Okay Auto Techs, I Need Sum Help!

[taebins_luver]

How the lug nuts are tighten on your wheels can cause rotor warpage. If you don't tighten them down in a specific way, you'll just end up right where you started.

wat if they're too tight?

cause like, my frend changed the tire for me twice

the first time he did it, the lug nuts came off easy

after he put them back on, he did the star formation

and then when he changed my tires again,

it took him a while to take them off

and when he did, it cracked my plastic cover

does it being too tight cause it too?

[Guest MeijerBranTM]

i wouldn't pay 30-60 bucks to get my rotors resurfaced due to the fact i can get a pair of them for 80... and they'll have much more life left on them...

[Clix]

wat if they're too tight?

cause like, my frend changed the tire for me twice

the first time he did it, the lug nuts came off easy

after he put them back on, he did the star formation

and then when he changed my tires again,

it took him a while to take them off

and when he did, it cracked my plastic cover

does it being too tight cause it too?

Too tight is better than not properly tightened. The only downfall to tighter lugs is what you said, they're harder to take off. Using a long bar makes removing nuts and bolts easy. I use a 3 foot bar with my ratchet whenever i have a problem loosening something.

[Guest kelvin6]

I always keep a retractable breaker bar and a impact socket for the size of my wheel lugs. The although a retractable one isn't as good or as solid as a large one, its just as portable as the crappy stock one, which makes it very tough to loosen 81ft/lbs of 'tightness'. I use a impact wrench 1/2" socket because if the wheels are over tightened by some mechanic or for any other reason, it won't shatter like the standard sockets that I got from Sears (and yes i've claimed their lifetime warranty on that one stupid socket several times, until I bought the impact wrench socket).

I keep the (a clicker type) torque wrench at home, because keeping it in the car might actually screw up its calibration. Vibrations from driving around have been known to loosen mechanical bolts, etc over time, which can possibly affect calibration of the torque wrench. Also you must store the (clicker type) torque wrench with it loosened and set to 30% or less of the maximum setting, because keeping that setting too high for storage can also cause off calibration because everything has been tightened up, including the clutches inside that makes the clicker work. I got this off the torque wrench's manual, but i forgot why in great detail...

[taebins_luver]

okay, well, here's another question i got

a while ago, my friends and i went up to this lake

and he was driving, so he was goin up hill pretty fast

i said something about not seeing other cars

and as soon as i said that, he stepped on the breaks

well, we were goin probably for about i'd say...5 - 6oo feet

then my breaks(?) clamped up...or something clamped up

but we were in the middle of the road when that happened

so he drove about another good 4-500 feet to avoid other cars

and it was like, heavy tugging on my car

could that have also contributed to my rotors goin bad?

[Guest kelvin6]

Locked up the brakes? Meaning he slammed it so quick, that the wheels actually stopped spinning and the car was gliding the pavement?

Thats what happens when you don't have Anti-lock Brakes. If this did occur, just let the foot off the brake and 'pump' the brakes to regain control. Locking the wheels also locks the ability to turn the wheel (meaning you can't try to steer clear of hazards). I rear ended someone in my old car because I slammed the brakes when I had no ABS and slid into the other car's bumper, luckily no damage for both cars.

Having bad brake pads and rotors can cause this problem to occur more easily... not exactly sure on that though, but it still happens without Antilock Brakes).

[Guest azn akira]

just let the foot off the brake and 'pump' the brakes to regain control

you dont let your foot off the brakes, and pump. if you do it will add a large amount of distance until you come to a stop. you just need to take some pressure off the brake pedal until the wheels unlock, then increase the pressure to the point before locking. you can do that with virtually no motion of your foot

having bad brake pads and rotors can cause this problem to occur more easily... not exactly sure on that though

not really. the brakes locking up is a function of lack of tire grip. if anything having crappy brakes will increase the amount of force necessary to make the tires lock up

[Guest kelvin6]

not really. the brakes locking up is a function of lack of tire grip. if anything having crappy brakes will increase the amount of force necessary to make the tires lock up

Ah thanks now it make sense in my head... (just had a long day, head not straight). Been a while since i had my old car with no ABS (which locked up the wheels quite frequenty due to my own stupidity). Having ABS now, well all those days of locking up are days of the past.

[taebins_luver]

Locked up the brakes? Meaning he slammed it so quick, that the wheels actually stopped spinning and the car was gliding the pavement?

no, it didn't skid or lead skid marks or anything, he just stepped on it kinda hard, then it locked...i duno what he did. kinda like, when you're driving and someone screams at you, you get scared and step on the breaks...like that...i don't know if that made sense, but all i know what he didn't skid or anything