wheel brace

[Deanslost]

My new/old 1985 county 110 came with a wheel brace that has a hinge in the middle. it looks to be designed so you cant over tighten the wheel nuts but when undoing them you fold the handle out for double the leverage. I have 33" tyres and I had two freshly painted wheels with new tyres come loose today. I have never had wheel nuts come loose on any other vehicle. Is it possible the bigger than standard wheels and tyres require tighter wheel nuts ? or could the fresh paint on the nut binding surface have allowed enough play for this to happen ? I will be keeping a close eye on it but any input would be appreciated.

Thanks
Dean

[Don 130]

Did you tighten them to the correct torque setting? For the original rims supplied with the vehicle, I believe the setting is 170Nm or 125lbft
Probably a good place to start next time.

[Leigh 110]

when in doubt, go FT......F*&kin Tight

[Deanslost]

Thanks Don,
I have been looking for a comprehensive service manual for this type of info. but as yet I have not found one for my year model. I have seen the manuals in the files section. But I cannot see a complete manual so to speak.

Will break out the torque wrench tomorrow.

[Deanslost]

Leigh,
F*&kin tight is relative when you only have half the leverage.
In the past with a fixed wheel brace F*&kin tight has been enough.
But as mentioned above I will unwrap the torque wrench tomorrow.

Thanks
Dean

[2stroke]

Thick paint can cause this, are they the same rims just painted? Usually the paint sort of crushes off where the nuts contact the wheel, sometimes on the back where the paint is against the hub as well.
My Rangie had a folding wheelbrace, Defender is one piece, never used a torque wrench.

[oldyella 76]

Will probably be the paint if the centres are ok. Clean the paint off the mating surfaces before putting them on. I have seen truck wheels come off after being painted.
Lindsay

[JDNSW]

Likely causes of wheel nuts coming loose -

1. Paint or dirt on the wheel holes or mating surface on the back of the wheel, especially thick, incompletely cured paint.

2. Nuts not moving freely on the threads - clean threads and use antiseize or grease.

3. Nuts not tight enough or unevenly tightened.

Note that loose nuts on the RH side of the vehicle will normally tighten (unless they are binding on the thread or have reached the end of the usable thread), whereas on the LH side they will loosen further.

I doubt increasing the wheel size to 33 will be have any significant effect.

John

[Deanslost]

Thanks guys

[n plus one]

Thanks Don,
I have been looking for a comprehensive service manual for this type of info. but as yet I have not found one for my year model. I have seen the manuals in the files section. But I cannot see a complete manual so to speak.

Will break out the torque wrench tomorrow.

And remember never to lubricate threads when using a torque wrench - you'll get false readings (unless the manual specs are for lubed threads).