Can I drive with just one lug nut loose on one tire? The nut is stripped so I cannot take it off. But 3 out of 4 nuts are on tight
Can I drive with one lug nut loose on one tire? It's stripped so I cannot take it off. How far can I drive!?
My car has 200000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. I’ve seen many vehicles on the road with a lug nut missing and it does seem to work. However, what these people are unaware of is that improper/uneven wheel nut torque is a major cause of brake vibrations. The uneven/improper torque can cause the brake rotor/drum to warp. If the lug nut is loose, only drive it if you need and get the stripped nut replaced as soon as possible. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to determine if more than the lug nut needs to be replaced and avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several technicians available that can assist you with a check wheel nuts inspection.
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If you are missing a lug nut, it is important to have it replaced as soon as possible. It is potentially dangerous to drive around with a missing lug nut because of the extra pressure exerted on the wheel. This pressure can damage the wheel bearings, studs, and cause other lug nuts to fall off.
The uneven/improper torque can cause the brake rotor/drum to warp. If the lug nut is loose, only drive it if you need and get the stripped nut replaced as soon as possible.
All of the lug nuts are necessary. Leaving even one off could result in warping of the brake rotors or drums, necessitating their replacement.
Yes, it is safe,… for a short distance. Say 50 miles. The lug-nuts are spaced to keep the wheel secure and balanced.
You can definitely drive with short distances with 4 of 5 lug nuts, but I would fix this problem before your trip. Right, if the lug won`t tighten, its not really doing anything (or can`t be counted on anyway). Try to remove it before it removes itself into someone`s windshield.
Rattling sounds like a coin in a washing machine
Does the rattling sound stop as you drive faster? It could be a loose lug nut inside a hub cap – meaning your wheel wasn`t tightened properly the last time it was removed and replaced. Take your car to a mechanic ASAP, or tighten it yourself if you know how.
The wheel becomes disconnected from your vehicle, possibly causing you to lose control, OR it becomes an unguided missile, endangering other drivers if it hits them. Or both. Don`t lose your nuts.
Yes, your tire can fall off while driving and cause an accident. The possibility of the driver losing control of the car or rolling over exists. In these situations, severe and costly injuries are possible. Additionally, the tire can cause injuries that extend beyond the car`s driver and/or passengers alone.
Hi thanks for your question. My advice is that this is very dangerous and the car should not be driven with only 2 lug nuts. If any of the remaining two were to also snap, this would cause catastrophic damage and potentially a dangerous car accident.
Even tiny differences in tire diameters on an axle, or between tires on different axles can lead to a glitch in the drivetrain system. Usually, all four tires are recommended to be replaced at once, but always check your vehicle manufacturer`s recommendations for specific guidance regarding your vehicle.
The question should be, should you drive with 3 lug nuts ? NO there is a safety reason for the lug nuts on a car. Any missing lug nuts will make that tire out of balance and loosen the other lug nuts. Then could damage the wheel studs, breaking them off.
A: Some vehicles are equipped with locking lug nuts to prevent theft. Usually, only one lug nut per wheel is a locking nut, and it should look different from the other lug nuts. These lug nuts require a special key to unlock the lock at the end of the nut.
Loose lug nuts, or possibly broken bolts, can cause shaking which will be constant from slow to fast speeds. The frequency will vary with your speed, of course.
The size of a vehicle typically determines its wheels` lug pattern. Smaller vehicles will require fewer lug holes and larger vehicles more. Passenger cars usually have four lug holes. SUVs, pickup trucks and larger vehicles will generally have wheels with five or more lug holes.
Lug nuts that are not tightened correctly can ruin wheels, affect rotor runout and can be deadly if the wheel comes off or studs snap. Over-torqueing the lug nuts does not affect runout immediately. However, as the rotor heats up, the uneven clamping force of the lug nuts causes the rotor to expand unevenly.
Wheel nut indicators can be in red, green, orange or yellow. Typically, green, orange and yellow are used for indicating the nut`s movement while red is used on one nut to indicate that the wheel has been replaced and the nuts have not yet been retorqued.
You can go without four if each wheel is only missing one. You can be short two on a wheel if there are supposed to be 5 or 6. (or more.) I suppose if you had a truck with 10 fasteners per wheel, you could be short 3 or even 4 on all four wheels for up to 16.
Depending on the type of vehicle it is and the age, the lug nuts may need to be replaced anywhere between five and 15 years. The cost of lug nuts or lug bolts can range from $2 to $7 or $8 a piece on most vehicles.
Any number of issues could loosen a tire, causing it to fall off while you are driving. Most of these incidents occur because of some kind of fastening failure. This could be because the lug nuts worked their way off, your wheel has broken lugs, or because the wheel studs themselves broke.
Once you notice any sign indicating a bad wheel bearing, avoid exceeding 500 miles with that issue. A failing wheel bearing will increase your difficulty in driving. But with a high-quality wheel bearing, you can drive for another 1000 miles as per the estimate.
AWD and 4WD systems can send power to all four wheels, but in most cases, it won`t be an equal amount to each one. Most commonly, AWD vehicles send more power to the front wheels (often called front-wheel biased), while 4WD systems send more to the rear ones (rear-wheel biased).
Using a two-piece wheel nut will help prevent wheel runoff crashes, but offers other benefits as well. Loosened wheel nuts can result in wheel-off conditions, as well as the reduction of the operating life of the wheel end`s seals and bearings.
Cracks, Bulges, or Gouges in the Sidewalls.
