I'm an idiot...

[997at]

82 SC. Finished a complete refresh/rebuild of my CIS a few weeks ago and had 15 minutes to take her out for a drive before leaving for a business trip. Engine ran nicely but I had a severe grinding noise and vibration from the left rear wheel. Limped home slowly and didn't have time to check anything out before the trip. Figured it was maybe a CV (although I put new axles on a year ago), parking brake, or bearing issue.
Got home yesterday and prepared to remove the wheel to see what was happening...lugs where completely loose! At some point during the CIS work I must have prepped to remove the wheels but never did...and never thought to check them before taking off for a drive. Tightened them up and all good, but consequences could have been severe. Yikes!

[slow&rusty]

Lucky!!!! We've all been there...rest assure.

[seafeye]

Never ever ever forget to torque your wheels....

Ask me how I learnt that lesson. ��

[NYNick]

I had an 09 Turbo. My wife found a lug nut at the end of our 300 foot driveway. I had just switched from winter to summer tires. Oops.

[da Vinci Dan]

Happened to me once too - thought of it just after I left my street. Also almost got hit from a flying tire from an oncoming Chevelle someone must have been working on. He slid right off the road as soon as he passed - no injuries. We must take our hobby seriously. Enjoying the beer after the work is done is key for me.

[matthewb0051]

Several years ago, I collected my Euro E34 M5 from the US conversion place in Houston and drove to San Antonio. The car kept making a noise on deceleration. Took it to my indy mechanic the next morning to get it on a lift. Yep, rear wheel lugs were loose.

A couple of days later I drove back to Tennessee and checked the lugs every time I stopped for gas or rest stop. Totally paranoid.

Bonus, the shop in Houston swore up and down that they had not removed the wheels. BS I say. They were perfect when I put the car on the boat in Bremen.

[gshiwota]

I did that a few years back with my 67 Mustang. Took it for a quick spin around the block after doing some engine work. Around the 3rd right turn, I heard some strange noises and the rear felt a little loose. I drove gingerly home and pulled into the garage when my neighbor came walking up and asking "did you lose these?" He handed me 4 lug nuts. I thanked him, walked into the garage and saw that my left rear wheel had 1 lug nut left but was backed out and ready to come off.

Welcome to the club!

[Jack Stands]

Probably best to lay your torque wrench on the driver’s seat whenever you remove wheels so you can’t forget to check them. When we were racing on a weekly basis, we had a sign reading OIL that we hung on the steering wheel when we were swapping engines to avoid expensive brain farts.
We’ve all done these things in the past, so live and learn.

[LIRS6]

When I lived in NYC I kept my car in the building garage. One weekend while out of the city, I happened to notice that a wheel lug was loose. Upon inspection, I subsequently found that 16 of the twenty were loose - all but the single locking lug each wheel. I know in my gut that it was a particular parking attendant who did it, but would never be able to prove anything. Next time I took the car, I checked each lug in front of him.

[yelcab1]

Join the rest of the gang. We have all done it. I once had to back track in the twilight to find the bolts fallen out.

[Matt Monson]

I’m an idiot too...

[Bill Douglas]

My car painter was the same sort of idiot too.

[wdfifteen]

At least you caught it. I had a friend at work with a non-Porsche car that had a similar sound. He came to me first, as I was the local "car guy". I said could be axle, CV joint, brakes, etc.
A total B team of car guys said, "Did you check the lug nuts?"
Felt like an idiot.

[Oneredspyder]

If I am working on a car for a long time and think I am going to go back and do something on it , like torque the lug nuts, or refill it with oil, or tighten the knock offs on a wire wheel, I take some blue painter's tape , write a note on it, and put it on the part or the steering wheel. Keeps me safe from myself.

[Gordo2]

Don't feel alone or special . I've posted a few to the following thread...

admit to your stupidity

[Alan L]

You are not alone.
I had tightened my wheel nuts with the rattle gun, - tight, but not perfect. I never checked the torque. They looked OK. Few days later, first lap at the track, into a tight corner, car wobbled off in a weird direction. Lucky not to crash.
Alan

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by LIRS6

When I lived in NYC I kept my car in the building garage. One weekend while out of the city, I happened to notice that a wheel lug was loose. Upon inspection, I subsequently found that 16 of the twenty were loose - all but the single locking lug each wheel. I know in my gut that it was a particular parking attendant who did it, but would never be able to prove anything. Next time I took the car, I checked each lug in front of him.

You've got me wondering on this one.
Why would a parking attendant do something like that to his business?

[Trackrash]

Yea, *METOO. It is easy to forget the final torquing, done it a couple of times, only once on my 911.

Once upon a time there was an autocross where a certain make of car lost its rear wheel and flipped. The driver only ended up with a broken arm, could have been way worse. Disclaimer: due to legal and privacy concerns I cannot disclose any other information. True story, however.

[LIRS6]

Originally Posted by stevej37

You've got me wondering on this one.
Why would a parking attendant do something like that to his business?

It wasn't his business - he was an employee, he couldn't give a sh**. I had complained to his boss about scrapes on my bumper and his crappy attitude.