In order to support something as heavy and fast-moving as an automobile, car wheels — from the best to the worst brands — need to be sturdy and secure. An essential element to achieve this are the lug ...

Dear Car Talk: I over-tightened a lug nut on an alloy wheel. It seems to have pushed right through the alloy and is up against the metal on the other side.

The humble lug nut is a critical player in vehicular safety. Too loose and your wheel could part company with the axle and roll on down the highway on its own — yikes. In fact, recall that some Ford ...