Tires with bulging sidewalls, regardless of the health of their tread depth, must be replaced. Similarly, tires with cracks or gouges may also lack the integrity necessary to ensure safe driving and should be checked and replaced if necessary.
Yes, it is safe to travel a great distance on a blocked tire after it has been properly fixed. However, it`s only a short-term solution, especially if the plug is located at the automobile sidewall`s outer edge.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Can I drive with just one lug nut loose on one tire? The nut is stripped so I cannot take it off. But 3 out of 4 nuts are on tight
ANSWER : Hi there. I’ve seen many vehicles on the road with a lug nut missing and it does seem to work. However, what these people are unaware of is that improper/uneven wheel nut torque is a major cause of brake vibrations. The uneven/improper torque can cause the brake rotor/drum to warp. If the lug nut is loose, only drive it if you need and get the stripped nut replaced as soon as possible. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to determine if more than the lug nut needs to be replaced and avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several technicians available that can assist you with a check wheel nuts inspection.
Driving while missing a lug nut and stud
ANSWER : Hello there, driving your 2014 Ford F-150 with a missing lug nut and wheel stud is not safe. Without all the lug nuts attaching the wheel it cannot be properly torqued in a safe manor. Your vehicle should not be driven until the wheel stud is replaced and the lug nut reattached. A qualified Technician such as one from YourMechanic will be able to inspect your wheel stud and make any repairs required to make your truck safe again.
Stripped lug nut/unable to change tire
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. Locking lug nuts would cause every wheel to require a special socket in order to remove the tire. These are often aftermarket, but if you have a set on the car, this may have been the cause of that particular lug nut becoming damaged. With that being said, if you simply have a damaged lug nut, there are a few tricks you can do in order to remove the wheel. One would include welding on a socket in order to be able to grip the lug nut. Not many technicians are equipped or willing to do this however, particularly when insurance is involved. A second includes tapping a socket onto the lug nut with a hammer in order to jam it onto the nut. This WILL damage the wheel, the nut, and your socket. It can also break the socket, and under pressure that metal shrapnel will fly into the air which is incredibly hazardous. Again, this is why most technicians are not willing to do it. Double check that you are not dealing with a locking lug nut (possibly by making sure you can remove another one of the tires with a normal socket), and then proceed to find a technician who is confident they can remove it. To have one of our technicians assess the issue, contact our service department.
Can you drive on 3 lug nuts
ANSWER : Hey there, thanks for writing in. All of the lug nuts are necessary. Leaving even one off could result in warping of the brake rotors or drums, necessitating their replacement. If two are left off that puts an excess load on the remaining three and will compromise their strength and integrity. If you need to have this addressed, a local expert, like one from YourMechanic, can provide new lug nuts and tighten them accordingly.
Loud repetitive noise coming from front tire in 2 wheel drive, goes away when in 4 wheel drive.
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. Chances are there was an existing issue that was amplified by the tire rotation. There are several parts that will cause similar symptoms. You will want to consider the parts that are under load in 4wd, that are free when in 2wd. This would include the axle and sveral joints. There are a couple of tests that can be done. More damage was likely done driving on dry pavement in 4wd. It was a good step in diagnostics, but should be avoided. For more help with diagnosing the sounds, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
Advice for winter tires
ANSWER : 205/55R17 may be too tall for your vehicle. A couple of good sources to check size compatibility for your vehicle would be tirerack.com or maybe discounttire.com. Sites like Tire Rack specialize in winter tire packages and is a good source for fitment options. I have personally used Bridgestone and Dunlop snow tires and would recommend either. However, it is highly recommended that winter tires be mounted at all 4 corners. Having different tires with different capabilities not only makes the vehicle unstable, it will effect systems like the anti-lock brakes and traction control. Winter tires perform much better than summer or all-season tires do in ice and snow conditions. Having two tires with good winter traction and two with poor traction will have the anti-lock brake system working overtime. Also, sticking with a smaller tire for winter use is advisable. For ice and snow driving, you want the opposite for summer driving. Wide, low profile tires improve warm, dry weather driving. Tall, narrow, tires provide better control on snow and ice. Consider keeping your stock 16 inch wheels for winter use with winter tires mounted on them and maybe a nice set of 17 inch wheels and tires for summer use. I’ve done that with nearly every vehicle I’ve owned whether front, rear, or all-wheel drive.
Well be driving 3 hours one way today and 3 the next day in 20 to 30 degree weather. It is dry out but freezing. I have 2 new…
ANSWER : With a front-wheel drive vehicle, having the newer tires on the front is definitely the right placement. When it comes to driving in inclement weather, just remember that good common sense is your best bet. If you feel the driving conditions aren’t the best, just slow down a little and take your time. Don’t worry about what how the people around you are driving, watch out for them, but don’t drive outside of your comfort zone. If conditions worsen while you are driving, and you don’t feel comfortable, pull off of the road and wait until the conditions are to a point you feel comfortable. Having plans, or a time frame, won’t matter if you have an accident. Keep in mind that bridges and overpasses will freeze first, but using good judgement is the most important factor in inclement weather. Also, you can also watch videos on the subject at several social media outlets. And, by the way, the "S" marking on the gearshift is for "Sport" mode. It is used for more "spirited" driving, and should not be used in inclement weather.
Can front wheel drive car engine power rear wheel drive
ANSWER : Anything is possible with enough engineering. The changes you are looking at would take major structural changes and would definitely not be an easy job. You could possibly consult a manufacturing engineer to get more details on how this could actually be carried out and whether it would be feasible.
