WARNING: Genuine Nissan Rims are becoming a HAZARD!

[Biffster]

Thanks for the info Timbo, not something you think about but makes sense none the less.

Cheers

[gqboss]

good to know mate
top bloke

[ablast]

This knowledge will probably be no good to me. SIGH!! The previous owner of my GQ obviously had a crack in one of the rims and run an angle grinder through the crack from the edge of the rim. What was he thinking? I now have a spare wheel that is useless. I can't believe this was not picked up when it had a road worthy. Only just discovered this and will be taking it back.

[BHILL]

Thanks for the information - I will be checking the Patrol in the morning!

[NIZZBITS]

Hi all,


Dropped the car off to the Mechanic this morning and it turns out NISSAN have released a statement within the last 12 months (i never got the memo obviously) saying there is a problem with the genuine alloy wheels. Not just on the Patrol, but on any other large car that uses those wheels. (like Navara)

Apparently what's happening is, because the wheels have been around since 98, they are starting to fatigue. When we tighten the wheel nuts up, it's crushing the Alloy slightly. We then drive around corners and the weight distribution shifting to each wheel is causing a small gap between the nut and the rim. So you think you've tightened them up but because the Alloy has been crushed that little bit, it's not actually as tight as you think after having driven around for a few days.

Cheers
Tim

Nissan have never released such a statement. What they did was release a bulletin to advise the proper tightening torques (and possibly sequence). There is no such problem with old alloys crushing. The size and weight and the designof the wheels make them hard to locate properly and if they are not properly seated when tightening nuts it is possible they are not actually on and tightened properly. The problem is not with the wheels it is with the tyre fitter. They supplied as a recall wheel nut indicators to make it easier for people who don't check their nuts carefully to know when they are coming loose. They don't help if you don't look at them though.
So lesson one,,,tighten your nuts to spec.
Lesson two recheck them after a bit and occasionally.
Normally it is LH that comes off (usually rear) as the direction of rotation will spin loose nuts off.

[Bigrig]

Nissan have never released such a statement. What they did was release a bulletin to advise the proper tightening torques (and possibly sequence). There is no such problem with old alloys crushing. The size and weight and the designof the wheels make them hard to locate properly and if they are not properly seated when tightening nuts it is possible they are not actually on and tightened properly. The problem is not with the wheels it is with the tyre fitter. They supplied as a recall wheel nut indicators to make it easier for people who don't check their nuts carefully to know when they are coming loose. They don't help if you don't look at them though.
So lesson one,,,tighten your nuts to spec.
Lesson two recheck them after a bit and occasionally.
Normally it is LH that comes off (usually rear) as the direction of rotation will spin loose nuts off.

Thanks for the info mate!!

[WhiteGU]

I previously had a Jackaroo with alloys. There is a big difference between the way the Jack wheels went on vs the Patrol - and the Jack wheels were not renowned for coming off. Once installed, I never had to bother re-checking after a short drive.

1) The Jack alloys had steel inserts in the wheel where the tension is applied, like a valve seat.
2) The thread on the Jack wheel nuts is a much tighter fit than the very loose Nissan threads. It was not possible to thread the nuts on with two fingers, you had to use the socket with extension and then you could get them on by hand. The Nissan ones screw on so easily, I think they are too loose a fit.
3) The Jack alloy material was much harder, no scratches after 13 years and 170,000ks.
4) The Jack wheel could be pushed on and firmly located on the centre ring, and make "squaring" the wheel dead easy. The Patrol wheels only sit on the centre ring by a very small amount, and slip off easily.

My conclusion from this is that Nissan have cheapskated on the construction of the wheels, using a very soft alloy (scratches appear just looking at them) and no steel insert. The threads are too loose a fit, meaning if the wheel is carelessly put on without squaring (easy to do because of the poor centre ring design) the nuts can spin off without any restriction.

I do carry a torque wrench specifically to frequently check the wheel nuts on the Patrol, but it's really not something that a current vehicle should have a problem with.

[bundy4127]

A regular check with a torque wrench would have to help.

[megatexture]

back in 2010 my wife was driving and the gu developed a shake and she was on the motorway and wanted to exit before investegating but as she exited the front left wheel fell off and the weight of the car droped into the rim grinding on the rotor to a hault, I think shes lucky she didnt try to turn or it could have gotten nasty verry quickly and that was on genuin alloy rims. since then ive checked (torqued studs) on a regular basis as paranoia has taken over.

last year visiting my wifes uncle out at opalton i noticed a loose feel to the car, upon inspection found that the rear left wheel had sheered off 2 bolts and half of another and was just hanging on, the rim was chewed out beyond repare in my opinion for the small $ of replacement. if we were on bitumen i dare say we would have notice a loose feel sooner then we did but the damage was done

so haveing the same issue with 2 diffrent rims steel and alloy im not sure its the rims fault intirely i wonder if the studs are of a poor quality. u can see the rim and studs in the pic
on another occation/s i have gotten the gu back from a service from nissan and swaped tyres over and snaped bolts clean off i know this isnt uncommon but some happen so easily

[the ferret]

That is bullshizer in my opinion and Nissan should be held accountable, they are aware of the situation regarding the alloy wheels and should be forced to remedy the problem instead of ducking for cover.
They need to have the story out all over the place so they are shamed into it, admit to the problem and , solve the problem, and give us all new free wheels.
What would be the go if someone lost a wheel, had a smash and someone died because of an un addressed fault that Nissan are aware of??.
Cheers and stirring, the ferret.