Lug nut clip left on... uh oh.

dylansalrin

dylansalrin

Orthopedic Circulator
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Installed my spacers 2 days ago and saw those weird clips and left them on. I put the spacers on with red loctite and they LOOKED like they were all evenly pressed up against the rotor evenly but I get a weird wobble sometimes. Not all the time and at not specific speed. Could these clips be the cause? Like I said, with a quick tape measure reading, the spacer seemed flush against the rotor. Kind of feel screwed not that I put red loctite on
 
What clips are we talking about? I'm asking because I've never used wheel spacers on a TJ, so I wasn't aware of any clips.

Oh, and was this weird wobble happening before the wheel spacers?
 
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dylansalrin said:
Installed my spacers 2 days ago and saw those weird clips and left them on. I put the spacers on with red loctite and they LOOKED like they were all evenly pressed up against the rotor evenly but I get a weird wobble sometimes. Not all the time and at not specific speed. Could these clips be the cause? Like I said, with a quick tape measure reading, the spacer seemed flush against the rotor. Kind of feel screwed not that I put red loctite on
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Take those clips off for sure. That causes alot of run out. Say it's 1/16 inch at spacer. By the time that gets to the top of the tire, it is multiplied. It can cause all sorts of wobble and possibly break lug studs, etc. Its dangerous for sure
 
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dylansalrin said:
No wobble before spacers. And it's the retaining clips on two of the lugs per rotor. Look like this
https://images.oreillyauto.com/parts/img/medium/dag/45853-007.jpg
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I've been running without those clips for over a year now. I forgot to put them back on when I did my Black Magic Brake install. I've never had wobble result from that, and I don't think you would either.

I wouldn't be running those clips with spacers, it wouldn't allow them to sit completely flush, and that would not be good, not at all.

I'm curious if this wobble could be due to improperly balanced tires (as it often times is)?
 
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Chris said:
I've been running without those clips for over a year now. I forgot to put them back on when I did my Black Magic Brake install. I've never had wobble result from that, and I don't think you would either.

I wouldn't be running those clips with spacers, it wouldn't allow them to sit completely flush, and that would not be good, not at all.

I'm curious if this wobble could be due to improperly balanced tires (as it often times is)?
Click to expand...

Maybe. I'm bringing them back tomorrow morning at 9 to the same shop to have them rebalances and will tell them to please try and break the red loctite off the spacers and get to those clips to remove them. Really regretting the loctite now. Hopefully between the rebalancing and the clips the issue is resolved. Suspension is tight so I know it shouldn't be that.
 
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Jeepaholic said:
Those clips are for assembly line purposes only, to keep the rotors from falling off b4 the calipers get installed. They serve no other purpose later in life:)
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Thanks for confirming that, that's what I thought. I never put them back on mine after I did the brakes, so I'm glad I didn't.
 
I saw those clips when putting my wheels on.....after the third wheels was on of course :(

Figured I will take them off when installing spacers.

Is red locktite a must for spacer install or can you use blue? Also, what torque specs did you finish them off with?
 
Use blue locktite and yes remove the clips. Torque to factory specs in star pattern and recheck torque after 500 miles.

I'd take a wire brush to the lugs to get the red locktite residue off.
 
Personally I would use red on spacers just for the added security. Clean the studs up really well, use Loctite primer and then apply the Loctite.
 
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Chris said:
The red Loctite will come off, you just have to hit it really hard.
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NO...Well, you can, but you risk breaking stuff. Get the torch out. Red locktite loosen at about 350 Degrees. Couple quick passes will get it to release. NOTE: You don't need to get the metal to change color. That is WAY too hot. Paper burns at 451 degrees (thanks Ray Bradbury) so don't worry about ruining seals or anything. You won't put enough heat in them to do any damage. Work on them one at a time, take your time, they will come off fine.

Once they are off, yes, remove the disc or drum retainer clips (They are totally redundant). Clean the threads with a wire brush, Re-apply the lock-tite (I'd stick with Red) Put your spacers back on, torque them and drive for a while, 500'ish miles. Pull the wheels, and recheck the torque. Should be good to go after that.
 
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Ranger_b0b said:
NO...Well, you can, but you risk breaking stuff. Get the torch out. Red locktite loosen at about 350 Degrees. Couple quick passes will get it to release.
Click to expand...

Got it off. Clips came off and spacers put back on. Turns out the clips were not the issue. Wobble still there after removing them all. Getting all the tires balanced now and will update everyone. UPDATE: they were out of balance. Wobble is gone now
 
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Ranger_b0b said:
NO...Well, you can, but you risk breaking stuff. Get the torch out. Red locktite loosen at about 350 Degrees. Couple quick passes will get it to release. NOTE: You don't need to get the metal to change color. That is WAY too hot. Paper burns at 451 degrees (thanks Ray Bradbury) so don't worry about ruining seals or anything. You won't put enough heat in them to do any damage. Work on them one at a time, take your time, they will come off fine.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, thanks for clarifying! I've never had to actually remove it from anything but a bolt before, and for that I was able to do it with a huge breaker bar and a lot of force!
 
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