The dreaded left wheel !!!

[OnPatrol]

I've read other posts about the left front wheel nuts and wheel bearings coming loose. I've had my left wheel pass me before, more than once. Fair enough that my Patrol has bigger tyres and a larger offset than standard, so there's probably more chance of this occurring. It's obviously a common problem, cause I have a friend that have experienced the same thing on a brand new Patrol on his way to his first 1000km service. I know of two others in our club that lost a left wheel on their Patrol. It seems that others in this forum have had the same experience as well.

Apart from over tightening the wheel nuts, is there any other solution to this problem?

I heard rumours that it's possible to buy studs and wheel nuts that screw the other way (anticlockwise). Anyone know where I can buy a set to fit a GU?

[Beastmavster]

I had this on my GQ too but could feel it happening and limped home (could have stopped but it happened really close to home).

Carry a wheelbrace and know what your car feels like.

You can get reverse thread, getting tyres changed down the shop and some bastard snaps all the studs off (becau se wheel nuts should only undo one way) might make it a bit of a nuisance.

[chimpboy]

This might sound painful, but what about drilling holes in your nuts and wiring them together?

What I mean is, just under the domed part of the nut, drill a few holes directly through. Then when they are all tight, run a piece of wire in a circle through all the nuts and twist it closed.

I've seen similar things done with brake components etc; the bolts have these cross-drilled heads for the same purpose.

Just a thought; might be a bit ugly I guess.

I haven't noticed this problem on mine by the way, but maybe I should check!

Jason

[blade828]

i had my front left wheel nuts come very close to coming off on all 6 studs a few times before, the car shakes really badly. it ended up grinding the holes out on the rim so big that the wheel nuts had nothing to grip into, so had to get new nuts and rim.

[OnPatrol]

I had this on my GQ too but could feel it happening and limped home (could have stopped but it happened really close to home).

Carry a wheelbrace and know what your car feels like.

You can get reverse thread, getting tyres changed down the shop and some bastard snaps all the studs off (becau se wheel nuts should only undo one way) might make it a bit of a nuisance.

I'm looking for a better solution than feeling how the car behaves as I drive at 100km/h +. I already overtighten the buggers and to a point that I have replaced studs several times because of threading. I'm leaning towards the reverse thread option.

[batcho101]

on my dads 91 patrol he has those 3 spoke factory alloys with 33 wranglers and a fedw times now the rear left wheel has come off. the main problem we found was that because of the tight fit around the hub if it cathces slightly it wont self centre itself and so there si free play there.

[stevelb1]

This might sound painful, but what about drilling holes in your nuts and wiring them together?

What I mean is, just under the domed part of the nut, drill a few holes directly through. Then when they are all tight, run a piece of wire in a circle through all the nuts and twist it closed.


Jason

The technical term for that is called "Mousing"

[bazzle]

Ive never had wheel nuts come loose on 3 patrols and many other 4bees.
I always re check wheel nuts before a trip. Never had a loose one though.
I also lightly lube studs and taper. Always use use enclosed wheel nuts so mud doesnt get on exposed threads.
On new wheels check wheel nuts every 2nd day for a week as the paint goes soft and nuts may come loose.

Bazzle

[AndrewPatrol]

A****o,
When changing my wheels (every time I go out) the nuts are tightened once with the wheel in the air (on the jack) then retensioned once the wheel is on the ground. After a few k's I recheck them which is usually enough. You may have noticed my wheel brace in hand at Jamieson (nothing to do with paranoia!!!!!!) I actually had my Paj wheel come loose with the old type flat-washer alloy wheel nuts. Just thought, maybe check the size of the standard Nissan studs and if possible go to the bigger Toyota ones that are used on 80 series that are prone to snapping studs. More resistant to overtightening.

[bogged]

Is the thread on your wheel studs stretched? then the nuts wouldnt grip properly..
if you have over tightened them, its a good chance you have fucked them.. Replacing them with normal new ones may fix it.. 10's of thousands of other GU's otu there that have no issue, 50% would also have large tires

[Big Red Toy]

loctite

[Rainbow Warrior]

Never had the problem, I even grease the threads & where they sit in the steel rim

[shakes]

greasing/oiling threads on high vibration nuts lets you crank it tighter but it also means its more likely to shake itself loose. If you do need the lil bit of lubricant when tightening the nuts use something like graphite...

feel free to put me back in my lunchbox if I'm wrong.

[bigpat]

Reverse thread studs won't do anything to help the situation. Rotation of the wheels won't cause em to come loose....

You can "mouse" them as suggested, or get longer studs and:
A) stick R clips thru some holes drilled past the nut, or
B)you can thread on some NYLOCK nuts on over the normal ones to act as jam nuts.

The exy way would be to buy custom made studs and matching nuts, with a finer thread pitch, which:
A) Give more clamping force
B) Are less prone to undo by design.

Just my opinion....

[Rainbow Warrior]

greasing/oiling threads on high vibration nuts lets you crank it tighter but it also means its more likely to shake itself loose. If you do need the lil bit of lubricant when tightening the nuts use something like graphite...

feel free to put me back in my lunchbox if I'm wrong.

I don't necessarily crank them any tighter, it just stops them rusting on and makes it easier to undo them, haven't list a wheel nut yet, also slows them wearing through the rim if they are removed regularly.

I don't really consider them high vibration.
Perhaps the OP could just buy some nylock nuts & taper seat washers.
or fit extra nuts to lock nut them.

[buger man]

I am totaly suprised i have never had the problem or heard of it before

[stevelb1]

When I picked up my new wheel bearing lock tabs from Nissan on friday I ask the guy behind the counter about the left wheel problem and he said its the first time he has heard of it.

[bazzle]

Wheel nuts coming loose is common on a few 4 bee's.
If its a toyota differnt story , studs stretch and also break.

Just check the tension regularly and you wont have a prob
Do them up lubed as tight as you can with a cross wheel brace.

Bazzle

[GQ Toy]

Nver had this problem, I am always changing tyres on and off as I have 33's for road and 35's offroad and I go playing every weekend (can you get wingnuts that size? ). I have had the nuts strip as they are softer than the stub, last time I drove home 600km + I only had three good nuts on the left front, bought some new ones and noticed that the threaded section is much deeper that the older ones (all dome nuts), cleaned all the stub threads and refitted with lots of lube (neverseize or moly grease) and never had a drama

[Adsman]

I use nickel anti-sieze on the studs of my rig and others I have worked on. I travel off-road regularly and even on the cape york trip I have never had the wheel nuts come loose. (Except when someone tried to aquire my wheels one night.)