Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

HI again,

After sorted out my clutch problem, I took the car for a test run and heard a big clocky noise in the back.
I stopped and noticed that the right rear wheel had come undone.
I did check all the wheels pior to starting the test run.
I retightened the wheel nuts and the same happened again!!???
The thread is OK, the wheels are panasport alloy wheels and the wheelnut is an octavian (not the three eared) wheelnut.
I did have the feeling all wheelnuts were slightly loose, not just the right rear.
The hubs have been fitted correctly too, RH thread on RH side etc..
As a start I decreased all the hubs, wheels and wheelnuts although there was no sign of excessive grease.

Robin

PS My folks had to laugh because I do have a history of wheels falling of cars, alkthough this time at least the suspension and hub assy stayed with the car!

Robin,
There's a whole bunch of defective KO nuts out there now. The thread is too short so it feels like it tightens up okay but the wheels is left loose. VERY DANGEROUS. I had to chuck my new ones in the lathe and undercut the farend of the threads so this did not happen. Be carefull because as this happens it will tend to shed the drive pins.

Also it's a bad practice to try and tighten up the nuts with a hammer. Buy one of the sockets from BaumTools instead.
<a href='http://www.baumtools.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.baumtools.com/</a>

wheels falling off is not cute nor humorous it could result in your serious injury or some one Else's ----solve the problem before you drive it again -- ed

I know I'm a butcher but i had this on one corner of mine and in desperation took an angle-grinder and "relieved" the end thread by 1/2 thread-- did the trick-seemed the nut was "bottoming"


John

Hi Keith,

I hope their tools tighten up better than they can spell Maserati !!

MASSERATI !!!!

Gino
S3 Milano - Italy

Robin

You also need to check the fit of the drive pins in the wheel holes. If the wheel is hanging up on the drive pins and not fully seating on the hub it can work loose with driving. I almost lost a wheel due to this with the original lotus alloys on my plus 2.

regards
Rohan

Let's not forget, don't put grease on these. That will also cause the nuts to loosen.
Dave S.

Robin,
Definately clean any grease off of the threads! Its not like a splined hub knock off. And check to see you haven't damaged the holes where the drive pins fit into the wheel(s). Make sure to tighten the nader nuts REAL GOOD.
Greg

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hurry and bid on these......they should keep you going and theyre cheap too!!!!!

cheers
Gareth