I can see what this guy was thinking

[JamesL]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7091904.stm



not!

[Kemal]

What a nutter ! ('[:0]')
 what's the old saying '' Only in America '' (' ') ''just kidding guys''(' ')

Kemal
280 SL Manual 69

[Peter van Es]

Clearly not stupid enough to achieve a Darwin Award http://www.darwinawards.com/. Darwin Award Nominees significantly improve the gene pool by eliminating themselves from the human race in an obviously stupid way.

Peter

Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual (http://www.sl113.org/wiki/pmwiki.php). Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280SL.

[seattle_Jerry]

In Washington's defense...South Kitsap may be 10 miles from Seattle as the crow flies, but it is on the other side of Puget Sound an hour ferry ride or 2 to 3 hour drive from Seattle. It is a world apart. Not much out there except Bremerton Naval Base.

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[waqas]

The lug nut probably got over-torqued by some idiot with more air in his wrench than sense in his thick skull.  Some morons even put the lug nut in the air wrench socket before even beginning the threads! (by hand)  I know this because I once had to remove an entire steering knuckle due to a sheered-off lug bolt someone had mis-threaded the lug nut onto and TIGHTENED with an air-tool..... somehow I feel sorry for this old man....

Waqas in Austin, Texas

[TheEngineer]

I see this all the time: The guys at the tire store put the nut into the socket on the air gun and thread it on. The Mercedes really stumps them: "Hey, boss: The stud just came out with the nut!" Next time I'll go yo the tire store, I'll snap a pic.

'69 280SL,Signal Red,Automatic,retired engineer, West-Seattle,WA

[waqas]

hey engineer-- if you DO snap a pic, you MUST share it with us!  

On the rare occasion someone else touches my cars, I remove the hub-caps myself and ask them not to tighten my lug bolts (I do that myself before driving off).  This has only occurred whilst having a flat repaired, or when getting new tyres.  I suppose I'm a bit psychotic about these things....

Waqas in Austin, Texas

[Mike Hughes]

Innovation!  That's what we've been lacking in this country!  More original thinking by backyard mechanics will solve everything!

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[al_lieffring]

quote:Originally posted by waqas

On the rare occasion someone else touches my cars, I remove the hub-caps myself and ask them not to tighten my lug bolts (I do that myself before driving off).  This has only occurred whilst having a flat repaired, or when getting new tyres.  I suppose I'm a bit psychotic about these things....

Waqas in Austin, Texas

You are not too far off the mark by assuming that a mechanic will over tighten your nuts by using an impact wrench. There are torque limiting lug sockets available for impact wrenches but they are rarely used. In fact most newly replaced brake rotors come out of the shop warped because the mechanic will finish off the job by rattling the lugs back on with a pneumatic wrench.

75 lb/ft is what I have always torqued my wheel lugs to, so don't just hand tighten them, but use a torque wrench.

Al Lieffring
66 230SL

[enochbell]

This entire discussion has been so instructive, thanks all.  I have always used the lug wrench from my tool kit to tighten the nuts.  After getting them snug by hand, I then apply apply one last torque, a final good push...I estimate it at about 1/3 my body weight...with my foot at the end of the wrench.  That makes about 75 ft/lbs, right?

g

'64 230sl, fully sorted out...ooops, spoke too soon

[waqas]

quote:Originally posted by al_lieffring


75 lb/ft is what I have always torqued my wheel lugs to, so don't just hand tighten them, but use a torque wrench.

Oh no, I wasn't advocating just hand-tightening them! I usually carry a torque wrench and use 100 Nm (~74 ft.lb), although I'll use Greg's technique in a pinch!

Waqas in Austin, Texas

[al_lieffring]

quote:Originally posted by enochbell

with my foot at the end of the wrench.  That makes about 75 ft/lbs, right?

Thats why they are called "foot"  pounds of torque

Al Lieffring
66 230SL

[Raymond]

Enochbell, If you weigh 225 lbs. 1/3 would be 75, however, you have to multiply the that force by the length of the wrench and acceleration (that "final push"). Decent torque wrenches are available everywhere.  The wrench is longer than the lug wrench and makes the effort of removing and tightening studs much easier.  Then you aren't guessing.  

You can use the wrench for all kinds of nuts and bolts. And, it's always good to buy a new tool.  

I would encourage everyone to check the torque of your lug nuts or studs with every car whenever you have some monkey touch them.  After I had the tires rotated on my BMW, I checked the torque required to loosen the studs.  That wrench only goes to 150 ft/lbs, and they were tighter than that.  I did complain.  That incompetance leads to warping of rotors and maybe a really bad experience if you have to change a flat one night in the rain.



Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[J. Huber]

Now you guys have me worried! I was the last one to tighten things. I used arm pounds -- not foot ones! I generally just do my best Governator Arnold push. Probably not as tight as they should be.

James
63 230SL