Quick Question!

[honda_man12]

Is it bad to torque your lug nuts over 120 lbs? my buddy did when he put my stockies back on and i was like

[Vsin]

It should be 80#.

Originally Posted by http://ezinearticles.com/?Be-Careful-Not-To-Over-Tighten-Your-Lug-Nuts!&id=59158

A common site in your neighborhood auto garage is a mechanic tightening up the lug nuts on your car with an impact wrench. You hear the common screech of the impact wrench as it makes quick work of the lug nuts. You also probably rarely see that same mechanic actually use a torque wrench. Impact wrenches are great tools but they can and will over tighten the lug nuts on your car. At first that doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Tight is good, right? Not necessarily.

Most manufacturers recommend using a torque wrench when tightening lug nuts. They will specify a certain ft/lb to dial in on the torque wrench. This insures the nuts are tightened properly. Over tightening can damage the studs and possibly lead to a failure in the future. Here is what happens. When the nuts are tightened, the studs will stretch. This tension holds the wheels on to the rim. If you over tighten the studs you can damage them and they could fail.

The best approach is to use your impact wrench to snug up the nuts. Then go back with a torque wrench and tighten to the manufacturer specifications. Next time you are having your tires rotated or changed, make sure the mechanic uses a torque wrench and the correct torque. Having the proper tools makes all the difference and will extend the life of your car.

Jason is the webmaster for Red Hill Supply - Online Air Tools

Originally Posted by http://www.tirerack.com/wheels-techpage-1/107.shtml

Proper installation requires that the wheel lug torque be set to the recommended specification for your vehicle. Sometimes these torque specifications can be found in your vehicle's owner's manual, however more often than not you will need to refer to your vehicle's shop manual or obtain them from your vehicle dealer/service provider.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, wheel lug torque specifications are for clean and dry threads (no lubricant) that are free of dirt, grit, etc. Applying oil, grease or anti-seize lubricants to the threads will result in inaccurate torque values that over tighten the wheels.

A thread chaser or tap should be used to remove any burrs or obstructions of the threads allowing the lug hardware to be turned by hand until it meets the wheel's lug seat. Once lugs are snugged down, finish tightening them with an accurate torque wrench. Use the appropriate crisscross sequence (shown below) for the number of wheel lugs on your vehicle until all have reached their proper torque value. Be careful because if you over torque a wheel, you can strip a lug nut or hub, stretch or break a stud or bolt, and cause the wheel, brake rotor and/or brake drum to distort.



Use the dry wheel lug torque values specified in the vehicle's owner's manual, shop manual or obtained from the vehicle dealer/service provider. The chart below lists typical torque values that should only be used temporarily until the vehicle's exact torque values can be confirmed.

Since the thickness of an alloy wheel can differ from Original Equipment wheels, also verify that the lug nuts or bolts will engage the threads. Refer to the chart below to determine the number of turns or the depth of engagement typical for your stud or bolt size.

Hardware Bolt or
Stud Size Typical Torque Range
in Ft/Lbs Minimum Number of Turns
of Hardware Engagement
12 x 1.5 mm 70 - 80 6.5
12 x 1.25 mm 70 - 80 8
14 x 1.5 mm 85 - 90 7.5
14 x 1.25 mm 85 - 90 9
7/16 in. 70 - 80 9
1/2 in. 75 - 85 8
9/16 in. 135 - 145 8


When installing new wheels you should re-torque the wheel lugs after driving the first 50 to 100 miles in case the clamping loads have changed following the initial installation. This is necessary due to the possibility of metal compression/elongation or thermal stresses affecting the wheels as they are breaking in, as well as to verify the accuracy of the original installation. When rechecking torque value, wait for the wheels to cool to ambient temperature (never torque a hot wheel). Loosen and retighten to value, in sequence. Simply repeat the same torque procedure listed above.

[honda_man12]

damn..thanks for the info! +1 rep

[honda_man12]

I've has these on for about a week now...could the damage have started already?

[Undispu7ed]

Niiiice. Good info.

[trickyazn]

gah.. so i guess me tightening my tires with a ratchet isnt helping any...

[civsnake]

psh, don't believe any of it. Everyone knows it's a conspiracy enacted by the torque wrench companies to keep people buying their products. I personally torque my nuts as hard as I possibly can so skinny highschool kids can't get them off, only burly musclebound viking men like me.

Actually, I use a torque wrench. 80-85lbs.

[dnbsi]

lol it actually looks like that first paragraph was written by someone who sells torque wrenches. checking your sources ftw

[darna]

honda says 80 lbs not the torque wrench companies.

[SiConvert887]

You ever try to take your wheels off on a car after its been to a shop and you'll break a sweat trying to get those SOB's off. The nice thing about using a torque wrench is that when the time comes that I need to take my wheels off its not a whole ordeal with the breaker bar.

[98TypeR]

Nothing wrong with using a torque wrench! But as a Snap-on dealer at a Honda and Acura dealerships for 10 years,spending a few hours there every week, I can say I never saw a tech ever use a torque wrench on a car. The quick way is to use an impact with a torque stick. These sticks are made with different torque amounts, so the impact can't over torque the lug nuts. (BTW, I'm no longer a dealer and not trying to promote these, just stating my experiences.) Here is a pic.
TSS8E, Socket, Wheel Torque, Blue, 3/4", 19mm