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Author Topic:   Horror Stories Wanted!!!!!!
ramtec
unregistered
posted January 15, 2000 02:59 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
If anyone has a horror story about their (personal or customers) wheels being improperly mounted or serviced, please forward them to me. I am mostly interested in lug nut torque related problems.

This information will be featured in an upcoming newsletter for the automobile and light truck tire and vehicle service industry.

reply to: ramtec@world.att.net
subject: lugnuts

Thanks,
Bob Donaldson
Product Development Engineer
RAMTEC International

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Jeff
unregistered
posted January 17, 2000 02:51 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Not a horror story, just an observation. Why is it in most service situations, an impact wrench is almost always used to remove/install wheel lug nuts? Is it really SO time consuming to do the job PROPERLY? Whether the proper torque stick is used or not at all, repeated use of an impact wrench does in fact damage the threads on the studs.
Given a decent wheel wrench and a proper torque wrench the (minimal) extra effort to do it manually is really warranted IMHO. I often wonder how many people have been left stranded roadside with a perfectly good spare tire, unable to do anything because the lug nuts on the flat are too tight, or seized on the studs because someone didn't take the time to simply spin them on and torque 'em down by hand.

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Tire MGR
unregistered
posted May 17, 2000 11:26 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Why are impact wrenches used????? Because the consumer wants their vehicle 15 minutes ago that's why??? Do you know how much wait time would be added by NOT using an impact gun???? Hours and hours in a busy tire shop. Our society wants EVERYTHING "right now"!! FEW people would be willing to wait for their lug nuts to be put on by "hand".


quote:
Originally posted by Jeff:
Not a horror story, just an observation. Why is it in most service situations, an impact wrench is almost always used to remove/install wheel lug nuts? Is it really SO time consuming to do the job PROPERLY? Whether the proper torque stick is used or not at all, repeated use of an impact wrench does in fact damage the threads on the studs.
Given a decent wheel wrench and a proper torque wrench the (minimal) extra effort to do it manually is really warranted IMHO. I often wonder how many people have been left stranded roadside with a perfectly good spare tire, unable to do anything because the lug nuts on the flat are too tight, or seized on the studs because someone didn't take the time to simply spin them on and torque 'em down by hand.

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Jeff
unregistered
posted May 19, 2000 10:48 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Well I'd be willing to wait. I understand your situtation esp. wrt dealing with the public in a society which demands "instant everything". But really, how much (extra) time does it take? we're talking a minute or two per wheel.. Granted in a busy shop this is gonna add up! I wonder how many customers will be left stranded roadside (for much longer than the time we're talking about) because they can't get the lug nuts off their flat?!

For my vehicle, be it my summer alloys or my winter steelies, NO-ONE is going to be using an impact wrecnch.

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David
unregistered
posted May 19, 2000 05:40 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
If your name truly represents who you might be, you are a danger to the automotive aftermarket industy. You are what perpetuates the situation of bad service as well as the bad reputation the industry remains to be associated with.
Do you let the customer tell you how to perform repairs you are doing to their vehicles? Do you understand what it means to properly provide the services you are selling (maybe that's the basis of your response - you don't know the difference or any better) ?
Jeff is absolutely right - even considering the multiplier of the number of cars you may work on, your talking minutes added to the job to do it right. Thats if your using a torque wrench like you should. How do you add any time if your using torquestix?

Either do the job right or don't do it.
If you can't handle the job get a different one. I don't want you or your shop working on my car if all your worried about is getting the next one pulled in before your done with the one your working on.


TireMGR wrote:
Why are impact wrenches used????? Because the consumer wants their vehicle 15 minutes ago that's why??? Do you know how much wait time would be added by NOT using an impact gun???? Hours and hours in a busy tire shop. Our society wants EVERYTHING "right now"!! FEW people would be willing to wait for their lug nuts to be put on by "han

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David
unregistered
posted May 19, 2000 05:41 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
If your name truly represents who you might be, you are a danger to the automotive aftermarket industy. You are what perpetuates the situation of bad service as well as the bad reputation the industry remains to be associated with.
Do you let the customer tell you how to perform repairs you are doing to their vehicles? Do you understand what it means to properly provide the services you are selling (maybe that's the basis of your response - you don't know the difference or any better) ?
Jeff is absolutely right - even considering the multiplier of the number of cars you may work on, your talking minutes added to the job to do it right. Thats if your using a torque wrench like you should. How do you add any time if your using torquestix?

Either do the job right or don't do it.
If you can't handle the job get a different one. I don't want you or your shop working on my car if all your worried about is getting the next one pulled in before your done with the one your working on.


TireMGR wrote:
Why are impact wrenches used????? Because the consumer wants their vehicle 15 minutes ago that's why??? Do you know how much wait time would be added by NOT using an impact gun???? Hours and hours in a busy tire shop. Our society wants EVERYTHING "right now"!! FEW people would be willing to wait for their lug nuts to be put on by "han

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bigal
unregistered
posted May 20, 2000 03:02 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Recently had tires put on at a shop and after hearing the torque gun hit each lug nut at least five times, I decided to retorque my truck's tires. Torque should be 100 ft lbs on this truck. They must have been tightened to at least 200 because it required a 1/2 inch breaker bar and SPLITTING OPEN A 1/2 INCH DRIVE 19MM SOCKET to loosen the nuts. I learned a long time ago that most mechanics are thoroughly incompetent and don't really care what they do. Therefore, I usually do any service work myself. All of my vehicles last for over 200,000 miles as a result.

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edlight
Member
posted May 21, 2000 04:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for edlight     Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Now I really appreciate my tire store. They did the last bit of tightening by hand. Can't remember but they may have used air to get close first.

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