Torquing the Wheels

[CapriRacer]

Thread the lug nuts all the way to the hub by hand or impact while off the ground. The tires are flexible. Torque to spec with tires on the ground. I never have to re-torque. However, my Tempest has Weld wheels with shank lug nuts. You must re-torque at least twice after driving for a while. For some reason, they loosen but not dangerously. After a couple re-torques they set.

I've always wondered why the retorque? I mean aside from them loosening. Seems to me that this means the spec is too low to begin with.

I did a trial on my racecar, and kept adding torque to the lugnuts until they quit needing adjustments. If I remember correctly I only added 10 more footpounds.

 

[eljefino]

I've always wondered why the retorque? I mean aside from them loosening. Seems to me that this means the spec is too low to begin with.

I did a trial on my racecar, and kept adding torque to the lugnuts until they quit needing adjustments. If I remember correctly I only added 10 more footpounds.

I suspect it's the aftermarket wheel manufacturer being too chicken to make a recommendation contrary to the OE lug nut torque.

Steel wheels have some spring to them and are great at giving tension and friction to the lug nut face to keep it from vibrating loose. Mag wheels, not so much. You'd be relying more on lug stud stretch for that tension.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

That doesn't explain why when one wheel is on the ground and the other jack up, you can't turn that wheel that's in the air.

Because the engine is not involved - turning - in this instance and it is "braking" the action.
Actually, if you have an MT, put it in 4 or 5th gear and you probably CAN turn it. Not sure, due to added differential gear multiplication. Just be sure to have the ignition OFF !
Surprising In 50 years I haven't tried this to turn an engine over when setting valve lash ....

 

[CapriRacer]

I suspect it's the aftermarket wheel manufacturer being too chicken to make a recommendation contrary to the OE lug nut torque.

Steel wheels have some spring to them and are great at giving tension and friction to the lug nut face to keep it from vibrating loose. Mag wheels, not so much. You'd be relying more on lug stud stretch for that tension.

I was thinking the same thing - that the steel wheels have a cone shaped area that easily compresses allowing more stud stretch, which also means more clamping force.

 

[Randy_R]

I was thinking the same thing - that the steel wheels have a cone shaped area that easily compresses allowing more stud stretch, which also means more clamping force.

I’ve never had aftermarket wheels with cone lug nuts. With shank nuts, I don’t increase torque. I re-torque the same 70#. After 3-4 times they set and I never have to touch them again until I remove them.

 

[Jetronic]

Because the engine is not involved - turning - in this instance and it is "braking" the action.
Actually, if you have an MT, put it in 4 or 5th gear and you probably CAN turn it. Not sure, due to added differential gear multiplication. Just be sure to have the ignition OFF !
Surprising In 50 years I haven't tried this to turn an engine over when setting valve lash ....

Yes you can. I had a car with a manual timing chain tensioner. To set it you had to have the car in 5th, undo the tensioner bolt, push the car backwards and tighten the bolt. The pushing backwards put all the chain slack on the tensioner side. The car is easy to push in 5th, almost like in neutral.

 

[CR94]

That doesn't explain why when one wheel is on the ground and the other jack up, you can't turn that wheel that's in the air.

The differential keeps the torque on left and right wheel shafts equal in magnitude and direction. When you're tightening the left lug nuts clockwise with that wheel raised, the right wheel on the ground, and the transmission in Park (or in gear with a manual), that puts forward torque on both shafts.

If the jacking set-up is iffy, the scenario above is hazardous, because the right wheel is tending to pull the vehicle forward, in direct proportion to the torque applied to the left wheel. The same applies in the reverse direction for tightening a right-side wheel.