Torque specs on lug nuts?

[djw32]

What are the torque specs on lug nuts?

15" factory wheels

Thanks, David

[michael bustamante]

95 pounds I think but im sure someone will claify this for me

[Senator350]

can i just ask why?

[djw32]

Originally Posted by Senator350

can i just ask why?

Because I have no idea what the specs are.

[Senator350]

i have never seen anyone actually torque them specifically. everyone i've ever seen just tightens them as much as they can... within reason

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by Senator350

i have never seen anyone actually torque them specifically. everyone i've ever seen just tightens them as much as they can... within reason

X2

[davepl]

Originally Posted by Senator350

i have never seen anyone actually torque them specifically. everyone i've ever seen just tightens them as much as they can... within reason

Yeah. I thought that way once too. Now I use a torque wrench and look in the book for the actual correct spec.

Overtorquing will keep them on, but it'll bend and warp rotors, damage lug nuts, and so on. Actually I use an impact with a torque stick and have been verifying with a torque wrench afterwards, but they're been within 3 ftlbs with the torque sticks, so I'm starting to trust them.

Using an impact without a torque stick is, well, bush-league. If I caught a shop doing that to my car I'd certainly never take any work back there.

The following carnage happened because the seller (I was the buyer) swapped wheels right before selling it and didn't torque them, I guess. Since I don't normally retorque the wheels as soon as I buy a car, you see what happened. Now I check lug nut torque!

On the plus side, Hagerty located an NOS fender, door skin, rotor, and spindle. How I don't know, but they got all NOS parts for me.

[michael bustamante]

porsche, BMW and Toyota are all 95 pounds. Of course these are all aluminum wheels with disk brakes. I torque mines to 95 on the truck also simply out of habit

[Arad68]

Torquing the lug nuts provides an even force on the wheel and disc/drum. It will also prevent damage to your wheel. It is also recommended that you lightly grease the wheel stud as well.

Here is a reference...one of many if you google Lug nut torque specs.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/...jsp?techid=107

[Green Machine]

It really depends on the stud size - here's a link - http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/...jsp?techid=107

[463]

100 foot lbs with a cris cross or star pattern on the 5 bolt. then retork at apx 50 miles again.

[piecesparts]

I torque my lug nuts on my truck wheels to 100 lbs. religiously.

[djw32]

To everyone,
Thanks for the links and opinions.

David

[chris71]

yeah, i grease my studs ( i can hear the jokes now) every once and a while, make taking them off and putting them on alot easier, i just use disc brake grease, but i can see how adding some grease will help to eaven out the torque

[GMJimmy]

Originally Posted by chris71

yeah, i grease my studs ( i can hear the jokes now) every once and a while, make taking them off and putting them on alot easier, i just use disc brake grease, but i can see how adding some grease will help to eaven out the torque

Putting grease on a wheel stud is a HUGE NONO. Wheel torque is derived not just from lug stretch like a head bolt etc. but also by the friction from the tapered contact of the nut and the wheel. Taking the friction component out of the equation by getting grease on the tapered portion will over torque the lug. To prove a point I greased a lug nut and stud and watched a non believer tighten it with a click type torque wrench and never got it to click (set at 60 lbs.). He snapped all 5 studs and never reached the 60 lb. spec. There are specific styled lug nuts designed without a taper that are for non hub centric applications and these are usually torqued to their own manufactures spec. Problem is most of these chromed lug nuts are made in China and India and do not come with torque values and instructions.

There are things to wave your hand at and say that's BS and isn't necessary and I'll agree to some of those but I don't understand how a guy can ignore the safety aspect of putting wheels on your vehicle and loading your kids in it and driving at 70 mph without paying attention to proper mechanics and do it right. I think the ONLY reason we don't see more accidents is the engineers have over engineered these parts to allow for the uninformed back yard mechanic.

Be safe and do it right.

