I learned an important lesson today. Always check the lug nuts.

[JC316]

So yeah, I have been looking for a diesel pickup to replace my aging 98 ram 1500. Finally found a super clean 94 Silverado 2500 4x4 with the 6.5L in it. Made the deal and on the way home with it I thought I broke the CV axle, started clicking real bad. Pulled over to check it out, didn't find anything abnormal, so I decided to move on with it, not exactly my first broken CV axle.

Kept going and it would quiet down, and then come back with a vengeance. When the front end started vibrating, I knew it wasn't a CV problem. Hung my head out the window, lost my favorite hat in the process, and saw the damned tire wobbling like all fuck. Pulled over and called my dad for a trailer pick up, figured that it was a wheel bearing instead. Nope, he looked at the wheel and it had lost 5 of 8 wheel studs and 2 of the remaining lugs were finger tight....

Damned near all of the lug nuts were finger tight. So yeah, I drove a 3/4 ton truck 60 miles with finger tight lug nuts. That is now officially a new item on my pre-drive check list.

[scootro]

damn that sucks! the guy you bought it from should be ashamed of himself

[90GT50]

Damn, better than the wheel falling the fuck off.

[Scott Mc]

I am shocked he found a running 6.5! Not trying to be a dick but sell that thing, they are nightmares.

[YALE]

Yeah dude. You basically traded straight across. Congratulations.

[71chevellejohn]

10-12 years ago I did a tune up on my buddy's 73 camaro because he had let it sit for a while, and I was bored. I took it for a test drive and had the driver's rear wheel/tire pass me because he hadn't tightened the lugs. It sheared the lugs and ate the quarter panel.

[JC316]

damn that sucks! the guy you bought it from should be ashamed of himself

Tell me about it. He was a flipper, probably barely did anything to the truck.

Damn, better than the wheel falling the fuck off.

It was pretty damned close, glad it was an 8 lug instead of the 6 lug.

I am shocked he found a running 6.5! Not trying to be a dick but sell that thing, they are nightmares.

I did my homework on them. No smoke, no injection pump issues, no leaks, PMD is already relocated, vacuum pump is deleted, oil pressure is solid, cooling system is good, electrical looks to be in good shape, etc. Only thing I can't be sure about is cracks in the main caps.

I went with it because the cummins/powerstroke are crazy expensive and the transmissions are dogshit. If they are running right, the 6.5L is economical, has enough power for my needs, and are fairly cheap to maintain.

Yeah dude. You basically traded straight across. Congratulations.

I can live with that. I have an 18' steel car hauler and I've had to tow home an Expedition and a full size dodge ram, I'm overloading that truck to the point of being dangerous.

10-12 years ago I did a tune up on my buddy's 73 camaro because he had let it sit for a while, and I was bored. I took it for a test drive and had the driver's rear wheel/tire pass me because he hadn't tightened the lugs. It sheared the lugs and ate the quarter panel.

Glad that didn't happen to me.

[Juiced4v]

You got lucky...could have been worse. I had same problem happen to me last friday...but mine was the entire/wheel hub and bearing were shot.

[HarrisonTX]

Pics of the truck, fool

[BP]

10-12 years ago I did a tune up on my buddy's 73 camaro because he had let it sit for a while, and I was bored. I took it for a test drive and had the driver's rear wheel/tire pass me because he hadn't tightened the lugs. It sheared the lugs and ate the quarter panel.

I had a manager at City Garage take off in a car I hadn't quite finished working on yet that had finger tight lug nuts. He didn't get a date with that hooker but at least the wheels didn't come off.

[Captain Crawfish]

my work truck has green indicators on the lugs. the last thing you want is a wheel falling off haha

[Sean88gt]

I did my homework on them. No smoke, no injection pump issues, no leaks, PMD is already relocated, vacuum pump is deleted, oil pressure is solid, cooling system is good, electrical looks to be in good shape, etc. Only thing I can't be sure about is cracks in the main caps.

I went with it because the cummins/powerstroke are crazy expensive and the transmissions are dogshit. If they are running right, the 6.5L is economical, has enough power for my needs, and are fairly cheap to maintain.

Didn't do enough homework, there is a reason the GM (G)iesel is so cheap. I looked at a suburban to build and the diesel scared me away - along with the inability to really do anything to them.

[GrayStangGT]

I have seen it happen several times on duallys, but never on a single wheel or a front wheel. It is expensive when the wheel actually falls off, at least you will just need new studs and a wheel.

[JC316]

Pics of the truck, fool

Here ya go. This is how I picked it up, haven't detailed it yet.

Didn't do enough homework, there is a reason the GM (G)iesel is so cheap. I looked at a suburban to build and the diesel scared me away - along with the inability to really do anything to them.

I don't care about mods, just towing. Not going to be a daily, just when I need to tow something back from auction, might get driven twice a week. Once you take care of the annoyances, they seem to be pretty damned reliable.

I have seen it happen several times on duallys, but never on a single wheel or a front wheel. It is expensive when the wheel actually falls off, at least you will just need new studs and a wheel.

And a brake rotor now, broke it trying to get it off the hub.

[War Machine]

When I had my lot in Mansfield, my manager at the time pissed off some kids and they came back an loosened a bunch of lugs on trucks. Good thing we caught it before any damage was done