Lugnuts, more than you care to know

Just two weeks ago, I mentioned on the radio that people should check their lugnuts after they have work done. It struck a couple people as odd... why should they have to double check something like that?

Well, because there's a good chance your lugnuts were put on too loose, or too tight. Too loose and you have wheels falling off, and you end up on the side of the highway crying into your cellphone. Too tight and you end up NOT being able to get your wheels off when you get a flat tire, and you end up on the side of the highway crying into your cellphone.

So, always check your lugnuts.

And more importantly: do as I say, not as I do. Because I forgot this little rule when I had some work done a couple weeks ago.

Fast forward to last night. Got a great big box of New Shineys from PelicanParts, and was just getting ready to tear into the e300d, new shocks, tie rods, sway bar links, engine mounts... very excited.

Step 1) loosen lug nuts before raising car. FAIL.

Right away, I knew I was in trouble... Usually they "crack" nicely as soon as I put some pressure on the breaker bar. On these guys, I had to put a 4' pipe on the end and STILL really haul on it. The car was in the shop 2 weeks ago to check out the front end; they must have used an impact gun to put the wheels back on.

Several are bent, and worse still, one broke off.

I tried welding a nut onto the shank, but it just broke again further down. Even with the collective wisdom of all who assembled for Happy Hour @ Jake's Garage, we were not able to get it out.

Drilling it out was the only real solution. Fun way to spend six hours... took more time than all the front end work and engine mounts I'd been planning to do.

Upside is that I didn't make this discovery while trying to change the tire on the side of the highway, in the rain. Crying into my cellphone.

So, now you know. Check your lugnuts.