Did something get bent (serious question)?

[jyi786]

2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV.

I own up to it: I had a real lapse in judgment.

Thursday, I took my truck to a shop to get them to road force balance the wheels and tires. It came back that 3 out of 4 failed. Whatever they did, made the truck feel worse, and it was loopy as hell. When I got the truck back home, I was in my driveway, attempting to check the lug nuts to ensure the shop hadn't overtightened them (like they always do) and that they were tightened to 140 ft. lbs.

With the vehicle on the ground (fail), I started with the left front wheel (driver's side). I loosened the lug nuts, but way too far apparently. When I loosened the last lug nut, the wheel completely separated from the hub (as if you were taking it off) and the truck wheel hub awkwardly came to rest on the inside lip of the small inner circle of the rim (the part that sits on the hub) supported by nothing but apparently half the diameter of that inner flange...and the lug nut studs. Nothing ever hit the ground, nothing catastrophically "dropped" or broke, the truck and its entire left front weight just rested awkwardly for a few minutes tops at a slightly strange angle as described above. The entire rim and tire itself was still touching the ground

I immediately jacked up the truck to take pressure off the wheel, checked the lug nuts, checked the wheel for trueness, everything seemed to be still straight and nothing was bent. I was/am deadly worried that the wheel or even worse, the hub was bent. Over the weekend, I drove the vehicle over 500+ miles. Although I thought it felt loopy, I don't know if I can attribute it to something being bent or the original issue: 3/4 wheels failing road force balance. Interestingly enough, it seems the wobble has gone down "less" since driving it more?

I've done this hundreds of times, why I didn't proceed as I normally do is beyond me. Every time I do anything with taking off the lug nuts, LIFT UP THAT RESPECTIVE WHEEL. Big mistake on my part. My question to you all is this:

Is it possible something got bent? The rim? Wheel hub? Lug nut studs? Should I take the truck to another shop to have them diagnose the three? I'm questioning this because initially I was sure it was, but now it doesn't feel like it. Lots of placebo and my mind playing tricks on me, but I just want to be sure. My tires are due to be replaced for free under warranty this week, just waiting for it to come in.

Thanks guys.

 

[swathdiver]

I doubt anything was damaged by your brain fart. Your 500 mile trip puts my mind at east about it. As for the tires, that's another story.

 

[wjburken]

2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV.

I own up to it: I had a real lapse in judgment.

Thursday, I took my truck to a shop to get them to road force balance the wheels and tires. It came back that 3 out of 4 failed. Whatever they did, made the truck feel worse, and it was loopy as hell. When I got the truck back home, I was in my driveway, attempting to check the lug nuts to ensure the shop hadn't overtightened them (like they always do) and that they were tightened to 140 ft. lbs.

With the vehicle on the ground (fail), I started with the left front wheel (driver's side). I loosened the lug nuts, but way too far apparently. When I loosened the last lug nut, the wheel completely separated from the hub (as if you were taking it off) and the truck wheel hub awkwardly came to rest on the inside lip of the small inner circle of the rim (the part that sits on the hub) supported by nothing but apparently half the diameter of that inner flange...and the lug nut studs. Nothing ever hit the ground, nothing catastrophically "dropped" or broke, the truck and its entire left front weight just rested awkwardly for a few minutes tops at a slightly strange angle as described above. The entire rim and tire itself was still touching the ground

I immediately jacked up the truck to take pressure off the wheel, checked the lug nuts, checked the wheel for trueness, everything seemed to be still straight and nothing was bent. I was/am deadly worried that the wheel or even worse, the hub was bent. Over the weekend, I drove the vehicle over 500+ miles. Although I thought it felt loopy, I don't know if I can attribute it to something being bent or the original issue: 3/4 wheels failing road force balance. Interestingly enough, it seems the wobble has gone down "less" since driving it more?

I've done this hundreds of times, why I didn't proceed as I normally do is beyond me. Every time I do anything with taking off the lug nuts, LIFT UP THAT RESPECTIVE WHEEL. Big mistake on my part. My question to you all is this:

Is it possible something got bent? The rim? Wheel hub? Lug nut studs? Should I take the truck to another shop to have them diagnose the three? I'm questioning this because initially I was sure it was, but now it doesn't feel like it. Lots of placebo and my mind playing tricks on me, but I just want to be sure. My tires are due to be replaced for free under warranty this week, just waiting for it to come in.

Thanks guys.

I don’t think there is much risk of bending anything based on how I am understanding your post.

I’m more curious about the 3 of 4 tires failing road force balancing. Where did you take it? Did they just try and stack weights on it or did they also try to dismount the tire and spin it in the rim and then try and balance it again? From what I’ve learned some techs simply throw weights at a wheel while others will try and reposition the tire.

Why are they being replaced under warranty?

 

[Teamiez]

Was the place a cheap tire chain? When you first went to take the lug nuts off did you have to put effort into it or did they come loose very easy? Some missing here like who replaced / balance wheels and tires initially and why and how long did you have them and want to have them balanced. I just purchased a new vehicle and drove off with 2 miles on it and all were completely out of balance, how I don’t know. But if someone in charge of balancing wheels on a $40,000 + suv can’t do it, others at places surly can’t either. I vote bad balance. Mine was crazy and the tech at Toyota road forced them and was 95% better. As per the other 5%...still digging in to it. 4 runner problems