Lug Nut torques specs-Is it really that important?

[hairybumcrack]

I use my impact gun and have for 20+ years. Shops tell you to re-torque after 50 miles and when I've checked them, they don't even budge using a johnson bar. So you tell me that they use a torque wrench when I can't budge them with a johnson bar?

[RyanbabZ71]

 

Solves that battle lol

 

I torque down using my calibrated breaker bar and arm force. Never had an issue

 

 

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[Coby7]

anybody ever use a torque wrench to figure out how tight the shops run them on with an impact gun? I'm willing to bet it's higher than required.

I've tried this, my wife's G6 came back from the dealer when they put new springs in the back. Torque was between 100 and 170, I undid them and re-torqued at 110

Edited December 29, 2016 by Coby7

[sdeeter19555]

anybody ever use a torque wrench to figure out how tight the shops run them on with an impact gun? I'm willing to bet it's higher than required.

Yeah, I check everytime and they are usually loose...at least my shop is, FWIW, they don't kill them, just run them snug and hit them once. A good shop will use torque sticks to prevent over torquing the lugs...a better shop will use a torque wrench.

 

Of course I had a Big O in Los Alamos, New Mexico cross thread a nut and rivet it tight (cross threaded), took a 1" impact to twist the stud off (not the nut, the stud) so I could get the wheel off again...that Big O told me that was normal stud wear! IDIOTS!

 

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[ewiski]

anybody ever use a torque wrench to figure out how tight the shops run them on with an impact gun? I'm willing to bet it's higher than required.

 

 

I usually find one or two really tight and the others not even close to the right spec. So basically they are all tighened up wrong.

 

You can over tighten anything with torque limiting device if used improperly though.

[groutguy]

With modern aluminum wheels, proper torquing is more important.

Improper torque can cause vibration issues on aluminum wheels.

[Mikeb52r]

When I worked at Firestone a few years ago, I ran the lugs down with the impact ( the shop's impact wasn't as good as the other mechanics) and then torqued the lugs to the factory specs for the vehicle. Some would be at 76 and others too 175 depending on the manufacturer. The lug always turned a bit, sometimes a half rotation then the torque wrench clicked.

 

Three years later, now when I rotate my tires, I just use a breaker bar to set the torque to what feels right without feeling that I am over tightening it. I do plan on buying a torque wrench for this exact purpose, just haven't picked one up yet.

Edited December 30, 2016 by MikeB52r

[congden]

4 Hard pumps on my 18" ratchet, should be good for 120 ish pounds, gotta reevaluate the mental torque wrench every year as i get stronger.

 

of course it took years to figure it out, with my father "helping" of course when I overtorqued bolts in the shop

Edited December 30, 2016 by congden

[StillOffshore]

This is one of those things that most don't care much about...what could go wrong??

I had a tire pass me up on the interstate once. Jackass at one of these chain tire places tightened up the lugs too tight. Fun experience. Was towing a trailer with my motorcycle. Broke all the lugs.

Happened in some back woodsy place, had a tow truck driver arrive with a busted eye from a bar fight. He wasn't even the guy I called. He was angry when I refused to let his drunken ass tow my motorcycle to his house...lesson learned.

[Donstar]

It has been many years since I have had to change a wheel. Step 1 on these instructions read "Align the locating mark of the tire and wheel to the hub". What does this mean?

[Coby7]

Yeah that did bug me a bit, don't know why it would have an alignment mark, everything should be symmetrical.

[crushNchowda]

Torquing evenly prevents rotor warp also. I torque the alloy wheels at 100 and the steelies at 110. Never lost a wheel and never broke a stud.

The torque spec for our trucks lugs is 140, my Z06 is 100 ft/lbs

 

You definitely want to torque them correctly as others have mentioned helps w/ rotor wear, but more importantly if 3 are @ 150+ lbs, 2 @ 80 lbs & 1 @ 100 you may find next time you check one of the nuts may be loose enough to spin w/ your finger. I lost a stud on a '95 V@ jetta beater I used for a while in college & kept tightening the lugs as best I could on an 11 hr ride from MA to sw VA & I distinctly remember being alarmed because @ every fill up along the way the remaining 3 nuts on that wheel had to be re-tightened.

Stupid as hell to drive like that, and not apples to apples because I'm sure the studs were worn & we're talking about a tiny 4 lug vehicle, but there is ALWAYS a reason certain bolts have torque ratings & others don't. They wouldn't be there if it weren't necessary....Lord knows the car companies are always looking @ ways to shave incremental costs

[1300c]

Just wondering out loud here, but I wonder if some of the Chevy shake problems could be from the lugs since some have mentioned that they can cause vibrations?

[Daryl Z71]

I use a torque wrench from Harbor Freight. No issues here.

[davidio840]

I put wheels/tires on cars/trucks/RV's/etc all throughout college as my job (discount tire). Torque your wheels if you have the tools to do it. It was policy for us to torque every wheel we took off and put on. We used compacts as well but we have special torque sockets we had to use.