07 08 F350 wheels loosening

[tractorsanmore]

Never seen the lug nuts come loose on the new trucks when we get them . But have seen them come loose after someone has not tightened the nuts up properly . The biggest problem we have is when we go to remove the wheel for the first time . The rims rust to the hub and without a special puller it's almost impossible to get them off without bending the rim . I always use anti-sieze before putting the wheels back on . The f450's and f550's give us the most problems .

 

[Toddao]

Where are you putting the anti-seize ,I don't think you should put it on the studs

 

[Toddao]

Once again, none of the wheel, hub, or fastener manufacturers even mentions anti-seize, and all of them agree the only acceptable lubricant is 30-weight oil, with 2-3 drops applied to the threads on the end of the studs and 2-3 drops between the flange and the nut body.

Substituting the 2-3 drops of 30-weight oil with a couple globs of anti-seize is going to reduce the amount of clamping force per foot-pound of torque. When any variation of the word “reduction” is used in association with the key component of wheel retention, everyone owning or operating a truck should pay special attention. Anti-seize on hub-piloted fasteners leads to wheel-offs and the evidence remains on the wheel end in question following the accident.

 

[Dmace]

Sounds like the lug nuts weren't properly torqued or they weren't re-torqued after driving about 100 miles as they should be.
I spray a little WD-40 on the lugs and in the lug nuts just to clean any dirt off of them. Also, on older cars/trucks I put a little anti-seize on the rim where it touches the brake rotor but never on the lugs.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Dmace is right. Never put it on the studs, just the mating surfaces. I just rotated the wheels on my Titan and my neighbors 3500 Dmax Tuesday.

On my Titan I had to give 2 of the wheels a kick to break them free. 7,500 miles since last rotation.

On the Dmax the were beyond kicking. I had to use a block of wood and fire up the truck then use the steering wheel to break the fronts off. On the rears it took 2 of us, one with with a 6' 2x4 between the wheel and the leaf spring and another tapping tire with a 8# sledge to break it free. Not fun when on jack stands. We did finger tighten the lugs a few threads to keep the wheels from flying. It had been 7,000 miles since rotation on it but that was since Sept, so only 5 months.

Chris

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I was told after dealing with not being able to break the rim loose from the rear hub that I should have put the lug nuts back on loose and pull the truck forward a ways till the tire loosened up from the hub. I have never had to try it but if I am ever in a situation where I don't have the tools to pop the rim loose I will.

 

[Dmace]

I was told after dealing with not being able to break the rim loose from the rear hub that I should have put the lug nuts back on loose and pull the truck forward a ways till the tire loosened up from the hub. I have never had to try it but if I am ever in a situation where I don't have the tools to pop the rim loose I will.

I wouldn't, that's a great way to bend or break the studs or at very least strip a few threads off the stud as the rim rides on them.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I wouldn't, that's a great way to bend or break the studs or at very least strip a few threads off the stud as the rim rides on them.

Sorry, I should have explained better. The idea presented to me was to loosen the nuts just enough to allow the rim to break free. Basically they nuts would barely be loose as all you need is enough for the rim to move a fraction to break the rust free. It wouldn't come off the center ring and be riding on the studs. All your trying to do is break the rust.

 

[crashz]

The wheels need to be re-torques after the first 100 miles or so. Heavy loading, plowing snow, etc may have streched the studs slightly. The mechanics and drivers should have caught this. If the wheel stud holes in the rim are egged out, the driver must have had the radio up really loud! I've had this happen on softer alloys and it makes a racket. And mine didn't even damage the mounting holes!

 

[JD4610]

I work at a very large Ford dealership in Michigan and the only time I have ever seen loose lug nuts on these trucks is when the owner had them off and failed to torque them. A local landscaping business had the wheels fall off two of their trucks last month after they decided to do maintenance themselves. After the tech replaced all of the studs and finished the repairs, he asked the owner of the company what he torqued the lug nuts to. The owner said he didn't know, he just put them on with an air gun until he thought they were good.


From the 2007 Super Duty owner's manual:

WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
On vehicles equipped with single rear wheels, retighten the lug nuts to
the specified torque at 500 miles (800 km) after any wheel disturbance
(tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
On vehicles equipped with dual rear wheels, retighten the wheel lug nuts
to the specified torque at 100 miles (160 km), and again at 500 miles
(800 km) of new vehicle operation and after any wheel disturbance (tire
rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).

Bolt size Wheel lug nut torque*
lb.ft. N瀕
M14 x 1.5 150 200

* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of dirt and
rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement fasteners.
On all two-piece flat wheel nuts,
apply one drop of motor oil between
the flat washer and the nut. Do not
apply motor oil to the wheel nut
threads or the wheel stud threads.