Wheel bolts worked loose/ fallen off

[kerry-w]

Hi,

Changed my wheels over last night, have done it many times before on other cars with no problems but then this morning after doing around 5 miles I heared a big clunking noise and wobbling at any speed. Pulled over and found out a wheel bolt had fallen out and another one had worked itself pretty much completely loose.

Managed to tighten them back up and took it to the garage down the road and they had to tighten them all up again on all wheels.

Would I need spigot rings or something? Their 4x100 like my old wheels and seemed to fit on fine so I dont know why its happened.

Garage told me that if they wernt sitting 100% right to begin then moving the ar would set them in place, which means id have had to tighten them up again.

Ideas anyone? I asked if I needed longer bolts and they said not.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Personally I much prefer using studs, especially ones like the hockley ones that positively locate the wheel, but probably a bit expensive to justify on a road car where you shouldnt be getting this issue.

Was the wheel that worked loose the passenger side front by the way?

 

[Feates172]

If you fit after market wheels, surely you need different wheel bolts. That's the story on my Audi anyway. OEM wheels require taper bolts, non OEM require radius bolts.

 

[Chip-mk1]

If you fit after market wheels, surely you need different wheel bolts. That's the story on my Audi anyway. OEM wheels require taper bolts, non OEM require radius bolts.

Most aftermarket wheels people use on 172s still use the standard taper bolts, but not all so you could be correct.

 

[kerry-w]

Personally I much prefer using studs, especially ones like the hockley ones that positively locate the wheel, but probably a bit expensive to justify on a road car where you shouldnt be getting this issue.

Was the wheel that worked loose the passenger side front by the way?

Oddly yep it was the passenger front that lost the one bolt and loosened the most. The other wheels were also slightly loose though.

Im pretty sure ive got raidus bolts on there now, had a look on google and apparently aftermarket wheels need tapered ones though, but il double check after work, ive done another trip just now and no loose wheels so not quite sure what to think of it :S

EDIT:

Checked on ebay and apparently its tapered you need for aftermarket wheels, not radius?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-M14X1-...heels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item27c77b3120

 

[Chip-mk1]

Oddly yep it was the passenger front that lost the one bolt and loosened the most. The other wheels were also slightly loose though.

God im good, I really should do magic tricks at parties, lol

Im pretty sure ive got raidus bolts on there now, had a look on google and apparently aftermarket wheels need tapered ones though, but il double check after work, ive done another trip just now and no loose wheels so not quite sure what to think of it :S

EDIT:

Checked on ebay and apparently its tapered you need for aftermarket wheels, not radius?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-M14X1-...heels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item27c77b3120

Not all wheels are the same, you need the right ones for YOUR wheels, not some other wheels as they could be different.

 

[kerry-w]

God im good, I really should do magic tricks at parties, lol




Not all wheels are the same, you need the right ones for YOUR wheels, not some other wheels as they could be different.

Any reason why the passenger one was the worst lol?

Oh right, any way to find this out? Suppose if the current bolts work loose again then il need the other kind, so thats one way to find out.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Any reason why the passenger one was the worst lol?

Yes, the reason I "guessed" correctly it was the passenger side front is that is always will be if all other things are equal.
The fronts see more lateral loading during cornering so lean on the nuts more, and on the passenger side the wheel is rotating in the same direction as the wheel nuts when they are undoing, where as on the drivers side its rotating how they do up, so consequently there is more drag between the nuts and the wheel on the drivers side so it loosens more slowly.

Oh right, any way to find this out? Suppose if the current bolts work loose again then il need the other kind, so thats one way to find out.

Can you post a decent picture of the hole in the wheel the bolts go into?

 

[Jamie86]

By the sound of the wheel moving when in place at the garage sounds like you need spiggot rings?

Check the centre bore of your new wheels..

 

[imprezaworks]

This ^^ I had issues with aftermarket wheels that didnt sit right. Spiggot rings sorted it.

 

[kerry-w]

Yes, the reason I "guessed" correctly it was the passenger side front is that is always will be if all other things are equal.
The fronts see more lateral loading during cornering so lean on the nuts more, and on the passenger side the wheel is rotating in the same direction as the wheel nuts when they are undoing, where as on the drivers side its rotating how they do up, so consequently there is more drag between the nuts and the wheel on the drivers side so it loosens more slowly.





Can you post a decent picture of the hole in the wheel the bolts go into?

Ah right, thanks for that. Yeah il try get a picture tomorrow when its light.

By the sound of the wheel moving when in place at the garage sounds like you need spiggot rings?

Check the centre bore of your new wheels..

This ^^ I had issues with aftermarket wheels that didnt sit right. Spiggot rings sorted it.

Il get the garage to have a check tomorrow as its going in to get its dogbone mount done anyway, they managed to fit on but had about 1mm gap in the two circles edges meeting.

 

[Martin_172]

Yes, the reason I "guessed" correctly it was the passenger side front is that is always will be if all other things are equal.
The fronts see more lateral loading during cornering so lean on the nuts more, and on the passenger side the wheel is rotating in the same direction as the wheel nuts when they are undoing, where as on the drivers side its rotating how they do up, so consequently there is more drag between the nuts and the wheel on the drivers side so it loosens more slowly.

your knowledge never fails to amaze me lol

 

[sbridgey]

I think we need a thread on how different wheel bolts relate to different wheels.

 

[Feates172]

 

[E11OOT]

I had a similar issue with the williams wheels on my clio, eventually worked out what was going on. They had been refurbished paint/powder coating stuff had got into where the bolts sit against the outside of the wheel causing the to loosen very quickly. so solve this I took a fine grade sand paper and 'roughed up' where the bolts sit against the outside of the wheel.

Puzzled me for about 2 months before I managed to solve this....

 

[kerry-w]

Thanks for that, mine havent come loose since last time but il double check before I do another long journey.

I had a similar issue with the williams wheels on my clio, eventually worked out what was going on. They had been refurbished paint/powder coating stuff had got into where the bolts sit against the outside of the wheel causing the to loosen very quickly. so solve this I took a fine grade sand paper and 'roughed up' where the bolts sit against the outside of the wheel.

Puzzled me for about 2 months before I managed to solve this....

Yep ive had this happen before, make sure not to put some blue tac in the bolt hole area when spraying so it misses that area on purpose

 

[James28]

Iirc, if you have steelies as standard they use radius nuts,
Most alloys need tapered nuts.

Although sounds like could just be a one off with it coming loose! Just keep an eye on it.