How to Tighten Lug Nuts on Mobile Home Axles

To tighten the lug nuts on mobile home wheels, some preparation and specialty tools are required.

1. Consult your mobile home owner's manual for the manufacturers torque rating to be used for tightening your lug nuts. The rating will mention the number of foot-pounds required when adjusting your torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts.

2. Spray each lug thoroughly with penetrating oil, allowing the oil to work on the lugs for a minimum of twenty minutes.

3. Spray a second application of penetrating oil onto the lugs and use a wire brush to brush away the rust from the threaded surface of the wheel lugs.

4. Screw the nuts onto the mobile home wheels in a clockwise direction, using your fingers, until finger tight. Set your torque wrench to the mobile home manufacturer's lug nut foot-pound ratings. Tighten one of the nuts to the specified rating, and then tighten the lug on the opposite side of the wheel in the same manner.

5. Tighten the lug nut immediately to the right of the first lug nut you tightened, and then tighten the one directly across from it, on the opposite side of the wheel. Continue tightening each lug nut in the same order, moving from left to right, until all of the lug nuts have been secured to the manufacturer's foot-pound ratings. Perform steps 1 through 3 on the other wheels of the mobile home.

Warning

Never tighten the lug nuts one after the other in a circular pattern, as you risk cracking the wheel hub. Always tighten one, then tighten the one across from it on the opposite side of the wheel. This permits equal pressure on the center of the wheel.