lug bolts shearing off???

[nkrax]

hello all,

i have a huge problem. last year, i did the tt/shackles/3" body lift to my 98 explorer xlt 4x4 with 33 12.5 15 pro-comp x-terrains on weld outbacks. i absolutely love it. however, i am having a problem with my lug bolts (posts) shearing off. i just realized today that my front left wheel is only being held on by 3 lugs. the bolts are shearing off at the base of the rim...it isn't like the lugs are just falling off, the bolts are actually breaking in half. this is the second time that this has happened to me. the first time was on the drivers side (both times have been up front). after the first time it happened, i made sure to consistantly check the lugs to make sure they were not coming loose. i have no idea how to correct this problem and keep it from happening again. is there a way i can purchase a higher grade bolt? would that even help?
any advise would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
nkrax

 

[Alec]

Are you using wheel spacers?

This usually happens if you have defective rotors, are using wheel spacers, tightening the lug nuts too tight, or your wheels have bolt holes that are too large and/or sharp.

 

[nkrax]

alec,

thank you very much for the reply.

no, i am not using wheel spacers. as far as defective rotors, i would doubt it. everything is stock except what i mentioned above. i wouldn't think that the weld wheels would have to big of a post hole, but i guess it is possible. is there any way it could be because of a bad alignment or balance? she does shake a bit when i get her around 55 or 60 mph.


nkrax

 

[Alec]

The shaking can lead to shearing of the bolts, but only if something is actually doing the cutting of the bolts. A bad alignment, balancing, or bad tires can all cause shaking, as well as other things. However something like the wheels actually needs to be cutting the bolts.

If you examine the sheared bolts, does the break look uniform the whole way across, or does it look like it was cut, then the rest snapped?

 

[nkrax]

it looks cut, then snapped.

 

[Alec]

If it looks cut, then the wheels are vibrating too much on the bolts and cutting the bolts. Maybe your lugs were too loose? How tight were the lug nuts? They should be 90-100 ftlbs.

 

[nkrax]

after it happened the first time, i made sure to tighten them to spec (which was 90-100ftlbs). i now carry around a 4 way so that i can check them every so often. on occasion, i would go to check them and one or two would be slightly loose, but i would get no more than say a 1/4 to 1/2 turn.

here is a thought...i bought locking lugs when i put the wheels on (you know, one per wheel)...those lockers have never been the ones that are either loose or have snapped off. is there a chance that the actual lugs are bad? i got the lugs with the wheels (4 wheel parts) and i believe they are 1/2 20. it seems to me that in order for the post to be cut by the wheel, it would have to come loose just a little bit.

again, thanks for your time with this.

 

[SteveVB]

Got any pictures?

Sound slike the lugs are the wrong type, or maybe the torque is off- a 4 way? with the aluminum wheels a torque wrench would be good to make sure. If you are jsut cranking down on the lugs every so often you may be over tightening them. 2 lugs on one wheel is very odd and something is wrong with your set up.

 

[Alec]

If the lug nuts are being torqued to spec and are then coming loose, then either the studs or lugs are bad. Their threads are not matching up and are loosing their grip. It is possible your studs got stretched too much by someone overtightening them, but it is more likely that the lug nuts are the wrong type.

 

[Howard]

Is it possible that your steel rims are just too thin and the nuts are bottoming out. So they don't actually hold the wheel at all. Just a thought. Do your locking nuts have a slightly different taper ? Just my 2c worth.

 

[nkrax]

they are being torqued to specs. i just carry the 4-way just in case. i think my next best bet is to get all new lugs and start over. would any of you recomend a certain brand of lug? as far as the locking nuts having a slightly different taper, i will have to check. i am at work right now and cant get to her.

 

[nkrax]

UPDATE!!!!

Thanks to all for your help with this. I wanted to let you know that replacing the lugs with new McGuard lugs did the trick. Since the switch, I have not had a single problem. Thank you all very much for your help.