Do I over-torque the lugs?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Northridge CA
Do I over-torque the lugs?
I use a torque wrench to torque all my lugs to 100lbs every time the wheels are removed. Today, the 3/8" drive connector on the torque wrench broke off! It's rated up to 140lbs! Am I over-torquing the wheel lugs?!? Maybe, I should be using a 1/2" drive? Is it a bad torque-wrench? It's made in Taiwan, but they're all made in Taiwan!
Also, the tire pros guy said that I shouldn't torque the locking lugs beyond 40lbs, as any more torque will damage them. Is that :bs ?? Maybe I should just torque 'em all to 40lbs?
Also, the tire pros guy said that I shouldn't torque the locking lugs beyond 40lbs, as any more torque will damage them. Is that :bs ?? Maybe I should just torque 'em all to 40lbs?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,541
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (NoRice4Me)
I've always done 75 in a progressive star pattern. 25, then 50, then 75, including the locking nut. Not sure if 75lbs is the proper torque, but none of my wheels has fallen off yet :smash: Someone else will chime in with the "correct" torque. :hat
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,369
Likes: 51
From: New Milford CT
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (NoRice4Me)
I torque my lugs and locking lugs to exactly 100 ft/lbs. Incidentally, I too broke a 3/8" drive adapter (Sears Craftsman) but that was at about 145 ft/lbs. 100 ft/lbs is the correct figure by the book.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (NoRice4Me)
Quote<<tire pros guy said that I shouldn't torque the locking lugs beyond 40lbs>>Unquote
Hell's Bells - a first in the history of tire service. A tire tech who doesn't use the Nuclear-powered pneumatic wrench to weld the lug nuts to the studs???:lol: :jester
Service manual says 100 ft.lbs. so I torque to 35, 70, 100 in a star crossing pattern. Try 40 ft.lbs. and see how low a force it takes to reach that torque. I certainly wouldn't be trying triple-digit speeds with my wheels held on with that little force - would you?
:crazy:
Hell's Bells - a first in the history of tire service. A tire tech who doesn't use the Nuclear-powered pneumatic wrench to weld the lug nuts to the studs???:lol: :jester
Service manual says 100 ft.lbs. so I torque to 35, 70, 100 in a star crossing pattern. Try 40 ft.lbs. and see how low a force it takes to reach that torque. I certainly wouldn't be trying triple-digit speeds with my wheels held on with that little force - would you?
:crazy:
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Northridge CA
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (Patches)
Hell's Bells - a first in the history of tire service. A tire tech who doesn't use the Nuclear-powered pneumatic wrench to weld the lug nuts to the studs???:lol: :jester
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Instructor
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: Ridgetop TN
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (ruking1)
The factory does 125 ft-lb when they initially install the wheels on the line but we should use a minimum of 90 ft-lb when you reinstall.
I always use 100 ft-lb.
I always use 100 ft-lb.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 7,393
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles CA
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (NoRice4Me)
The quality of the shops in So Cal have really gone down. I went to this Northridge Tire place since both Rydell Chevy dealers send their cars there and HIGHLY recommended them to me. But I had a pretty bad experience with my wheel swap. The techs just seemed cluessless. I had to go back twice! Once for a poorly balanced LF wheel (strong vibration at 60mph+) and air loss from ALL 4 wheels (6 psi after 8 hours), then again the next day when one wheel still lost 10 psi overnight! Each time they tried to blame the new wheels (thanks to Mike at Xtreme for taking my frantic calls that day)! One tech also mounted the lugs in a CIRCULAR pattern, and when I asked that he use a torque wrench, that's when he fed me the wheel lock not over 40lbs line! At least the manager seemed very apologetic and got to work on things quickly, but I'm not going to trust them with any work in the future! These guys were suppose to be Corvette experts. So if you're getting your wheels/tires serviced at Rydell, just beware!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Northridge CA
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (JAY KOCH)
Where did you take your car? I am also using Rydell for service and would like to avoid this tire store.
I don't even go to the Northridge Rydell. They suck BIG time! They had screwed up the front quarter panels on my Z28 TWICE when putting it on the lift. I wouldn't trust them with the C5. The good advisiors and techs that used to work there are now at the Van Nuys Rydell and Calabasas Mercedes.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Northridge CA
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (allanlaw)
There is only ONE guy at Northridge Tire who knows how to work on Corvettes, or at least that was the case several months ago. I watched him mount and balance my new Firestones (shipped there directly by TireRack), and he was very careful. The lug nuts were properly torqued by hand, and he even knew had to do the relearn for the pressure sensors. However, it was clear that none of the other workers there had a clue. If this guy is gone, then you are correct - this would be a place to avoid. Of course, I can't remember his name (might have been Jose).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 7,393
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles CA
Re: Do I over-torque the lugs? (NoRice4Me)
I don't remember the name of the guy that worked on my car, but Jose doesn't ring a bell. I remember overhearing the manager Kenny mention something like 'too bad Bernard is on vacation' or something like that in a discussion they were having amongst themselves. Doesn't matter, I'm going back to Stokes Tire in the future, the extra trip to Santa Monica is worth it...
