Lug nuts on trailer shearing or coming loose?

[BK]

I asked a question on trailer lights the other day and got a reply from a member that his trailer lug nuts came loose and sheared off. Roy on his way to the Florida Bimini flotilla had the same problem. Both said their trailer was on the drum at 60 MPH. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to change the lug nuts after a few years? They might be getting too much undetected corrosion from the salt water. Has anyone heard of this being a big problem with salt water trailers?

[Tom Root]

The lug nuts, or the studs? I can see the studs failing eventually, although the same studbolts (A bit different) are still on my 1976 original trailor.

[Sloop John B]

Lugnuts!

Gees. Mine turn to popcorn after a couple a years of dunks. Big deal.

It's the damn studs. Seem to be part of the hub and everything. They are really bad! Orange fingers wiggling out to everywhere.

Maybe I can find a guy that can pop these awful looking studs out in a 'Dr. No' factory and maintain the brake hub. I'm not sure.

[ALX357]

on cars, the lug bolts are separate, can be driven back thru the hub and changed.
.... Surely the Mac trailer wheels can't have the lugs permanently welded on. Look around the inside of the hub, and if there is no weld bead or spot showing where the lug bolts are set thru, it's got to have removabe lugs bolts. Try putting the lug-nut ono the bolt (wheel removed of course ) and running it down only to where the top of the bolt is close to flush to the nut, but not sticking out at all, and tap the nut with a hammer to pop the bolt out the back of the hub. Take the bolt to the auto or trailer service store and get it matched. New ones should be a tight fit but tap in from the back.

[Don T]

Hello:
Checking the lug nuts should be a regular thing. The main reason these fail is from improper tightening. Some may think they can't come loose if they are rusty but they are wrong. Some think extra tightening will help, they are wrong too. The only way is to wire brush off the rust and lubricate the studs and nuts. This way you are getting a proper torque which will hold the wheel without distorting it.

Over tightening smashes the wheel center and brings the pressure to a small area around the lug. This allows the wheel to flex more. It also stresses the studs and weakens them. With the added flex the studs will break off.

Rusty lugs create friction and give a false torque reading. The wheel will not have sufficient holding pressure. The wheel flexes and works loose usually grinding out the lug holes and breaking off the studs.

So, clean, lubricate (I use water proof marine grease) and torque to 120 ft/lbs

Studs can be driven out of the hub / drum and replaced. Be sure to re-torque them after a hundred miles or so. They will stretch and settle some.


clean, lubricate and what??????? That sentance sounds funny.

[kmclemore]

Long and detailed discussion on this topic is over HERE

As for wheel-stud removal, sometimes they can indeed be driven out while still on the trailer but IME they get really welded into the hub and if you're not careful you can end up distorting the hub flange in order to get the buggers out. Plus, even if they do come out, you may end up damaging the bearing while you're hammering away on those pesky studs.

Might be better to take the hub off and press them out with a light-duty press (a 5-10 ton press would do it easily), then press in the new ones. Lots of folks have those small shop presses - they're certainly cheap enough on HarborFreight (or your favorite cheapie tool place), but if one of your buddies doesn't have one, your local auto shop would do it for small change as long as they don't have to pull the hubs themselves.

[Robert]

After you get your studs in order replace the nuts with capnuts that cover the entire thread. Grease the thread lightly before puting on the capnuts. The cap nuts can be purchased with chrome surface to slow the rust problem. You can wipe the nuts with an oily rag after rinsing after each dip in salt water to prevent rust also. I used a spray on lube for bicycle gears that goes on as a foam and dries like a wax.

[kmclemore]

After you get your studs in order replace the nuts with capnuts that cover the entire thread....

Make sure you get capped lugnuts - an ordinary cap nut won't be safe as it does not have the special taper necessary for centering the wheel.

As far as greasing the threads, see the discussion I linked above. I can't say that I'm a big proponent of greasing the threads - it alters the torque required to properly seat the nuts, and that often leads to stretched or broken studs. Light machine oil is about as far as I'll go, but more often dry with a bit of LocTite.

[Robert]

kmclemore, thank you for the clarification, I meant lug nuts. I ordered mine from the auto parts store and used the non-capped lug nuts after my swap to disc brakes and new hubs until the cap lug nuts came in.
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I have aleways greased the threads lightly then wiped it off with a cloth leaving just a film of grease to repell water.
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I think the LocTite may be a better choice. but I only have used it on "permanent" connections. For on again off again lug nuts, how do you get the old loctite off and the surfaces clean each time the lug nuts are removed?
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If loctite is used, when you re-torque the lugnuts after every hundred miles or so, is the loctite effect destoyed?

[kmclemore]

I think the LocTite may be a better choice. but I only have used it on "permanent" connections. For on again off again lug nuts, how do you get the old loctite off and the surfaces clean each time the lug nuts are removed?

Loctite removes with just laquer thinner or acetone. I think they have a special 'remover' fluid, but I've never used it.

If loctite is used, when you re-torque the lugnuts after every hundred miles or so, is the loctite effect destoyed?

Well, the idea is that you really shouldn't have to - the Loctite prevents loosening, hence they don't really need a re-tightening. You should still check them for tightness regularly, but if you've got a digital torque wrench it should 'click' before the nut ever turns if it's already up to the proper torque.

[Jeff Ritsema]

Kevin,
This may be carrying this a little far, but, which Locktite grade do you use?
Thanks, Jeff

[Robert]

I understood that the re-torque is needed to make up for possible movement of the wheel relative to the lugs. On mine, the movement was made much worse on a bumpy road, so much so that the taper fit of the lug nuts to the taper in the wheel was compromised as the holes in the wheel were pounded bigger. If I did not stop for fuel, I think I would have lost a wheel that day on the smooth highway after crossing the bumpy road, the wheel was black from metal dust.
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I think that for a wheel operating well within its ratings the lug nuts will probably not get loose, but on the overloaded Mac26X trailer wheels, movement is very likely and the taper holes will grow. In my opinion even small movement will wear the taper holes an cause loose lug nuts.
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Is my reasoning for re-torque correct for the Mac26X trailer?
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I think the ideal axle for the Mac26X would be the torsion type for the shock absorbing to provide a gentler ride and without rusting leaf springs. This single axle would be fitted with 6 bolt hubs and largest available vented disc brakes and 15" 225/75R15 LRD (2540 lbs each) tires.

[Catigale]

NOt sure if the loctite question got answered

Its basically glue, so if you retorque your lugnuts and they move, the loctite holding power is lost.

Stop every hour or two and check your nuts (on the trailer) for tightness

Its good for the driver too....

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

I installed new LUG BOLTS and NUTs a couple of weeks back, and on my way to the BAY last week end, all lug bolts sheared off the STARBOARD side...sending the Aluminum wheel rolling nearly 2 blocks down the PAVEMENT. Fortunately no one was hurt, and no serious damage !!! THE PROBLEM: tightenening the lug nuts securely, and then "AGAIN" after a short drive after the LUG BOLTS "seat in" !!! ALSO, carry a larger than normal LUG WRENCH for the ability to tighten, and remove "secured" lug nuts, or you wont be able to remove the wheel in case of a FLAT.

[Miami]

I carry a piece of heavy 1" pipe in my SUV that can slip over the end of the lug wrench to add enormous leverage to tighten or loosen lugs nuts.

It's a quick easy solution.

Hope this helps.