AAA auto club

[Dean Hoffman]

:

alue-stems-and-no-air/

There's an article here from about a year ago. (Greenville Online)=

People have flats on their cars about onc= e every 70,000 if I understood the Michelin exec correctly. It didn't sou= nd like cars and such are their next target market for the tweel. The exec talks about putting these tires on ATVs next. The obvious=

problem with that would be mud getting into the tires and drying or =

freezing into them. It's good that these online conversations wander. One can learn all = =

sorts of odd stuff. Political arguments can get super heated and no one will =

likely lose out in real life due to it.

-- =

Using Opera's mail client:

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I've driven in Dallas TX, where the separation was more like .5 sec.

Changing lanes reminded me of parallel parking, but at 60 MPH.

[snip]

[Sam E]

[snip]

I once read a strange story about a device to put a force field around your car for safety. It also saves gas - these people were getting over

200 MPG because of the tailgaters.

[hah]

[snip]

Apparently you can save a lot of gas by tailgating 2ft behind a big truck.

[Phil Kangas]

"Mark Lloyd"

[clare]

It really depends on the wheel and lugnut. With tapered seat nuts - like used on most steel wheels and most OEM alloys I have yet, in over 45 years, to find one where the torque changed if properly torqued in the first place. The old "shank" style nuts with flat washers etc? You bet they can change torque. I would never use the on my car for that reason (and more).

Good alloys, with steel conical inserts, are every bit as stable, (if not moreso) as the typical stamped center steel wheel.

[clare]

When an 18 wheeler is tailgating, getting just far enough ahead to give you "scramble space" and lock your brakes - it'll cost him a set of tires from "flatsiding" them and could cost him his job.

At the very least, he'll need a change of underwear.

[clare]

You don't need to be within 2 feet to "draft".

2 seconds behind a flatbacked van trailer at 55-62MPH can give you a significant mileage boost but you need to be on your toes.

IIRC 2 seconds is about 100 ft - where you should save 20% of fuel due to drag - while the safe following distance at 55mph is 150 feet.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've had two wheels (well, maybe more) loosen in the first few miles. Both in the last two years. My nuts have tapered ends, and wheels have tapered seats.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[Stormin Mormon]

And the truck brakes, and then changes lane.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[Stormin Mormon]

How about try and get back to us from the rehab and bone and joint center?

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[clare]

Did you use a torque wrench, torque them to spec, and use the correct torque sequence? If you did, they would NOT loose torque. Virtually impossible.

[Unquestionably Confused]

If you're going to start a new thread about your nuts, how's about you take it private with Uncle Monster?

[Stormin Mormon]

those. And I've had two, possibly three, loosen up.] them to spec, and use the correct

[clare]

I've been replacing wheels for 48 years - I've had ONE come loose - and I know I did not use a torque wrench on it. I also know I didn't use the right sequence. I was cold, wet, and tired, on the side of the road in the dark with no flashlight.

[Stormin Mormon]

Off the top of my head, I can think of two aluminum rims where the lugs loosed up after being torqued with a torque wrench and sequence.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[clare]

tapered seat? Steel insert? The ONLY way it can happen is if the rim is not properly seated on the hub flange. The studs don't stretch, the aluminum certainly does not squeeze down, and properly torqued nuts do not turn by themselves.

If the wheel nuts lose torque the wheel was not properly installed. No IFs ANDs or BUTs.

The warning to recheck the wheel nuts is because all too many people don't know to install them properly. Anything indicating aluminum wheels are more subject to this type of failure comes from the old alloy wheels that used flanged nuts (not tapered seats, and no steel inserts) which are also 100% hub-centric.

[rbowman]

After growing up with 5 lug wheels I always have a nagging feeling that I'm doing the 4 lug types wrong. I never had one loosen up so I guess I'm okay.

[Stormin Mormon]

I have, personally, had two cases where the lug nuts loosened after torque wrench and sequence.

One resulted in a wheel that fell off. I'd gone to my mechanic who diagnosed a bad radial on the right front. About ten minutes later, I was enroute to the wrecking yard for a tire, and the left rear fell off.

The second time, I caught the problem on the retorque, and they were all needing some snugging down.

You may explain several more times if you want. But, my real life experience continues to exist.

I find it necessary to retorque, I like do do about 25 miles, and again at 50. I have personally had two cases where the lugs needed tightening.

Awating your reply.

[bob haller]

I DONT LIKE alunimum wheels.

my new wifes car had them 20 years ago. in spring and fall we had flat tires a lot...

one day wife had flat, my mom was dying, so jen drove her car on the flat, ruined the tireand wheel. the ruined wheel was a lucky break. a matching alunimum wheel was not available, so we had a steel wheel and new tire installed.

while the remaing alunimum wheels had many flats over the next year

the steel wheel never went flat,''

so i asked at the tire store where they pulled a flat tire off, and noted the white dust, alunimum rust at the sealing surface........

so i bought all steel wheels, traded the alunimum wheels for hub caps. and i dont believe that car ever had another flat.