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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:	Cars in the UK
Notice:	Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:	COMICS::SHELLEYELD

Created:	Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2584
Total number of notes:	63384

2495.0. "Locking wheel nuts" by KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT (Good frames, Bad frames...) Tue Mar 05 1996 09:37

    Thought there was a topic in here for locking wheel nuts but can't find
    it!
    
    After reading too many notes from people who had their wheels pinched,
    I invested in a set of locking wheel nuts. The problem is, they seem to
    have thrown out the wheel balancing. I was sure when I was fitting them
    I could feel a weight difference between the original nuts and the
    locking ones, but since they are fairly close to the centre of the
    wheel I hoped it wouldn't make a difference. However, there is now a
    slight but noticably annoying front wheel wobble when cornering. This
    feels just the same as before I had the wheels balanced. My next step
    will be to replace the original nuts and see if it goes away again.
    
    The wheels can't be balanced on the car (a Frontera). I thought of
    getting some spare studs and bolting the nuts to the wheel (away from
    the car) and balancing the whole setup but the tyre place wouldn't do
    it.
    
    Any ideas? Anyone else had this? Barry from ralph motors said he's not
    heard of this problem before. 
    
    cheers, 
    
    Tony I

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2495.1		WOTVAX::DODD		`Tue Mar 05 1996 09:46`	4
	First thing I'd do is weigh a standard nut and a locking nut on my wife's kitchen scales. Andrew
2495.2		WOTVAX::STONEG	Temperature Drop in Downtime Winterland....	`Tue Mar 05 1996 09:49`	9
	Tony, I have locking wheel nuts on my Frontera and haven't experienced the problem, although I expected to ! Try a different type of nut - mine are the sort that have a special socket to fit them - or replace all your wheel nuts with identical locking ones %^) Graham
2495.3	note clash - this is re .1	KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT	Good frames, Bad frames...	`Tue Mar 05 1996 09:56`	8
	Yes, I will be doing that too! But supposing there is a difference (which I'm sure I could feel when handling them) what next? The local Vauxhall dealer was not particularly helpful and told me to go back to the tyre company that originally balanced my wheels - as if it's their fault! Tony I
2495.4		KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT	Good frames, Bad frames...	`Tue Mar 05 1996 10:00`	13
	re .2 What make are your nuts? (if I'm allowed to ask such a question!). Mine are genuine Vauxhall ones which you would expect to be manufactured to replace the originals properly. They are the sort that has a special keyed adapter. Replacing all the nuts will be very expensive - the Frontera has 5 wheel nuts. The fact it's an odd number also prevents using just a second set to balance the other side. Tony I
2495.5		WOTVAX::STONEG	Temperature Drop in Downtime Winterland....	`Tue Mar 05 1996 10:17`	8
	I can't remember the make Tony, I'll check the socket thing at lunchtime tho' to see if there's a name on it. I was only joking about replacing them all BTW - think what fun you'd have trying to find the right key for each when you wanted to get the wheel off ! Graham
2495.6		KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT	Good frames, Bad frames...	`Tue Mar 05 1996 12:03`	2
	Yes - I didn't think of that - they'd all be different woudln't they! Tony I
2495.7	I thought it was only 5...	KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT	Good frames, Bad frames...	`Tue Mar 05 1996 14:26`	8
	... well I might be able to fix my problem. The Frontera has SIX wheel nuts, so I can take the two locking nuts off the back and balance them up on the front. If that works I'll buy another set for the back. cheers, Tony I
2495.8	Available from Les Smith	CMOTEC::JASPER	Stuck on the Flypaper of Life	`Tue Mar 05 1996 15:02`	5
	I have used the type which has a drivenut with 3 rods, which mate into three holes in the stud part. Thes have never caused a balance problem on any of my cars. Tony J.
2495.9		KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT	Good frames, Bad frames...	`Wed Mar 06 1996 21:00`	13
	Fixed (maybe.....) Well I balanced up the locking nuts on the front and things appear to be normal again. It's a very subtle effect but the car 'feels' like its rolling more smoothly. This is on the basis of a very brief road test this evening so I'll do a few more miles before buying a second set of locking nuts. Incidentally, the weight difference between the locking and normal nuts is 1/2 oz. This doesn't sound much at all but I'm sure I can feel the difference. The nuts are about 4" out from the centre of the wheel. Tony I
2495.10		CHEFS::BRIGGS_R	they use computers don't they	`Thu Mar 07 1996 09:25`	6
	Tony, Is the Frontera a fleet vehicle? If so, were they willing to cough up for these locking nuts? Richard
2495.11	Ho ho ho	CMOTEC::JASPER	Stuck on the Flypaper of Life	`Thu Mar 07 1996 17:51`	3
	Fat chance ! Tony J.
2495.12		KERNEL::IMBIERSKIT	Good frames, Bad frames...	`Fri Mar 08 1996 17:20`	17
	It's not a fleet vehicle, but if it were I would tend to agree with -.1. However if it were a fleet vehicle I wouldn't be too bothered about the wheels getting nicked as it would only cost me inconvenience, not money! I was toying with the idea of doing a mr Angry customer and trying to get Vauxhall to at least pay part of the cost of a second set of locking nuts, as if they manufactured them properly in the first place I wouldn't need two sets. However I have decided against that course of action as all I would probably get out of it is raised blood pressure! cheers, Tony I PS. I've driven the car a fair few miles now and I'm convinced the problem's fixed.
2495.13		CBHVAX::CBH	Owl-Stretching Time!	`Fri Mar 08 1996 18:42`	9
	> It's not a fleet vehicle, but if it were I would tend to agree with -.1. > However if it were a fleet vehicle I wouldn't be too bothered about the > wheels getting nicked as it would only cost me inconvenience, not > money! In my case, it cost me neither money nor convenience, but I was still bloody angry at the parasitic 8@5^@rds who just help themselves. Chris.