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Aligning Your Car's Missing Wheel Nuts The Right Way - Car Talk - Nairaland

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Aligning Your Car's Missing Wheel Nuts The Right Way by TRYGO(m): 5:06pm On Oct 31, 2016
INTRODUCTION
Almost any car you see on the roads today, has got no complete wheel nuts. You've for some one, two, or even three nuts missing, or damaged.
Wheel nuts are an essential part of what keeps a car's wheels firmly affixed to the brake discs, and provides the needed mechanism for the car's alignments.
These nuts, come in various sizes and configurations, depending on the wheel's material make-up. Some wheels are alloyed ones, providing aesthetics(what many Nigerians like); less load on the tyres(prolongs lifespan of the tyres); and transfers heat from the brake discs, and brake pads more easily. Thus way, the lifespan of those components are prolonged.

RISKS OF DRIVING WITH INCOMPLETE WHEEL NUTS
Though its a known fact that a lot of people, if you would ask them, "don't you think its dangerous driving a car without the wheel nuts complete, would either tell you, Oga; that's not your concern. We've being driving our cars like that for years, and nothing had happened". My response would be, no one has got the knowledge of when the consequences of an " incomplete wheel nut related incident " would happen. So, it's somewhat wise, in my view, to spend a thousand bucks, replacing the missing or damaged wheel nuts, than waiting until you're faced with an emergency situation. You'll spend close to ......naira, or dollars, and maybe a life being affected, or lost.
*damaged brake discs
*distortions in the alignment of the car
*wobbling wheels, which could result into speedy tyre wears, and accidents, etc.
Just last week Saturday, a tricycle's front wheel came off its hub. The tricycle tumbled, with it's occupants sustaining serious injurious.

****You may ask. WHY WOULD THE WHEELS EVEN GO OFF OF ITS HUBS, WITH JUST A FEW WHEEL NUTS MISSING OR DAMAGED*****

The simple reason for the wheels falling off, even if you've got just three, or four nuts holding the wheels together to the discs/hubs, is as follows:
**If for instance, a car's wheel was designed by the manufacturer to accommodate five(5) wheel nuts. And suddenly three or two got missing or damaged, the remaining two, or three wouldn't be able to properly hold the wheels to the brake discs. There would some clearances in between the interface of the wheels, and the brake disc. So, during motion, as the vehicle moves, the impacts from undulations, and revolutions on of the wheels, would translate in to vertical forces that would result in to the wobbling effects you often notice, if a car's wheel nuts are not complete, or properly tightened**.

The story below, might shed more light into the risks involved in this dare endeavor.
Here we go:

A client of mine, was driving from Ibadan to Lagos, in her most cherished Xterra Nissan jeep, and suddenly had a flat tyre along the way. She engaged the services of a vulcanizer by the roadside, who in the process of loosening the wheel nuts of the flattened tyre, mistakenly damaged the wheel nut. She asked the vulcanizer, "wetin happen Oga, to my wheel nuts na?" The vulcanizer replied and said, "the wheel nuts too strong, nahim I use power loose am. But eno go do anything share"!.
Ewo ooo! Egbamio! I don die oooo! These were some of the exclamations from her, when she heard what he said, and the risks he had put her in.
She had wasted her time, and put even her precious life at risk. What if armed robbers or kidnappers came around? What would she do?
It's better to spend a hundred bucks and be wise, than risk being a fool in the future.
Can you imagine how the vulcanizer was just able to convince her that it doesn't matter if the wheel nuts are not complete.
The story above, paints a picture most of us like to bear knowingly, or unknowingly.

WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN REPLACING THE WHEEL NUTS
Common guys, we all know that we like(love) nice things. If you claim you don't like(love) good things, just give me a call right now. Would come get them(0800000001). Please o! don't tell EFCC I requested for kick backs from you o!. Well, that was by the way though. But if you're considering modifying or upgrading your current car's wheel's to an alloyed wheel, you've got to change the wheel nuts to the ones that would firmly fit in to the recesses of the new wheels. Using a different one, would cause BRAKE PULSATION PROBLEMS, AND STEERING VIBRATIONS.

HOW DO YOU ALIGN WHEEL NUTS THE RIGHT WAY

The alignment of wheel nuts on cars, are dependent on the number of wheel but studs on the wheel hub(s).
We would be using a FIVE-WHEELED STUD NUT as an example.
The wheel on display was from a Nissan Pathfinder jeep, 2006.
Alignment of the nuts should be done in a DIAGONAL(CROSS) ARRANGEMENT(see figures below). This would evenly spread the torques on each wheel.

CASE STUDY

The jeep was successfully brought to our work.
This was what we did:

*inspected the tyre(s) concerned, for any trace of play in between the wheel and the brake disc.
Mind you, we've already discovered that almost all the four wheels on the car, had all their wheel nuts stollen, or damaged.
*got replacement nuts for the wheels, and tightened them to the required torque.
In cases where the nuts appears to be hard while torquing( tightening to right specification) them to the brake hub, as a precaution, apply UB40 or other anti rust sprays to get any trace of corrosion away from the studs.

The figures below shoes how the wheel nuts were torqued and arranged diagonally.
The wheel nuts were not all replaced as at the time of preparing this article, but the arrangement was done as an illustration.
**it is advisable to ensure all wheel nuts are complete on your automobile wheel(s).

CONCLUSION

Its cool to upgrade or modify the existing wheels of your car, to the one of your choice. But in doing that, amongst other factors you might be considering, do not forget to REPLACE the WHEEL NUTS to the one that would perfectly match the recesses of the new wheels.
Not taking simple action such as replacing a single wheel nut, could engender your life, and even make you spend a whole lot in the aftermath of an accident.



Regards,
Igono Joseph Okeme

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