Dealer wheel rotation & rotor failure

ngzcaz · Mar 31, 2013

Now this may be a co-incidence but after my oil change and tire rotation I noticed immediately on the way home a kind of wheel shimmy like a front tire was out of balance. It was that noticeable I stopped and checked for a low front tire. It was ok. A few miles down the road I noticed a slight holding back feeling. I pulled over again and there was smoke coming from the right front tire area. I checked and it seemed to be from the brake/rotor area. I was three miles form home so I let it cool for about 20 minutes and nursed it home.

After cooling over night I got to work taking the wheel off. I could loosen only one lug with my impact. I got the torque wrench out and checked the setting. I stopped trying at around 130 ft lbs. Couldn't loosen any more than the original one I took off. I went around to the other side of my 1989 Ford Ranger ( they did a side to side change ) and found those not to loosen at the same 130 ft lbs. I stopped and didn't go any further..

Sorry for the long intro but here's the question : First and foremost what is the correct torque setting ? I seem to be reading anywhere from 80 to 100 ft. lbs. Second, Is 130 ft lbs ( or more since my torque wrench only goes to 150 ) enough torque to screw up the rotor in that short amount of time ? Last and most important to me is have any of you have a similar experience and how did you handle it with the tire dealer and with what results ? I just find it awfully coincidental that it failed by that much in such a short period of time if is was a " normal failure " At the very least the lugs were incorrectly tightened. :annoyed:

Andy D · Mar 31, 2013

Torque spec of 80- 100 ft lbs is fine. What ever you choose , just apply the torque evenly .Bottom line is, that you can change the tire with the tools you carry. I would be nasty gramming the outfit that did the work. There is a good chance the vibration will disappear when the wheels are correctly tightened

ngzcaz · Mar 31, 2013

Andy D said:
Torque spec of 80- 100 ft lbs is fine. What ever you choose , just apply the torque evenly .Bottom line is, that you can change the tire with the tools you carry. I would be nasty gramming the outfit that did the work. There is a good chance the vibration will disappear when the wheels are correctly tightened

That's a lot more optimistic than I am. I just went out and cranked the torque wrench up to 150 and 4 out of the 5 on the wheel in question didn't budge. I went over to the other side and the same thing. 150 didn't budge it. I got a breaker bar and a piece of short pipe, broke them loose and re-torqued to 90 lbs. I've got this feeling that the rotor is shot. The wheel has a definite intermittent drag when jacked up and you attempt to spin it. I also wouldn't be surprised if I end up putting lining on it as well. If the rotor is warped the lining is now worn unevenly and would be a real pain putting up with it until the next brake job.

** I guess there's a chance the wheel cylinder is bad but I know the torque setting on the wheels were screwed up badly. Before I go in bitching I just would like to know from someone else's experience whether the lug nuts could have caused it.

kunar · Mar 31, 2013

i dont think that the rotors would be damaged from that. i have heard that they can be warped from improperly torquing lug nuts, but i think its something that happens over time. they likely used an impact gun to run them on, so even though they were too tight, they were probably all fairly even. also keep in mind that it probably would take more torque to break them loose than what was used to put them on.

having brakes dragging is definitely an issue, IMO probably not caused by over torquing the rotors. i would wonder if the heat from the drive home would cause that rotor to warp, though i doubt that it would unless it got really hot. did you notice anything out of the normal on that side once you got the wheel off?

adsm08 · Mar 31, 2013

Over-torquing the wheels can cause a brake vibration. 130 ft lbs probably won't do that. It def won't damage the wheels.

From what you described I'd say you had a caliper lock up, which would have very little to do with a tire rotation.

Scrambler82 · Mar 31, 2013

I would go back to the guy that did the work and let him take them off and let him know about the rotor damage.
Have him replace both rotors a d put in new pads.

Just me but take it back !

ngzcaz · Mar 31, 2013

Scrambler82 said:
I would go back to the guy that did the work and let him take them off and let him know about the rotor damage.
Have him replace both rotors a d put in new pads.

Just me but take it back !

Well.. That's the reason I didn't take the wheel in question off yet. I was at 150 ft lbs and they didn't budge. IMO, they shouldn't have been by at least 60 ft lb. and possibly much more. If the caliber is the blame it may have just been a weird coincidence. I don't want to get any of his employees in hot water but by the same token he ( business owner ) should be aware that at least one guy isn't taking his work too seriously.

brokemechanic3000 · Mar 31, 2013

Over torquing the nuts can cause vibrations but what most likely happened is that they just used the impact and went in a circle on each side. the proper way on a five hole wheel is to go in a star pattern torquing in 1/3 increments until final torque is reached. so 30 ft lbs 60 ft lbs then 100 ft lbs. And only put 30w oil on the studs no grease or anti seize (tire industry guidelines).
rotors should be checked for warping. take it back to the dealer explain the problem and say it didn't shake before.

Mac · Mar 31, 2013

I be worried that you might be real close to breaking a stud. The max rated torque for a dry 1/2"-20 thread, grade 8, is only 120 ft-lbs per our fastener engineer, not sure what the safety factor is. Wet connditions reduce the rating by 75%. Sirprising but our tire center at Sears uses a torque wrench.
Dave

ZMan · Mar 31, 2013

I agree with adsm, you had a caliper lock up. That can just happen randomly, especially to an older vehicle. Nothing to do with the tire rotation if you ask me.

RustedRanger · Apr 1, 2013

The lugs were (are) all very tight....but how did the guy do it? If he tightened the first lug all the way then did the rest then I'd think that coulda screwed it up since we all (hopefully) know to tighten wheels in the crisscross pattern.

doorgunner · Apr 1, 2013

Impact Gun=The lazy man's lugnut torque wrench!

That's why I rotate my wheels at home...

If you have steel rims---they could be ruined/warped by a impact gun that was improperly used by an incompetent tech...

"run em down with an impact/then torque em to specs"

jamie4ltr · Apr 1, 2013

Trust no one to work on your truck unless you have to! It's not their vehicle and most could care less. Sounds like you are capable of doing an oil change and tire rotation yourself. No?

Dealer wheel rotation & rotor failure

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