Check yer nuts

[Mike-S]

Muppet alert here.

I've used the 911 every day for work this week (which has been nice). Left work tonight, stereo on and trundling along at 60km/h without a care in the world. Journey is 25km's, takes about 20 mins.

Halfway home, heard a little rotational knocking noise from the back over the noise of the stereo, checked the handbrake wasn't on, kept going. Next set of traffic lights (there are a lot on my journey home, Hugh will testify to that), pulled away and yep, the knocking is still there. Pulled over, checked the back wheels, looked underneath, nothing seemed amiss. Drove away, still knocking, drove another 500m to the next set of lights at 40km/h, knocking a bit quieter. Pulled away, knocking is getting louder, I'm getting annoyed and I'm only about 8km from home so I'm thinking of just dropping it to 30km/h and keeping going. Next set of lights, knocking is getting *much* louder and I'm thinking a half shaft is about to drop off so I pull off the road round the back of the shops to the car park, noticing as I coast along out of gear the noise is quieter. Back into drive, loud grinding /knocking noise, stop car in car park and resign myself to a trip home via RACV. Kick the wheel again, no movement. I can't see under it far enough to check the driveshaft so I dug out the jack, jacked it up and as the wheel left the ground I shook it.

Yep, you've guessed it, the wheel nuts were all loose. So loose in fact that I got at least 2 turns on each one by hand. I had a puncture repaired about 1000km ago on that wheel and I hadn't checked the wheel nuts since, so it's very much my own fault. Got the wrench out, got at least a turn on each nut before they went tight, including the locking nut. While I was there I went round the other 3 wheels and got 1/2 a turn on each one.

From me hearing the knocking noise to tightening them was probably only 1.5km, at less than 60km/h. I dread to think how quickly it would've happened at higher speed based on that. I've been driving for nearly 30 years and never had a loose wheel nut (the loose nut is usually behind the wheel), I've always been overly fussy with maintenance of all my cars so this has been a bit of an eye opener as to how fast it happened. 

So in short : Check yer nuts. It might save you a bit more than a serious bout of embarrassment.

 

[tazzieman]

Glad you're still with us 

I travel with a torque wrench. Habit ensures my nuts are always snug.

I go one further in non visible nuts that matter , using whiteout.

[Mike-S]

I'll be whacking them with the torque wrench in the morning before I head out that's for sure. I have a spider wrench in each car, haven't got round to buying one for Porky yet so that's another job for tomorrow.

[Harvs11]

+ 1  always tighten with a torque wrench. 

[ByronBayChris]

+ 1  always tighten with a torque wrench. 

what do you set the torque wrench for a 911 (72 & 993) and also 356.   I've read the 356 is 85 ft/lbs

[Harvs11]

130 Nm or 96 ft-lbs for 911 alloy wheel nuts.  

There are differing opinions on using anti-seize lube... on the threads only, on the round shoulder surface only or dry.  

fwiw I use a/s lube in the threads.   Does anyone know the correct application? 

[michel]

A pro shop should use a torque wrench. Though experience suggests they prefer a rattle gun .

I can attest to what happens when a wheel comes off at speed. Afterwards had to wait awhile for them to drop before testing 

[Stew F]

I just put a small wipe of wheel bearing grease on the studs. Do up, then set with the torque wrench.