[jeffahart]

I started using a torque wrench on wheels years ago. Just as easy to grab the dial a toque as the impact. But I guess I'm not in that big of a hurry. Plus I usually use a 3/4 breaker because I like leverage, and I'm famous for over tightening.

[MountainMike6]

Originally Posted by GMJimmy

Putting grease on a wheel stud is a HUGE NONO. Wheel torque is derived not just from lug stretch like a head bolt etc. but also by the friction from the tapered contact of the nut and the wheel. Taking the friction component out of the equation by getting grease on the tapered portion will over torque the lug. To prove a point I greased a lug nut and stud and watched a non believer tighten it with a click type torque wrench and never got it to click (set at 60 lbs.). He snapped all 5 studs and never reached the 60 lb. spec. There are specific styled lug nuts designed without a taper that are for non hub centric applications and these are usually torqued to their own manufactures spec. Problem is most of these chromed lug nuts are made in China and India and do not come with torque values and instructions.

There are things to wave your hand at and say that's BS and isn't necessary and I'll agree to some of those but I don't understand how a guy can ignore the safety aspect of putting wheels on your vehicle and loading your kids in it and driving at 70 mph without paying attention to proper mechanics and do it right. I think the ONLY reason we don't see more accidents is the engineers have over engineered these parts to allow for the uninformed back yard mechanic.

Be safe and do it right.

Posted via Mobile Device

[Andy4639]

Here is the torque.

[ETsC10]

Yup, I do my '68 C-10 at 70-75#.
Just caught the tire shop today (IN TIME-whew)
beginning to use an impact wrench on my wheels.
Half ton 6-lug rotors are spendy.

[garyd1961]

Originally Posted by ETsC10

Yup, I do my '68 C-10 at 70-75#.
Just caught the tire shop today (IN TIME-whew)
beginning to use an impact wrench on my wheels.
Half ton 6-lug rotors are spendy.

Impact wrenches are ok as long as you use the proper torque stick. I torque my 1970 c10 to 80 lbs which is 5 over specs but that is what I was using before I knew the correct torque specs so I kept using it.
If you over tighten lugs it will cause problems later on with stripped lug nuts and studs.
Don't use grease or anti-seize on your studs. It will give you a false reading on the torque and it just isn't needed. I have worked at 2 different dealerships for around 10 years and we never put anything on lug nut or studs. Wal-Mart is the only place I know of that uses anti-seize on lug nuts.

[Longhorn Man]

anti-seize or never seize is better to use on the studs than grease.
I have never seen an old school rotor or drum, nor a steel wheel get damaged from impacts, even the mega monster torque impacts they make these days.

[Fitz]

Torque specs are independent of application. They are based upon fastener material, fastener diameter and grade so, here is a handy table for steel (not Stainless) that is good for every application:

[treveiger]

You really dont need specs the chances of hurting anything are pretty rare i use a impact on everything including my atv an i lug those things on tight an never had any problems.

[gixxerpymp]

lol at being worried about specs. I worked at a tire shop for 2 years and never had a complaint about anything. Just used the impact.

[GMJimmy]

Old thread I know but....You impact gun guys are dinosaurs. Improper wheel torque can lead to several problems with the most prevalent being eventual lateral runout of rotors and pulsation of your brakes. Axles too can be distorted from improper torque. It's not really a matter of too tight or too loose but the inconsistency from lug to lug that causes the problem. Do you think engineers dream this stuff up to sell torque wrenches? I watch Powerblock TV on Sunday mornings and Ian from the Extreme 4X4 uses an impact gun for everything and people watching him think this is ok. Wheel nut torque is NOT dependent upon the size of the lug because torque for my 20 inch aluminum wheels on my 2006 Silverado is 125 ft.lbs. If I put my 17 inch steel rims on for the winter the torque spec is 90 ft.lbs. Why? Because 125 ft.lbs will pull the lug nut through the rim under stress. Torque specs can be ignored for a cross member bolt or maybe exhaust hangers and the like but running gear needs to be properly torqued to avoid problems.