Viking Tire-Moultonboro

[donnamatrix]

Viking Tire recently changed oil/filter and rotated tires, did front-end alignment on my car. Over the weekend car developed horrid noise. I figured either strut or bearing in left rear. Took to Subaru dealer. Found out the reason is that Viking Tire did not tighten all the lug nuts on left rear tire (shoulda looked at this myself)..... good grief. The tire almost came flying off. Consequently, not going back to Viking for any reason.

[mg2107]

Dangerous and scarey !

[LIforrelaxin]

Viking Tire recently changed oil/filter and rotated tires, did front-end alignment on my car. Over the weekend car developed horrid noise. I figured either strut or bearing in left rear. Took to Subaru dealer. Found out the reason is that Viking Tire did not tighten all the lug nuts on left rear tire (shoulda looked at this myself)..... good grief. The tire almost came flying off. Consequently, not going back to Viking for any reason.

Now I have not done anything more with Viking other than inspections but have never had a complaint. Lug nuts loosing is pretty common, that is why most places will tell you to check them after 50 or so miles. And yes on occasion I have done that I found one loose. So in short don't jump down on the place so hard just because of on incident, incidently How many lugs where loose? And if you say all then you should have noticed right away......

[GWC...]

Lug nuts loosing is pretty common, that is why most places will tell you to check them after 50 or so miles.

It is also the reason lawyers stay in business.

Was donnamatrix informed of such?

Did donnamatrix have to signature a statement regarding a recheck visit?

Did Viking Tire check the lug nuts with a torque wrench prior to donnamatrix's departure?

P.S.- Think you forgot that donnamatrix is the customer. The business needs to demonstrate a little more responsibility and quality control, regarding its workmanship.

[fpartri497]

:emb: At the very least donna matrix should strongly complain to the management. No matter what they are liable. period. tourque wrenches are allways used to tighten lug nuts.


complain, complain, complain

[redc5]

Found out the reason is that Viking Tire did not tighten all the lug nuts on left rear tire (shoulda looked at this myself).

No, you shouldn't have to check. You brought it to a professional for a reason.


Lug nuts loosing is pretty common

No, it's not common. All lugs nuts should be torqued to manufactures specs when tightened. I'm guessing they never got tightened.

[Resident 2B]

Donnamatrix,

With what you described, you should have a qualified professional look closely at the lug holes on the wheel involved. If they are elongated (no longer perfectly round) it is possible that your lug nuts will loosen as the wheel goes through normal acceleration and braking. This is best checked with dial vernier calipers.

Wheels with elongated lug holes should be replaced. The people that did not properly torque the lug nuts should pay for the new wheel.

Properly torque lug nuts used with round lug holes do not loosen as noted by a previous poster.


For you safety, please look into this!

Best Regards,

R2B

[upthesaukee]

...as far back as I can remember, when I have had my tires rotated or new tires put on, the dealer / garage / tire folks have said to either stop by in the next day or so and let us check the lug nuts, or suggested I check after a day or two of driving. When I have checked, I have found a couple of loose lug nuts (I rotate my tires every other oil change), which for me would be a fairly rare occurrence.

Glad no one got hurt, hopefully no damage to rim, and I would definitely let the business owner know what happened. I would hope he would want to know.

just my $.02 :rolleye2:

[SIKSUKR]

Interesting thread.I have not had anyone touch my wheels in many years but it last time I did,I was told the same thing about checking after 50 miles.I did have the same problem once with the lugnuts coming loose.For the last 15 years I have rotated my own wheels and have never had the nuts come loose.FWIW

[Resident 2B]

If the wheel or rims have undamaged lug holes, and if the lugs were pre-tightened, then tightened in the correct star patten and to the correct torque, there is no technical reason them to loosen. Therefore, I would conclude any and all instructions to check them after so many miles is most likely to "cover the garage's butt" legally and not because of any technical requirement of the car or wheel manufacturer.

I have too often seem "mechanics" that work at tire centers putting the wheel up on the lugs and with five quick blasts of the air wrench, bingo they are done. This is not a NASCAR pit stop! There is a correct way to install the lug nuts, and most tire centers do not follow manufacturers' directions.

Go stand outside a tire center on a nice day and judge for yourselves. Most boats are now out of the water now, so we should have time to do this! :)

R2B

[dpg]

Not saying they all are but I understand air wrenches CAN be adjusted for pounds.

[Weirs guy]

If the wheel or rims have undamaged lug holes, and if the lugs were pre-tightened, then tightened in the correct star patten and to the correct torque, there is no technical reason them to loosen. Therefore, I would conclude any and all instructions to check them after so many miles is most likely to "cover the garage's butt" legally and not because of any technical requirement of the car or wheel manufacturer.

I was always under the impression, especially with aluminium rims, that re-torquing was required due to metal expansion/contraction and the softness of the metal?

[dmjr]

After reading through the replies on this thread, I fell that if someone had a problem with a business/person that they should go back and talk to them directly instead of making circus out of it on here. I am very suprised that the moderator allowed this type of posting.

[donnamatrix]

Jeekers. I didn't mean to start a circus or food fight with this thread. Just a heads up of what happened to me with a local business. I took the car to the Subaru dealer in Belmont, who thoroughly checked everything. They called me because I thought it was a strut, and said "who worked on your car" recently. Then they told me that 2 of the lug nuts were completely loose. They did check the wheel/tire to make sure that having it loose for about 10 days didn't cause permanent damage to anything, and I appreciated their service and candor. Since Viking is only open 8am-5pm, I have to wait until Saturday to go address this issue with them but have every intention of doing so. They never said bring the car back to have the wheels checked... they never said anything to me except here is the invoice.

Thanks Resident 2B for your comments especially.

[ITD]

You did nothing wrong donnamatrix, glad you weren't hurt. I'm also glad you posted this, everyone makes mistakes but this could have been really bad. Good luck, at a minimum you should be compensated for the extra work by the Subaru dealer, we'll see what kind of outfit this company is.