My Jeep Cherokee recently started making weird noises up front. I checked everything you can think of...except the lug nuts. I even jacked the whole thing off the ground and had wifey engage the drive train while I looked for anything and everything I could underneath. Today when we got back from a short trip to the store, I went to jack up the front end again. I shockingly noticed two lug nuts were gone, two were pretty loose, and one not that tight. Soon as I re tighten the remaining ones. Presto..all fixed. Now I'm wondering if someone tried to steal my wheel while I was out shopping or at the airport recently. I checked all the rest and they were nice and tight. Kinda spooky. Glad it didn't come off. Now I know why that weird sound was getting progressively worse.

I just read yesterday that there is a stupid TikTok Lug Nut Challenge where little shits are loosing and/or removing lug nuts on vehicles.

I started today checking my lug nuts.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'm still working on slap your teacher challenge. Jackass on steroids with no thought of the consequences

I read about the ‘tic-toc’ challenge too, loosening the lug nuts.

When were the wheels last changed or rotated? Where have you parked lately? We’re any others loose??

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I read about the ‘tic-toc’ challenge too, loosening the lug nuts.

When were the wheels last changed or rotated? Where have you parked lately? We’re any others loose??

Shopping. Airports. And the 3 other wheels lugs were all nice n tight...

The only other common explanation is if work was done fairly recently, the one wasn’t tightened properly. I’ve even done it myself years ago, caught it before any damage.


If work was done months+ prior, I doubt it would last that long. That brings us back to tic-toc.

I’m not big on locking lug nuts, may be needed though.

That's a scary thought - that people are actually loosening lug nuts. And here I am remembering how pissed I was when someone stole my metal tire caps that cost $20 to replace.

I am waiting for the tik tok cut the brake line challenge.

Typically, a loose wheel will go "clunk-clunk-clunk" when coasting and the noise diminish when you apply power to the engine. The torque of the engine takes up the slack, in a manner of speaking.

Be sure your wheel lug nut holes aren't wallowed out and that the threads on the studs aren't mashed over or flattened.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I am waiting for the tik tok cut the brake line challenge.

I waiting for a room temperature challenge while holding a lug wrench

If I caught some dumbass kid doing that to my truck, I'd probably be going to jail shortly thereafter.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Be sure your wheel lug nut holes aren't wallowed out and that the threads on the studs aren't mashed over or flattened.

The ruined studs is what got my Dallas buddy when he arrived in H-town with only 1 lugnut. Mechanic checked out wheels and they were surprisingly fine which saved a ton of money as they were 5-year old aftermarket so purchasing 1 would've been unlikely.

quote:

I waiting for a room temperature challenge while holding a lug wrench

^^^^^^^^^^^^
haHAHA

One of the Jr DFs actually lost a wheel at 75 mph after having work done on his car by a shop. Someone forgot to torque the lug nuts down. He made it to the median and safely out of the car but what a scare for him. I always double check my own work and what ever I pay to have done.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I am waiting for the tik tok cut the brake line challenge.

I waiting for a room temperature challenge while holding a lug wrench

Thank you for that laugh. I needed one today.

guess I'm glad the wheels on my truck have center covers that cover the lug nuts and require a hex wrench to remove.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
One of the Jr DFs actually lost a wheel at 75 mph after having work done on his car by a shop. Someone forgot to torque the lug nuts down. He made it to the median and safely out of the car but what a scare for him. I always double check my own work and what ever I pay to have done.

Wow! That would surely be a check your shorts moment. Glad he made it out unscathed.

People think I'm ridiculous when I stand at the end of the service bay at Discount Tire and watch the tech(s) torque down each lug nut after they rotate the tires on my truck.

Also, recheck the torque after 50 miles, especially on alloy wheels.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
One of the Jr DFs actually lost a wheel at 75 mph after having work done on his car by a shop. Someone forgot to torque the lug nuts down. He made it to the median and safely out of the car but what a scare for him. I always double check my own work and what ever I pay to have done.

Unrelated but speaking of losing wheels - had work done at a Buick dealership in the 70’s on a Opel GT. Left the garage , turned left, and the steering wheel came off in my hands. Forgot the retaining nut. They didn’t even apologize

quote:

Originally posted by Tn226:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
One of the Jr DFs actually lost a wheel at 75 mph after having work done on his car by a shop. Someone forgot to torque the lug nuts down. He made it to the median and safely out of the car but what a scare for him. I always double check my own work and what ever I pay to have done.

Unrelated but speaking of losing wheels - had work done at a Buick dealership in the 70’s on a Opel GT. Left the garage , turned left, and the steering wheel came off in my hands. Forgot the retaining nut. They didn’t even apologize

Wife's Nissan Pathfinder required the in tank fuel pump be replaced. The Nissan dealership replaced the pump but when re-installing the tank, did not re-install the filler neck onto the tank. Wife stopped on the way home to fuel up and dumped maybe three gallons of gas onto the hot exhaust system of the vehicle before fuel flowed out from under the vehicle and she stopped pumping. I took it back to the dealership, got the general manager in an office and chewed him a new one, after which I told him I was contacting my attorney. Though I was never happy with that vehicle or the dealership, we ended up with free service and detailing for the remainder of the time we owned the vehicle. In hindsight, I should have taken them to court instead.

I recall back in the day when some cars had "left-hand" lug nuts.

Damn, I am getting old.