gregB Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Wife was driving my new to me 97 Gt wagon, with 2.2 swap to work. The car is supposed to be my daily driver, but hers for her 25mi trip to work in snow. She was driving into work, crossed a rough rail road track, and then the front end started making noise, clunking and steering wheel shaking. Thought maybe she bent something. Went over to look at the car, nothing obvious, so I said I would drive it home. Started out no noise, then depending on speed and wheel position thumping from rotating parts. I'm thinking maybe nocked it hard enough for CV joint to crack. Not really sure. Got it home into the garage, grabbed the 19mm socket and went to put it onto the lug nut to check the size. Spun it by hand Checked the rest all loose or finger tight. When I bought car I had the local Goodyear shop put on a set of Eagles. Looked at the wheel where the lug nuts ride, you can see some shiny rubbing and stud thread lines on the thru hole of the wheel. I guess hitting the pot hole like rail crossing shifted the already loose wheel. Tightened up the lug nuts, noise went away so far. Checked the other wheels, backs were torqued to spec, a couple of the other side fronts were loose also. Lesson, If you want it done right do it yourself, or at least double check the "professional" you pay to do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Good catch, or good luck. Or both! If I were you I'd call the manager of that Goodyear shop and let him know what happened. They owe you one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I think they owe you 10 wheel studs and 10 chrome acorn nuts from Subaru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregB Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Well It happened again Gave the Gt Wagon to daughter after she drove her Escort Wagon home 4 hours with what sounds like a bad rod knock She called me yesterday, and said there was banging from the same drivers front side that came loose on the wife. Told her to tighten and check lugnuts frequently. Is there anyway to clean up the wheel taper where the nuts tighten the wheel down? Replace the lugnuts? Ideas ? Anyone know of a good indy shop in Binghamton/Johnson City New York? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 aluminum wheels are known to have the lugs come loose for some reason. i've seen some shops *require* (probably more of a CYA many times) you to return within 50 miles or something to check/retorque them. i'm not sure why they're known to come loose, but they do. a good clean up of the hub, wheel mating surface and chasing the threads of the studs and lugs with taps/dies would probably be my first step. are the studs/lugs compromised from the first time they came loose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 What are you tightening them down to? 75 foot-pounds of torque is the specification. Whenever, I change the wheels (I do it often, since I rallycross whenever I get the chance), I torque them properly and then re-torque them when I get home (about 200 miles from the rallycross site). I've never had trouble with any of them loosening up. All my rims are Subaru OEM alloy rims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbennett2u Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I am with grossgary in wondering if the studs or lugnuts got damaged the first time they came loose... if the wheel was moving around you may want to replace those if they weren't replaced by the shop when you confronted them (I hope you did!) about not tightening them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I am with grossgary in wondering if the studs or lugnuts got damaged the first time they came loose... if the wheel was moving around you may want to replace those if they weren't replaced by the shop when you confronted them (I hope you did!) about not tightening them Same thought........take your car and your complaint back to the store that sold you the tires. Show the manager the problem. There is a good chance that your road wheel has been damaged from the lug nut not being properly tightened. When loose, it allows the loose road wheel to start reaming out the lug nut holes on your wheel. What results is extra large lug nut holes that won't properly mount the wheel to the car. Suggest you hold the store liable for the damage, and have them replace the road wheel, and any lug studs that are damaged. This is assuredly not the first time the store has seen this problem, so don't let them tell you this has never happened before. They have to know better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregB Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 When it happpened the first time I checked the threads on the studs, no damage. Even held a sqare up to the studs to look for bent. I did notice some uneven surfaces on the stock snowflake wheel. Anyway of cleaning that up? Taper reamer? They are the original lugnuts. I drove it for months with no issue. I do torque these down to 75 ftlbs with a torque wrench. Start the nuts by hand, tighten in a star pattern, till tight @ torque. Drop off the jack final torque check. I am going to send daughter new lugnuts and an appropriate breaker bar and socket. Have her boyfriend replace them and tighten as tight as he can. Sort of why I asked about shops in that area, would rather rely on a trained mechanic, or even tire guy to torque the nuts, instead of the boyfriend. Binghamton NY , anyone? Maybe I'll have to take the wifes new to us 2008 Outback 2.5i for a weekend trip soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarl Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 If there's damage to the seat of the lugnuts, or to the studs themselves, it's possible the 75 pound are not being applied to the right surfaces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I have a friend with a 97 GT sedan that has had this problem for atleast the last 5 years. He did buy a set of 15" tires off of me for winter a few years ago. I'll have to ask him if he has the same issue with both sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregB Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 Posted a wanted ad for a wheel, daughter called, wheel was loose again this afternoon. I did send her new lug nuts, and a breaker bar/cheater pipe with socket so she could get them tight. Hopefully she can get them tight tomorrow. Any leads to a good shop in Binghamton NY.? 8 hour round trip is an awful long time for a 15 min job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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