I just received my EBC Sport Rotors and Red Stuff pads so I decided to put them on. Just couldn't stand that steering wheel shake (only 8200 miles on the Balt). I had just put all of the lug nuts on, lowered the car so the wheels wouldn't turn, then put my torque wrench on one of the lug nuts. Wouldn't you know the damn thing snapped. I barely put any pressure on the wrench yet.
Guess I'll head to the dealer tomarrow and pick up three.....or maybe I'll just go and get some ARP lugs.
Test drove the car though.....brakes are excellent.




The rims are my winter wheels with Bridgestone Blizzak LM22s

 

Replaced the lug last night. Those EBC brakes work wonderfully. That's feedback from a 67 miles drive to work. So far I would recomend the Sport Rotors and Red Stuff Ceramic pads.

 

Actually that lugnut could have been your cause for the wheel shake. Did you have your tires rotated recently?

 

i love ebc brakes, had the greens on my old alero

should paint those calipers too

 

Not with 4,000 miles on the winter tires. They should be rotated at around 7,500. They will be coming off this week for the factory sneakers. After examining the lug it appears that is was cracked for some time.

Besides....the wheel vibration would have to be pretty severe to break a lug.

 

I'm thinking they meant the cracked lug was the cause of the shaking.
How do you like your LM-22s? I run them in a 225/50VR-17 for winter and I love mine, they wear better than the stock summer tires too

 

I love them. I've been using the LM-22 since they came out. I had three sets, one for my 2000 Pontiac GAGT (traded the car in for the Balt with the tires on), one for my 2002 Pontiac GAGT, and this set for my Balt. When the factory tires wear out on the X3 I will buy a set for that also. The traction is just unreal.......

 

Are your winter wheels 17 or 18, they look bigger than mine?

 

What I meant was that when you have one lug starting to come loose, you may have others. When you pulled the other lugs off, were a couple real easy to break loose?

As to why it cracked, it must have been the last time the wheels were off. You said you only have 8200 miles on the car, so I assumed you had just rotated. Or it could have just been a bad stud. If you look where it broke, are there any air bubbles in the metal?

As for the every 7500mi rotation, sure according to Discount Tire. But if you have an alignment problem, after 7500mi with that problem, you will have toasted your tires. I recommend 6000, but I rotate mine at 4500. I had a set of tires on my GTO that were supposed to last only 30Kmi, I got them to 50K.

But at least you have a torque wrench. That is a major plus in my book.

IMPORTANT:
The torque on all cobalts is 100ftlbs for those who don't know. Proper torque technique is slowly applying pressure to the end of the torque wrench, nowhere else, and stop at the click, no further. Any more will push the stud beyond its stretch point causing it to stretch more every time it is torqued, eventually breaking. For those who just have a regular t-bar/spanner wrench, 100 torque isn't as much as you think.

 

I believe I misunderstood your comment...my apologies. 7500 miles corresponds to the oil change for the two Pontiacs I had (only have one now). My Balt took it's first oil change at 7,200 miles. I pulled my factory wheels off and put these rims with snow tires on so there was no need to rotate. I've had great success just rotating when I perform and oil change....cars already up.

As for the torque wrench there is no other way to truly ensure the proper torque. I am a Region Automotive Trainer for a large fleet and our policy is torque wrench only....torque sticks are not acceptable.