Wheel Lugs

Wow, I never check them, never thought of doing so on any vehicle I own.

I check all of the lugs on my aluminum wheels after driving about 100 miles. After that, I may check them once or twice during the summer. I always use a torque wrench because my trailer requires 100 ft lb or torque and my truck requires 150 ft lb. That is pretty tight and I want to make sure I get it right without over tightening. If you over tighten the lugs on aluminum rims, you can distort the rims and that can affect the integrity of the rim. It takes very little effort to do it correctly and can cost so much (or get someone killed) if you do it wrong.

Just like the old new car (50's, 60's and 70's) head bolts, wheel studs stretch when new. So, yeah, for the first few thousand miles, check them more often than you would normally.

I check the lugs with a torque wrench before each trip. Never had a lug loosen up, but still check. It takes me just a minute.

Take some red (or whatever color you prefer) nail polish, and dab a drop on the lug nut where it's against the wheel, after properly torquing. If the nut moves, the nail polish will shatter (it being lacquer). Alternative to THIS.

I check mine often after a wheel has been reinstalled, but not with a torque wrench. Every 3rd or 4th trip I guess would be my routine.

I generally do the start of the season and any time I, or someone else, has removed or replaced a wheel for whatever reason (suspension/brake work for instance). Sometimes the start of the season one gets omitted. Tire pressure gets checked far more frequently.

As I understand it, they particularly want checks when the vehicle is very new to ensure that things don't get loose as they work into position or something roughly along those lines. In any case, it's not too hard to go around with a torque wrench and give each lug nut a push until it clicks. I think they recommend checking a bit more frequently when the vehicle is quite new, maybe?