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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ihu1g!rls
From: rls@ihu1g.UUCP (r.l. schieve)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Sad Story about Torquing Wheel Bolts
Message-ID: <704@ihu1g.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Oct-85 09:00:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1g.704
Posted: Fri Oct  4 09:00:57 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Oct-85 06:41:24 EDT
References: <1484@vax3.fluke.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 32

.......
> newly hired 'mechanic' remounted the wheels (alloy rims by the
> way).  Some where he got the notion that the wheel bolts needed
> to be "torqued down".  He did so with all the force the shops
> impact wrench could muster.  A job well done he thought.
> Now the sad part.  As the women was driving across the Evergreen
> Point Floating Bridge the drivers side front rim fractured around
> the bolt pattern.  The subsequent crash killed both she and her
> baby.  Follow up investigation found two more rims failing in the
> same mode.  The bolts had been over torqued (alloy rims are more
> sensitive than steelL.
> 
> Please be careful!! and be sure the mechanic working
> on such critical systems of your car is competent if you aren't
> performing the operations yourself.
> 
> Chris Villani
> Fluke

Alloy rims also usually go with crome lug nuts.  Any mechanic
using an impact wrench on my chrome plated lugs won't here the
end of it until he gets me a new set.  It is hard enough to keep
them from rusting without someone tearing up the chrome.

Also, with today's push for lighter cars, front disk brake rotors
are not as heavy as they used to be.  A friend with a 2 year old
mid-sized Dodge had to have his rotors replaced because the lug
nuts were tightened improperly.  It seems that the uneven pressure
contributed to the warping of his rotors, ruining his front brakes.

				Rick Schieve
				....ihnp4!ihu1g!rls


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