Lug nuts on wheel is backing off,... can plowing snow with ice chains cause this?

[SPYDERLK]

The reason I asked this is I never had a lug get loose on my TC33D after 19 years and it had a formed wheel with tapered lugs. When it was new I lubed the lugs, tightened them and forgot them. Most of the issues I have seen are on wheels that use a flat lug against a flat wheel.

The thing that draws the flat wheel and lug situation apart is that you can put high strength flat washers under the nut and tighten to the full spec of the stud. This increases and spreads the clamping force over an wider area. In contrast, there is some danger of damaging a taper lug wheel with significant over spec tightening.

 

[Dave M7040]

After a tapered wheel/lug has come seriously loose it is too late to just re tighten.

The tapered faces on the nut and wheel have been distorted and will never stay tight properly in the future.

Replacement is the only permanent fix.

Dave M7040

 

[rademamj1]

Frequently, with new tractors, the lugs either aren't tightened properly at dealer setup or they don't sand off the paint on the axle flanges. What happens next is the paint drips wear down and now the wheel is loose.

The OP didn't answer my question about the hours on the tractor so I don't know if age has anything to do with the problem or if there is another issue.

Yep, that's exactly what happen to me in the 2nd month of my new tractor. About 80% of the lugs were lose, and had lost two lugs somewhere in the field. My son spotted them loose and missing, and called my attention to the issue. I tightened them up good, and so far none appear loose after 2 years. After reading this thread, I probably will just grab a wrench and tighten them all for piece of mind.

 

[PILOON]

When I plowed with an angled blade on my CUT I damaged 2 rims, both on right side,
(My blade only angled only to the right.)
I decided that it was due to crabbing to offset the plow side push.
Later on I modified my blade to a pusher only configuration and have no more rim problems.

 

[crazyal]

Mine loosened up too. I also run chains with studs (like the Aqualine Talons). I solved the problem by replacing the bolts with longer ones and put nuts on the inside of the hub. I don't think this could be done on the front wheels but on the rears there's plenty of room. I think the problem is the chains get too much traction and when you go from forward to reverse kind of quickly (or vice versa) the wheel slips slightly. The holes on the wheel are slightly bigger than the bolts so there's a small amount they could move. The only thing stopping it is the friction from the bolt clamping the wheel to the hub. Once the wheel moves slightly it creates just a bit of wear. The wheel on hub is paint on powder coat. As it wears the bolts sooner or later loosen up.

 

[Sberry]

Spray them first.

 

[mikester]

Buy a torque wrench. Don't grease the threads on the bolts/studs. Check wheel nut torque every 50-100 hours or so whatever your manual says.

 

[Egon]

If the nuts are backing off they have probably been strain hardened.

 

[Sberry]

They are likely installed dry and never fully tightened.

 

[Sberry]

This was a rear repair where bolts came loose and wore holes out. Simply stacked a couple flats. First thought we were gonna make them, then the brainstorm said cut the edged to fit in the corner of the lugs then we figure out they actually fit better and align it whole. We doubled them and lube the bolts with a little spray and drive them tight with impact.