Always Remember To Properly Torque Your UTV’s Lug Nuts

It’s the simple things that sometimes do us in. We’ve all been there. On a big job it’s easy to overlook the little things when the excitement of finishing heats up. Forgetting to properly torque lug nuts is an example of one such oversight, and this exact flub bit a dune-going Polaris RZR owner—a recent Matt’s Off-Road Recovery video documented the situation.

The video takes place in Utah’s Sand Hollow State Park, with Matt’s Off-Road Recovery responding to a call to recover a disabled Polaris RZR. Lizzy took the helm of the Jeep XJ Cherokee “Banana” and led the team’s mission of finding and trailering the poor Polaris back to its owner’s trailer. The cause of the RZR’s woes were unknown until the team arrived on-site, whereupon they discovered that the UTV had suffered self-inflicted wounds.

According to the RZR’s owner-driver, he was “driving normally and the studs broke off.” But he knows he caused his own fate, stating “I did some work on it and think it’s my fault, I didn’t torque ‘em down…so they’re probably loose. Wheel wiggled off and broke the studs.” At least he admits it. The video shows the RZR’s right rear wheel hanging on by a thread. Thankfully, the event occurred in a relatively safe place.

The situation serves as a (thankfully injury-free) reminder to always check that your lug nuts are properly torqued down. And not just to “tight enough,” but to the proper specification. It’s safest to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation; you can look to your owner’s manual for the correct torque numbers. The same advice goes for tow rigs and trailers. Stay safe out there.