General Wheel/Lugnut question

[Mike Bozung]

I was getting new tires on my wifes car one day at sams clubs and they tightened them in the air by impact wrench and then lowered the car and a different guy checked them all with a torque wrench. I asked "why" and they said it's Sams policy and by checking each other it reduces law suits. It made sense to me.

 

[BonzoHansen]

Torq sticks work great in a shop environment. Those torq stiocks dropped our brake comebacks for vibrations. With a hub centric wheel I see no reason you can't tighten them in the air with torq sticks. It can be hard to do that by hand on the front wheels of RWD cars w/o th etire touching the ground enough to hold the tire. But I snug them in the air.

I bought a 93 Civic EX 5-speed new as a simple DD. It kept giving me front brake vibration issues every 7000 miles or so. I'd resurface them and they'd be fine. Then we got the torq sticks and I used them the next time. They never warped again. And they still were above spec on brake job #3 many miles later. So they were not thin to the bone to start with - in 93 Honda was still high quality, not what I see today, but I digress. But that experience that converted me on the need to properly torq lugs on later models. But hub rotors like 2nd gens are probably less finicky.

I hand tighten lugs with a torque wrench on all my vehicles. I don't like stressed threads, damaged lug seats on wheels, etc. I've seen way too many damaged studs, nuts, wheels and warped rotors in my day not to do it. It's the right way.

 

[SpeedAddict02]

Gotcha. So it's just suggested mainly to center the wheel and stop it from spinning..

I thought there was something more technical to it, like when installing leaf springs for instance.. Snug everything by hand, then tighten it down with the weight on them so they don't "stand tall"..

I want a set of torque sticks. Just waiting for the extra cash for a set. But right now, I spin them on by hand and snug them with a 1/2" ratchet, holding the wheel with one hand/arm, in the air. Drop it & torque it.

thanks

 

[Chevrolaine]

Righty Tighty, Lefty Lucy. All I need to know.

 

[Skip Fix]

New cars made today benefit from correct torquing of the lug nuts because many of the vehicles made today are built flimsy with wimpy rotors and other parts that can easily be ruined if you don't get the exact correct torque.

Yep but I also agree with the torque setting the fastener in the ideal clamping load.

"Righty Tighty, Lefty Lucy. All I need to know." Unless you have an old Mopar

 

[Twisted_Metal]

.....
I hand tighten lugs with a torque wrench on all my vehicles. I don't like stressed threads, damaged lug seats on wheels, etc. I've seen way too many damaged studs, nuts, wheels and warped rotors in my day not to do it. It's the right way.

General Lugnut has spoken!

I don't bother with a torque wrench on wheel lugs anymore.
I used to use one but I've gotten a pretty good feel for what 90 lbs of torque feels like using a 1/2" breaker.
I've never had one come loose, break a stud, warp a rotor or strip threads yet.

If you're inexperienced with a wrench... Use the torque wrench.

 

[grzewnicki]

I had to google torque sticks....that's cool. Wouldn't be something I would buy for personal use but in a tire shop they would be great.

 

[76 camaro car 1]

I've always just used a large 4 way. I trust it way more than an impact.