RoadSTAR
August, 2000

Tighten 'Em Right

[Hub-piloted] wheels can still come loose if the wheel isn't snug against the face of the hub.  The best way to be sure this is done is to lube the portion of the wheel that slides over the hub so it doesn't get hung up on rust or grime.  You might keep this in mind if you're installing such a wheel or overseeing work on one.

On any type of wheel, nuts must be properly torqued.  Improper torquing of fasteners is the main reason for "wheel off" incidents in which one or both wheels run off an axle and go rolling and bouncing down the highway, sometimes killing or maiming motorists.  New vehicles are now supposed to have labels, stuck to the frame or elsewhere close to the axle ends, listing the torque values for the wheel nuts; read 'em and heed 'em.