proper lug nut tightening protocol

Joined
Oct 21, 2015
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366
Location
Colorado
Hi all,
I got my tires rotated at Discount Tire today. I always ask that they put on lug nuts by hand (no impact wrench) and then use torque wrench to finish. Usually, they finger tighten in air, lower the car partially, and then go in a star pattern tightening them up one by one to full spec torque with torque wrench. Today, they snugged them finger tight in the air, and then went around in a circle (rather than star pattern) with torque wrench, one by one to full torque spec. Then, they lowered it and rechecked in star pattern with torque wrench. I know when you change a flat tire, owner's manual says to tighten with lug nut wrench while it is jacked up, and then tighten more in star pattern once lowered. Is it OK to basically bring each lug nut to full torque value, from finger tight, without first going through an "intermediate" torque to make sure things get seated correctly?
 
I usually tighten mine by hand, the set the wrench to whatever my number is. I go around in a cross pattern an snug them with the wrench about 1/2 torque by feel. Then I go around again tightening till the wrench clicks.
 
Thanks. That's how I would do it if I were to do it at home. The fellow said just finger tight seats it OK that they can go to full torque right away but I still prefer your approach.
 
I bust them with my strong impact wrench and tighten them in the air finger tight and then use with my weak impact wrench to 70 ft lbs, usually in a circle. I then lower the rubber to the ground with partial weight and use my torque wrench in a star pattern and torque them to the required 140 ft lbs on my 3/4 ton Chev.
 
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Time is money; whether or not I'm being paid. I snug mine with a few burps on the impact then go straight to the torque wrench in a star pattern and it matters not if the wheel is touching the ground, it is in the air when they're snugged. I'm NOT going around the vehicle 3 times.
 
I torque with impact to about 50 ft-lbs by feel in a star pattern. Then I torque to 80 ft-lbs in a star pattern. I re-torque after my next drive, and then put on the hubcaps.
 
I tighten it down as far as it will go by hand, then use the impact to snug them on the lowest setting. I do that in a star pattern. Then when it gets on the ground the torque wrench comes in and I do a star pattern for it. At my dealership they ask we use torque sticks and they even provide them for us. I have my own and I will use them sometimes but I don’t feel they are always as accurate as doing it with a torque wrench but either way I will always use a torque wrench whether a torque stick was used or not. I also use MY torque wrench only, because none of my coworkers zero theirs out. They also have been dropped many times. I also always read in the manual the proper torque spec too. I’ve had customers ask not to have an impact used since it’s so hard for them to break them loose with a breaker bar to change a tire or their brakes or something. When I was in school I was taught to use anti seize and reduce torque but I really don’t feel safe doing that on an actual vehicle though I do see a lot of cars come in that have the studs covered in the stuff. When that is the case I will get brake cleaner and clean them off best I can. If someone is doing it in a circle pattern they are doing it wrong.
 
Thanks all. Perhaps it is time I start doing this in my garage.

I also noticed the fellow had an assistant press the brake pedal while the car was in the air and he was using the torque wrench on the front wheels. If it is turning that much requiring the brake, isn't that putting strain on the transmission parking pawl since the car is in Park?
 
Thanks all. Perhaps it is time I start doing this in my garage.

I also noticed the fellow had an assistant press the brake pedal while the car was in the air and he was using the torque wrench on the front wheels. If it is turning that much requiring the brake, isn't that putting strain on the transmission parking pawl since the car is in Park?
In most FWD vehicles, the front wheels will spin when off the ground regardless of whether the transmission is in park. Therefore the brake is necessary to keep the wheels from rotating. If you spin one wheel, the other will move in reverse rotation.

When the vehicle is on the ground, both wheels have to turn the same direction, so any movement will engage the transmission which the parking pawl prevents. With the wheels in the air, the only thing moving is the differential and you're not actually engaging the transmission. Surely someone can explain it better than I using correct vocabulary. :D
 
If you have tires mounted at shops up here, your invoice says to bring back the car within 100 km to have them re-torqued for free. Some folks have said this is to release the shop from liability. Very few people do it. I always check the torque after a shop does it.
 
Thanks all. They look centered on the wheels. Seeing as they ran each lug nut to full torque in the air one by one and, from what I could see from outside, in a circle, is it worth loosening and retorquing? I was reading tightening in a circle is not really proper but not sure if doing it in that matter actually over torques. Hopefully it doesn't strain the aluminum alloy wheel or hub by running each lug nut down to full torque, and then proceeding to the next in a circle.
 
I hand tighten in the air, then torque on ground in 2 increments - 50% then final 100%.
What's technically correct? I dunno.
 
Thanks all. Perhaps it is time I start doing this in my garage.

I also noticed the fellow had an assistant press the brake pedal while the car was in the air and he was using the torque wrench on the front wheels. If it is turning that much requiring the brake, isn't that putting strain on the transmission parking pawl since the car is in Park?
No. Your parking pawl is getting much more abuse if you're parking on a hill without setting the parking brake and the vehicle lurches forward or back. That's ~3,500lbs of vehicle getting ~1 inch of momentum (291 ft/lbs) and slamming in to the pawl versus 100 ft/lbs of torque.
 
I have 3 settings on my 1/2” DeWalt impact. #1 is lowest and #3 is highest. I tighten off of the ground on #1. Then, I drop it to the ground and torque them down in a star pattern.
That's my method as well. I may check them a few days later, and - knock wood - have never found any lugs loose.
 
Putting lugs on by hand 2-3 full turns, then use my Milwaukee stubby which has 4 settings with last giving 10lb/ft tightening torque which I use while car is in the air, star pattern, re-checking for lose lugs., Land the car, and use torque wrench.
 
I hand thread, then snug them with the 3/8”impact which has a preset to pause at 40 ft lbs drop to the ground and then finish with the torque wrench in a star pattern. For the rears I set the parking brake and do the whole arraignment up in the air.

I wouldn’t trust Discount Tire to torque things up properly and consistently. My experience is that If they’re not busy they’ll do it right but if they’re busy and it’s a bad location I doubt a torque stick is even being used. It’s low wage labor, and the average tire shop customer is a complete moron when it comes to automotive maintenance so they can get away with over torquing. Always better to check it yourself afterwords anyways.
 
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