Is it a bad idea.....
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 654
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From: Scarborough
Is it a bad idea.....
To take off/put back on, my tires by hand. This means I can only estimate the tourque, or tighten as tight as I can. I have done this with many other cars, but this is not just any other car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,479
Likes: 13
From: Dallas/Grand Prairie Texas
I've done it...
I took all 4 of mine off when I painted my callipers red.
Since then, I've been up to 140 mph, one of them came off though and it was horrible, almost died.......hahaaa joking!
No problems at all, and I have had it up to 140mph with no probs.
Since then, I've been up to 140 mph, one of them came off though and it was horrible, almost died.......hahaaa joking!
No problems at all, and I have had it up to 140mph with no probs.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 905
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
In my opinion it is a bad idea. I would tighten them as best I could and then drive to a local wheel shop and ask them to torque them properly for me even if it meant paying them. Cheap insurance . . . 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
From: Tampa FL
Originally Posted by Patches
In my opinion it is a bad idea. I would tighten them as best I could and then drive to a local wheel shop and ask them to torque them properly for me even if it meant paying them. Cheap insurance . . .
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
Lepus-temperamentalus
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,827
Likes: 5
From: Roswell Ga
Craftsman Beam Torque Wrench
Sears item #00944642000 Mfr. model #44642
Beam-type. Separate English and Metric scales. Graduated indicator tip offers line-on-line reading to help eliminate parallax error. Torque accurate to 4 percent. $29.99
You can't swing $29.99 to do it right?
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Scarborough
Originally Posted by Neablas
sorry patches I will disagree with you.
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 654
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From: Scarborough
Originally Posted by JACKAL0PE
Craftsman Beam Torque Wrench
Sears item #00944642000 Mfr. model #44642
Beam-type. Separate English and Metric scales. Graduated indicator tip offers line-on-line reading to help eliminate parallax error. Torque accurate to 4 percent. $29.99
You can't swing $29.99 to do it right?
See how useless I am, I never knew of this tool. I thought I would need to buy a hydraulic tool. Thanks, off to sears!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 1
From: Augusta GA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by DickieC.99
you refering to tightening the lug nuts thecorrect amount? Just buy a torque wrench...
Hell I can even calibrate it for you if you wana get realy acurate... I change my wheels and tires before and after the trips to the 1/4, which reminds me, I have to take the drs off and mount the chromies back on 
and it is 70 here today!!! 
Dave
PS do not get a bar type, get a twisting handle indicator type, and it will eliminate error due to line of site. Snap on, sears ect and most physical and dimension test equipment is calibrated to 10%. I am not a PMEL Tech anymore, but I played one on TV
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 905
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Originally Posted by Neablas
sorry patches I will disagree with you.
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
Notice I recommended a "wheel shop". Most custom and aftermarket wheel shops are sticklers for properly mounting tires and torqueing lugnuts because it is their primary business. It's tire shops, car dealer service departments and sloppy independent mechanics that I've had trouble with.I should have said "premium" wheel shop but I assumed (probably wrongly) that's what would be understood. Also this whole discussion is based on his not having or knowing how to use a torque wrench. Several here have suggested getting one which I, of course, endorse. Failing that, I would trust a high-end wheel shop to get me by until I bought my own.
Let me also add that, as a mech. engineer, I
when people disregard torque specs. 
But that's just me. Most important thing is - be safe.
Last edited by Patches; Feb 8, 2005 at 03:33 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,038
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07
I have been tightening mine by hand, for years. You just get a feel for it.
And I don't mean tighten them as tight as you can. I believe my dad called
the setting, "good and snug"! If you adopt this approach, its a good idea
to check them a month or so later to make sure they're still secure.
And I don't mean tighten them as tight as you can. I believe my dad called
the setting, "good and snug"! If you adopt this approach, its a good idea
to check them a month or so later to make sure they're still secure.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,479
Likes: 13
From: Dallas/Grand Prairie Texas
Triple Disagreement
Originally Posted by Patches
I'll disagree with your disagreement. Notice I recommended a "wheel shop". Most custom and aftermarket wheel shops are sticklers for properly mounting tires and torqueing lugnuts because it is their primary business. It's tire shops, car dealer service departments and sloppy independent mechanics that I've had trouble with.
Notice I recommended a "wheel shop". Most custom and aftermarket wheel shops are sticklers for properly mounting tires and torqueing lugnuts because it is their primary business. It's tire shops, car dealer service departments and sloppy independent mechanics that I've had trouble with.I had my new tires put on by a Goodyear store of all place.....(Goodyear, the maker of stock C5 tires to begin with) and not only did they put them on too tight, but they got my back two rims crossed.
The sensors were reading opposite air pressure. Said the back left was off, when in reality it was the back right. I had to take it back and have them keep the switch the rims with the tires. The right tires were on the wrong rims and rims on the wrong sides....
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,208
Likes: 2
From: Rochester MN
CI 5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
NCM Ambassador
I agree that this is a DYI thing, but as with all DYI projects, proper tools and techniques are important. Get a torque wrench and tignten them to 100ft/lbs using a star pattern (I bring them up to 100 in 3 passes, 1st to 50, 2nd to 75 and last to 100). Then check them a week or so later just to be sure they stay properly torqued.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge Louisiana
Originally Posted by Neablas
sorry patches I will disagree with you.
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
most shops will actually over tighten your lug nuts.
i pull my tires by hand all the time, just make sure you torque em' down good and after drivig 100 or so miles, do it again.
and when you torque em' do it in a criss-cross pattern.
This is what I do too.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 66
From: Hurst, TX USA
Remember the proper torque is not so much so the wheel will stay on, but to distribute the forces evenly on the brake rotor. If you get all the studs tightened to the same torque you should be OK, but if not you could get the dreaded warped rotor...
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
From: Newport AR
If you don't own a torque wrench, or if you do own one, but don't know how to calibrate it yourself, take it to someone who does. Tire changers at most tire places are guys who couldn't get a job at McDonalds asking "want to supersize that?", so I definitely wouldn't trust them. I have watched them change commercial truck tires and tractor tires and compact car tires without ever changng the torque setting on their air wrenches and some commercial truck and tractor tires require several hundred ft lbs of torque that would snap the lugs on most cars.