Lug nuts, loosening up

[mock]

OK, so hopefully I didn’t mess up but I’m gonna ask anyways.
I got my steel rims Powder coated recently. I also replaced my right rear axle that came with studs pre-installed.
I torqued all of my lug nuts to 100 foot pounds in a star pattern. I can’t tell you how many miles I put on it but the wheel that was on the new axle loosened up enough to start making noise and doing some damage to my wheel.
The other wheels also re-torqued and some were loose.
My question is does Powder coating keep your lug nuts from gripping as well?
And after replacing studs, do they/studs tend to loosen up after some miles?

I’m very curious as to the opinions out there let me know thanks

 

[Yeller]

Common issue. The powder coating crushes under the lug nuts causing them to come loose. The new axle with new studs is a double down on it, the new wheel studs are never fully seated torquing the lug nuts helps to seat them, then driving adds stresses seating them fully, loosening the lug nuts even further. Rule of thumb for any new wheels (powder coating qualifies), Removed/reinstalled or new wheel studs all require retorquing at 10 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles then repeat every 50 miles until the torque is maintained between checks.

 

[Shimmy]

you should not have powder coating on the area that mates the lugs to the wheel itself

 

[jamesroney]

OK, so hopefully I didn’t mess up but I’m gonna ask anyways.
I got my steel rims Powder coated recently. I also replaced my right rear axle that came with studs pre-installed.
I torqued all of my lug nuts to 100 foot pounds in a star pattern. I can’t tell you how many miles I put on it but the wheel that was on the new axle loosened up enough to start making noise and doing some damage to my wheel.
The other wheels also re-torqued and some were loose.
My question is does Powder coating keep your lug nuts from gripping as well?
And after replacing studs, do they/studs tend to loosen up after some miles?

I’m very curious as to the opinions out there let me know thanks

The average tire lasts 4 years.

Within the last 5 years, approximately 16,200,000 vehicles were sold each year, so 91,000,000 vehicles in total. The average vehicle has 5 lug nuts per wheel, and 4 wheels per car. So 1,820,000,000 lug nuts were installed on new wheels of various construction, steel, aluminum, powdercoat, etc. Of those, exactly ZERO required re-torquing after leaving the factory.

A properly installed new wheel does not come loose, or fall off. An improperly installed wheel comes loose every time.

The factory knows how to install a wheel stud. The aftermarket assumes that you will do their work for them. You MUST seat the knurl on a wheel stud. Every time.

 

[Broncobowsher]

If there was powder coat under the seat of the lugnut, that will squeeze out and let the nut get loose.
If you put new studs in and they are not fully seated, they will seat in as you drive leaving the lugnuts loose.
There is an amazing amount of engineering in a wheel for getting a proper clamp load when you tighten the lugnuts. I've seen the documentation, trade secretes and not allowed to share it. The best I can say is if your aftermarket wheels are machined perfectly flat at the mating surface of the hub, it isn't a well engineered wheel. Strange cutout voids on the back of the wheel, they actually know how to engineer a wheel.

 

[Shimmy]

lug nuts are proper? cone vs ball seat?

 

[serial car restorer]

Common thing. I was a tire/wheel guy for over 20 years. Lug seats should never be powder coated, nor should the back surface that mates to the hub/drum. Good powder coaters know this...

 

[mock]

lug nuts are proper? cone vs ball seat?

Yes cone with stock steel rim

 

[mock]

Common issue. The powder coating crushes under the lug nuts causing them to come loose. The new axle with new studs is a double down on it, the new wheel studs are never fully seated torquing the lug nuts helps to seat them, then driving adds stresses seating them fully, loosening the lug nuts even further. Rule of thumb for any new wheels (powder coating qualifies), Removed/reinstalled or new wheel studs all require retorquing at 10 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles then repeat every 50 miles until the torque is maintained between checks.

I was hoping this is the case and now I can make sure it doesn’t happen again thank you for the information