$76 later and i'm back on the road.
didn't get to talk to the mech. about it as he was on the phone.
gotta go back though, still feels like a bit of a wobbly going on...........or maybe it's just these "after winter" roads!

 

Have you ever jacked up a wheel & gave it a spin to check it for running true ?

 

i haven't this season, but thinking i probably should this weekend, regardless of temps.
either that or i'll have a co-worker follow me out of the parking lot tomorrow

 

One thought, if you're still feeling something loosey goosey in the rear end, check your shocks. My first clue that I had a shock going bad on Paddy was a slight instability in the right rear. I've read the posts here carefully and my theory on the loose wheel issue is that maybe sometime in the past, the wheels were seriously over tightened. Once the studs have been stretched past their design limits you can never depend on them to deliver a consistent clamping force.

 

In CT we have had some major Frost Heaves so most surfaces do not feel good at all.

If you get the tires balanced, lazer alignment, and Nitrogen fill of the tires. The only other thing you may have is front end suspension issues. My Wife's HHR had some crap going on and the thing had bear 12k miles at the time. So anything is possible.

 

Impact (air or electric) tools are to be used for REMOVING lug nuts only! NEVER EVER should you or any mechcanic replace lug nuts in this fashion. Not only will you over torque the studs, but I suspect that more than one rotor/wheel has been damaged by this practice.(I've seen this practice at dealerships and at chain stores -ie Goodyear, Firestone,ect) There is only one other person who removes my wheels besides myself, and we both use the same proceedure. Impact tool to remove the lug nuts. Then the lug nuts are hand tightened in a criss-cross pattern AND at the same time the wheel is worked clockwise/counter clockwise slightly to insure that ALL the lug nuts are seated before the torque wrench is used. They are also each gradually tightened before the final "umphf" when the TW clicks. I've been doing this for over 30 years, and I've never had an issue with a lugnut or a stud.

 

You can use an impact to install lug nuts. You just need to have a set of torque sticks.

 

"You can use an impact to install lug nuts. You just need to have a set of torque sticks."

But with all due respect...you have to have a tech who knows how to use them, when to use them(every time), and just doesn't keep them in his box because he likes the pretty colors.

It took a couple of times to get my point across to my dealer, but the lugs go on by hand, get tightened by hand, and then torqued to specs by hand. And you know what, it doesn't take more than an extra minute to do it that way, and I'm paying for it anyhow. Impact wrenches are a great labor saver when used correctly, misuse them and you make twice the work.

 

Another "true believer". We southern boys are very picky about our "rides". Can I get an AMEN? (And another thing, is Joe the mechanic really going to tighten them gradually, or just torque each one completely down one at a time?) I can't afford such pretty toys anyhow. But again, that's just my humble opinion.

 

Amen brother mrarff! Its part of the southern car culture, don't mess with our cars, don't pick on them, and if you value your health....don't screw them up! It was drilled into me almost from the moment I could walk, "don't never mess with a man's car boy".