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C5 wheel nut torque?

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Old Aug 13, 2002 | 09:45 PM
  #1  
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Default C5 wheel nut torque?

Hello! I had posted regarding this quite a while ago, and had a chance to go back to my 2001 shop manual to do some checking...

Based on the reading I've done on the Forum, and the generous feedback I received, it's fairly consistent that the torque spec for the wheel nuts is 100 ft lbs.

In my 2001 shop manual, on page 3-98, it states:

"2. Install the wheel nuts.
Tighten
Tighten the nuts in a criss-cross pattern to 190 Nm (140 lb.ft)"

I'm very concerned about this - is it a mis-print? I've already tightened by wheels to that spec and have been driving on them for several weeks . ..what could the impact be? (damaged rims/brakes?)

Your guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Jason

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Old Aug 13, 2002 | 10:07 PM
  #2  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (JasonS)

I have mine torqued to 100 ft lbs. and have had no troubles. I wouldn't worry about it! :D


[Modified by Xssesive, 5:54 PM 8/14/2002]
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Old Aug 13, 2002 | 11:11 PM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (JasonS)

Hello! I had posted regarding this quite a while ago, and had a chance to go back to my 2001 shop manual to do some checking...

Based on the reading I've done on the Forum, and the generous feedback I received, it's fairly consistent that the torque spec for the wheel nuts is 100 ft lbs.

In my 2001 shop manual, on page 3-98, it states:

"2. Install the wheel nuts.
Tighten
Tighten the nuts in a criss-cross pattern to 190 Nm (140 lb.ft)"

I'm very concerned about this - is it a mis-print? I've already tightened by wheels to that spec and have been driving on them for several weeks . ..what could the impact be? (damaged rims/brakes?)

Your guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Jason
It is in the owner's manual and even in the brake pad replacement manual to torque to 100 FT LBS.. I think the real goal is to have all 5 nuts at the same tightness.
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Old Aug 13, 2002 | 11:28 PM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (JasonS)

..what could the impact be? (damaged rims/brakes?)
You could have some braking vibrations if the all the lugs on a
particular wheel are not at the same torque levels. 100-ft-lbs is
what mine are at, and that's 2000 wheels on a 98' car as well.

:cheers:
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Old Aug 13, 2002 | 11:44 PM
  #5  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (JasonS)

Jason - Just checked my 2001 shop manual and you are absolutely right. Page 3-98 says 140 ft-lbs or 190 N-m. Page 3-92 shows 100 ft-lbs or 140 N-m. Every other reference I have seen including page 3-75 in the owner's manual says 100 ft-lbs or 140 Newton-meters. That is a serious misprint. Thanks for pointing it out.
Alan
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Old Aug 14, 2002 | 12:30 AM
  #6  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (alc2001)



.....100lbs no problems.... :yesnod:
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Old Aug 14, 2002 | 10:55 AM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (Buckmaster)

Call a dealer's shop and ask how they do it. :rolleyes: :lol: :lol: I'm sure they take extreme care to make sure the wheels are torqued to spec. :jester
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Old Aug 14, 2002 | 12:06 PM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (bierbelly)

I posted this info last year, and the strong concensus is that 100 ft/lbs is correct, the 140 in the manual is wrong. The service manual has other errors, it claims that there is an engine oil cooler in the left radiator tank (as compared to the auto trans cooler in the right tank). I've had my radiator out and, trust me, there is no engine oil cooler there.

After finding these errors I spent an entire morning on the phone trying to reach whoever is in charge of service manual corrections, either there is no such person or we are not allowed access to them. Which would explain why it took years for GM to admit that the section in the Corvette service manual that "explained" how the steering effort could be adjusted (it can't) was wrong.
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Old Aug 14, 2002 | 12:34 PM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (JasonS)

I think your quote might be a mistake. There are numerous references to 100 ft/#'s and 140 nt/m. I use 100 ft#s. Remember torque your bolts on the pull stroke not the push stroke!
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Old Aug 14, 2002 | 05:12 PM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (evil-1)

I've had my car at 130MPH with the lugs at 100 ft.-lbs. No issues here.
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Old Aug 15, 2002 | 01:02 PM
  #11  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (Stingray1967)

FWIW, some folks, including me, tighten in a star pattern at 30, then 60, to a final 90 ft-lbs without anything coming loose. The higher the torque value, as I understand it, the greater the chance of even minor variations in the tightness of individual wheel lugs leading to rotor warpage.
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Old Aug 15, 2002 | 02:44 PM
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (Gearhead Jim)

100 foot lbs :yesnod:
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Old Aug 15, 2002 | 02:53 PM
  #13  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (bierbelly)

Call a dealer's shop and ask how they do it. :rolleyes: :lol: :lol: I'm sure they take extreme care to make sure the wheels are torqued to spec. :jester
I was at a local Dealer here in SoCal a couple months ago and I watched one of their grease monkeys use an impact wrench to tighten the lug nuts on a Black Z06. I mentioned this to a Service Writer and she gave me that "deer in the headlights" look. I was tempted to leave a note on the Z06, but I didn't think they would allow me into the service bay.
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Old Aug 15, 2002 | 03:13 PM
  #14  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (OCMike)

I was in a tire/break shop yesterday checking rotors and break pad wear. When reinstalling the tires, the shop guy looked at his manual, and promptly pulled out a torque wrench!!!

Asked what he was setting it on....100lbs!

Amazing :D
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Old Aug 15, 2002 | 06:06 PM
  #15  
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Default Re: C5 wheel nut torque? (Chandlerdah)

I was in a tire/break shop yesterday checking rotors and break pad wear. When reinstalling the tires, the shop guy looked at his manual, and promptly pulled out a torque wrench!!!

Asked what he was setting it on....100lbs!

Amazing :D
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Quick! Call Guiness!!!

100 lbs./ft. here. :yesnod:
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