“How?”
A tech took a look at a Ford F-350’s tires only to find what he deemed a spiteful move done by the owner’s previous mechanic.
In a Facebook Reel posted by Dale County Diesel, the mechanics are shocked by what they discovered on a Ford Super Duty F-350 that came into their shop. The post went viral, with over 802,000 views as of this writing.
In the brief clip, the mechanics from Dale County Diesel reveal what’s wrong with the Ford F-350’s wheels. “Man, if people think I am an [expletive], check this out,” the narrator says.
The camera zooms in on the tire and focuses on the lug nuts. They’re hidden by the hubcap—plus the mechanic put the lug nuts on backwards. The post is captioned, “The previous mechanic must have hated this guy. That took some effort.”
Most people also assumed this was intentional.
“How did he tighten them?” one asked. “Open end and determination,” someone replied.
“I’m not even upset. That took skill, determination, & an open ended wrench,” a third commented.
“The amount of work that someone went through to accomplish that… that’s maniacal level revenge,” one shared. A few noted that it is possible to remove the lug nuts, but it’s just a bit of a hassle.
“The number of people in here that have never seen a combination wrench,” one pointed out.
Typically, hubcaps have an opening for the lug nuts to pop through. However, this hubcap covers most of the lug nuts on the Ford F-350, leaving little room to work with a wrench. To remove them, as the user said, you’d need a combination wrench and a bit more time and attention.
Lug nuts play an essential role in keeping your car’s tires on. These small components are subject to severe conditions and exposure, so it’s important they’re installed properly. Driving with loose lug nuts can cause the wheels to fall off.
Selecting the right lug nut is critical, as lug nuts are not universal. Things that need to be considered when selecting lug nuts are thread size and thread pitch, seating style, lug style, and minimum thread engagement. Some have a wheel key to lock lug nuts to prevent theft. It’s best to store this key in the glove box or another accessible location, such as with the spare tire.
When putting on lug nuts, the tapered side faces the wheel. Doing the opposite can cause serious damage or even injury, as the wheels could fall off. While many assumed it was intentional, it is possible that the previous mechanic simply messed up. Mechanics say it happens more often than you’d think.
“Some lug nuts do not have caps and are open ended on both sides, like a normal nut. If you put it on backwards, even if you torque it, the cone will not seat in the rim and it will not secure or center the rim,” one wrote on Reddit.
Ford recommends the following process for torquing F-350 lug nuts:
Considering that the Ford F-350 is built with the intention of carrying heavy loads, it’s essential the lug nuts are properly tightened. Any mishap can be costly and dangerous.
Motor1 has contacted Dale County Diesel via Facebook contact form and direct message. We will update this story if they reply.
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