moTAP

Here's the scenario, I went to have NTB switch my to my summer setup today and they said that two of the lugs came out crossthreaded.

The said that whoever put the winter wheels on crossthreaded them and that I need to get my front hubs retapped (obviously don't want to do that).

I contacted the place that put the winter wheels on and they said that they use torque sticks and it's impossible to cross thread lugs by this method. They said If the lugs were cross threaded NTB wouldn't have been able to take them out in the first place.

Any ideas? I have different lugs for my winter/summer rims.

KurtW

.....prevent cross-threading about as well as a Hello Kitty rain hat will stop a bear attack. They know it, they're just hoping you'll buy it.

Corrado79

I hate when places blame each other. Easy out. Best reason why to always go to same place.

moTAP

What the hell are torque sticks anyways? How can I prove who is to blame?

moTAP

The problem is the first shop that uses "torque sticks" is supposed to be highly reputable. I just didn't go to them to swap to my summer setup because they are 30 min away vs. 10 minutes.

I figured, how hard could it be to unbolt 4 rims and bolt on 4 different ones.

KurtW

Yes, air guns. The diameter of that skinny section is supposed to keep the torque below a certain level, depending on which one they grab (notice that they're usually color-coded for teh DeeDeeDees). Won't prevent cross-threading, just provides a bit of "give" when the limit is reached. If GeenyusBoi keeps his finger on the gun, it will run the bolt in/nut on anyway.

Have the shop who specialized in cross-threading demonstrate how it "prevents" cross-threading - the failure of the demonstration should be self-explanatory. It should be entertaining to say the least - if you enjoy watching someone try to tap-dance.

moTAP

Yeah, I mean how can they even explain how a torque stick prevents crossthreading?

PMS

"...a Hello Kitty rain hat will stop a bear attack..."

Well I'll be damned...I did not know that.

PMS

Tightening the lugs to the correct torque (which is what using torque sticks theoretically do) "could" help ensure that the lugs don't stretch and therefore help minimize the risk that they would seize and/or gall, but typically cross-threading is caused by someone not starting the lug bolt by hand. That being said, it could also have been caused by your bolts having gone through enough stretch cycles until they no longer cleanly match up with the threads in the hub, at which point one would normally notice this as a dragging feeling when tightening the bolt. If you are using a power tool (a.k.a., an impact wrench with a torque stick) to tighten the lugs, then it is unlikely you will notice it until you have tightened it up all the way, and then when you remove it, it's gonna gall.

Best protection against this is a bit of anti-seize and hand tightening the lugs. That and using lug studs with lug nuts instead of lug bolts...that way when the stud stretches and the nut seizes, you can replace just the stud much more easily than having to retap your hub.

(do as I say, not as I do)

moTAP

The stock lugs all had antiseize, only two were crossthreaded, 1 on the LF hub, and one on the RF hub.