter than you could ever hope to do with fingers), and it is dangerous for the reasons you described to be driving around with them loose. Frankly, you're lucky that your wheel didn't fall off if they were only hand tight and you were driving at 100+ (Even driving the speed limit is dangerous with loose bolts).
I would check your wheel bearing to make sure that isn't damaged (You can do so by reaching under the fender and trying to push the wheel back and forth from the side, if it's solid then you're good), and take out your lugs and make sure they aren't bent or damaged in any way. If anything is damaged, the shop is completely liable since that is something that should never happen!
They should be tightened to 88 ft lbs (Far tighter than you could ever hope to do with fingers), and it is dangerous for the reasons you described to be driving around with them loose. Frankly, you're lucky that your wheel didn't fall off if they were only hand tight and you were driving at 100+ (Even driving the speed limit is dangerous with loose bolts).
I would check your wheel bearing to make sure that isn't damaged (You can do so by reaching under the fender and trying to push the wheel back and forth from the side, if it's solid then you're good), and take out your lugs and make sure they aren't bent or damaged in any way. If anything is damaged, the shop is completely liable since that is something that should never happen!
Finglonga
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- Stafford, UK, Earth, Solar System.
NEVER use a breaker bar to tighten them, use a torque wrench and check them again in 200miles. I would also be having words to those that rotated them as they do not seem to be able to do the job properly.
russiankid
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- PA
I would check the lugs for thread damage, otherwise you should be fine. As for using a breaker bar to tighten lugs, its not a good idea if you don't know how to properly do it. The closer you are to the socket on the bar, the less force you apply. I always use a breaker bar, but adjust my hand position.
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
Might be good to buy a torque wrench and check the tires after anytime worked on.
Worth the extra and personal check. Especially if you will be running 100mph.
At these speed every small item becomes larger.
Mistake is one thing, but your life is another.
If this was a shop, then they should do much better.
If a friend helped, then I would always double check or you do it and have them double check. It is your safety and the main person you can trust is yourself.
I always double check with my torque wrench to make sure I did it right and then check again after 50 miles of normal driving.
Again, if you are going to run 100+ I would check more often and also check tread condition and air pressure. As your tires get older the ability to run at high speeds may not be as great as when they where new. A nick in the SW could mean internal damage and at 100+ this could be fatal.
Life is not like NASCAR. You do not get to pit and restart.
Worth the extra and personal check. Especially if you will be running 100mph.
At these speed every small item becomes larger.
Mistake is one thing, but your life is another.
If this was a shop, then they should do much better.
If a friend helped, then I would always double check or you do it and have them double check. It is your safety and the main person you can trust is yourself.
I always double check with my torque wrench to make sure I did it right and then check again after 50 miles of normal driving.
Again, if you are going to run 100+ I would check more often and also check tread condition and air pressure. As your tires get older the ability to run at high speeds may not be as great as when they where new. A nick in the SW could mean internal damage and at 100+ this could be fatal.
Life is not like NASCAR. You do not get to pit and restart.
MeltedSolid
Autocross Newbie
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Car(s)
- '16 Golf R, e36 328i
It's better than finger tight. If I need to use a breaker bar, I always use my car's one, which is only ~1ft long, and I approximate ~80lbs using some math and feel. This is only a temporary measure and the shop should fix it properly after you talk to them.
So Im noticing a slight pull now to the left... the left was the un-tightened wheel. Could the excess vibration, wooble or whatever then hell was happening cause that wheel to lose alignment? Its not horrible but very slight pull to the left especially during highway acceleration. Thanks.
MeltedSolid
Autocross Newbie
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Car(s)
- '16 Golf R, e36 328i
Did you call the shop yet? If it seems like your car is out of alignment I would get them to check everything for you, and if needed get a free alignment performed. Also make sure they check all of the suspension components for damage. They really screwed up here.