rusty250

ive heard that aluminum wheels dont like to seat very wheel. and the nuts have a tendency to loosen up. and that sometimes guys have lost their wheels while driving... I now know how those guys feel. none of my studs broke and the truck is good and im alright, but why do aluminum wheels do this. I re-torqued the wheels for the first 2 weeks after driving it around.

Thanks

EatMySmoke

I don't have the answer to your question, but it's good that you and your truck are both all right.

I didn't expect to hear about this kind of problem, and I am now concerned about the aluminum wheels that I have to put on my truck.

Anyone else experience this same problem?

Dawson

comptz

I'm also wondering this. My left rear wheel fell off too on my ford when i was going 55-60 mph, i still check them after a week and they do loosen up just a bit.

torqmonster

I had the steel wheel fall off my 93 while plowing this winter. Just had it all apart putting new bearings and seals in the front end the night before the snow storm. The next day, plowed the yard, made a 10 mile round trip to plow out my parents, came home finshed the yard, took it down the road to shake off any snow in the wheels, slowed down at the intersection to turn around and as soon as I went in reverse and turned it fell off, snapped all the studs off on the right front. I know I tightened them, my budy watched me. They are steel stock chrome wheels off my 98.

Oldschooldodge

I've got a set of Alcoa's sitting in the garage, but I'm a little apprehensive about putting them on for this very reason. I am actually thinking about just selling them.

rusty250

i was surprised that the only thing that broke was the lockin mechanism on the hub. I thought i messed the rotor up and broke some studs @ first but she drove home fine

rusty250

http://www.napaautoparts.com/Search/...+50022+2022043 and would these work on my truck? It doesnt say dana 60 so im not positive. Thanks

7thMcD

What torque is suggested for aluminum wheels on first gens

jimbo486

not sure if the torque is different between steel or aluminum wheels but, in the article in the sticky, written by wannadiesel, his FSM calls for 300ft-lbs if you're running 5/8-18 studs. that's what i've got and the last time i pulled my wheels to polish them, when it came time to put them back on, my torque wrench only went up to 150ft-lbs. over the weekend while finishing my ball joint replacement, i bought a 3/4" drive torque wrench so i could torque the lower control arm bushing bolt to 225ft-lbs. so this time around upon putting my wheels back on, i put 300ft-lbs on my lug nuts. i'll check them after a bit more driving and report back.

rbrettctd

Ive been running 2nd gen aluminum wheels on my rig for 20k miles, never a problem, not to mention all our ranch trucks are newer chevys and dodges with aluminum wheels and never a problem there.

stackx2

i have had my driver side front come loose but not fall off and broke 3 studs. and ive had my driverside rear fall off and my axle hit the ground. i dont think it was the aluminum wheels fault though,i think it was les schuab tires fault because they fell off a week after i visited them both times. i just dont think the torqed them right.

blackfordd

I have some 3rd gen rims ready to go on my truck next month and you guys are making me nervous right now.

JustRamIt91

Two things i've done and haven't had any problems so far. Blue thread Locker on drivers side and double check the torque with a breaker bar. Out of 20 lugs i usually get 1/8 turn out of 8 or 9 of them. Working at a garage for 2 years i've noticed that people don't tighten their lug nuts all the way, just to snug... and/or trust their pneumatic impact wrenches too much... not always the case, thats why i double check. Drug too many 3 wheeled cars back to the shop in those two years. Wheels usually bounce off the highway around my way.

grouch

Aluminum has a different coefficent of expansion than steel wheels. You also need to check the bevel at the lug nut to make sure it's the same as the steel wheel. Aluminum wheels tend to be thicker and what will work on steel allows movement on aluminum.

I've had troublesome wheels before and I usually do two things. First off, make SURE you torque them down right with the CORRECT lug nuts. Second, a small dab of valve grinding compound around the lug stud hole will give the nut more grip. The same way a dab of grinding compound on the head of a worn phillips head screw will give the screw driver that little bit of extra grip to remove the screw.

MoparMarv

I have had the alcoas on my truck for 1.5 years now and no issues. Aloca said 105-115ft lbs i think. About the only thing that would make me feel better is longer studs. I do re check the torque on the wheels before long trips or a day or 2 after I took them off. I think many problems are caused by poor quality wheels that are close to or over there wieght rating.