lug nuts

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Sep 29, 2011 | 12:32 PM

1911colt

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 116

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From: Natick Ma

lug nuts

Could someone be kind enough to tell me what the lug nuts on my '09 should be torqued to?I have the chrome "Gumby" wheels.Looked for it in the owners manual but couldn't find it...... Thanks for your help!

Sep 29, 2011 | 12:42 PM

wysiwyg

Racer

Joined: May 2008

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From: San Antonio TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1911colt

100 ft-lbs

Sep 29, 2011 | 12:56 PM

cclive

Team Owner

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From: Southern Utah

100

Sep 29, 2011 | 12:58 PM

GOLD72

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From: Missouri City, TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by wysiwyg

100 ft-lbs

Sep 29, 2011 | 12:59 PM

Larry/car

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From: Manheim Pennsylvania

It is in the manual. Try looking at the specifications section.

Sep 29, 2011 | 01:14 PM

Wayne88

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From: Bergen County, NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by wysiwyg

100 ft-lbs

But in over 40 years of messing around with cars I've always tightened them by hand, without a torque wrench.
I never heard of a wheel falling off because the lug nuts fell off.

Sep 29, 2011 | 02:04 PM

Knob Jockey

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Joined: Oct 2007

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From: Edgewood Washington

St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15

Tighten and torque them with the car off the ground.

The wheels are lug-centric.

Sep 29, 2011 | 02:15 PM

eboggs_jkvl

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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati

2015 C7 of the Year Finalist

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne88

But in over 40 years of messing around with cars I've always tightened them by hand, without a torque wrench.
I never heard of a wheel falling off because the lug nuts fell off.

Falling off isn't the sneaky issue. Non-consistent or improper torque of the bolts can warp the rotors.

Elmer

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Sep 29, 2011 | 02:32 PM

PHXAZ06

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Quote:

Originally Posted by eboggs_jkvl

Falling off isn't the sneaky issue. Non-consistent or improper torque of the bolts can warp the rotors.

Elmer

And/or the wheel

Sep 29, 2011 | 04:22 PM

#10

Gearhead Jim

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2000

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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago

St. Jude Donor '13

The 100 lb/ft is for dry- no oil, antiseize, etc.

Sep 29, 2011 | 04:56 PM

#11

ohmy

Melting Slicks

Joined: Mar 2007

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From: Central NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne88

But in over 40 years of messing around with cars I've always tightened them by hand, without a torque wrench.
I never heard of a wheel falling off because the lug nuts fell off.

me too...

Quote:

Originally Posted by eboggs_jkvl

Falling off isn't the sneaky issue. Non-consistent or improper torque of the bolts can warp the rotors.

Elmer

did you ever see how they do it at the dealership or a tire store? air gun set to 200, star pattern optional...

Sep 29, 2011 | 05:17 PM

#12

C8-Vette

Safety Car

Joined: Jul 2004

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From: Wantagh,L.I. New York

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohmy

me too...

Did you ever see how they do it at the dealership or a tire store? air gun set to 200, star pattern optional...

Did you ever try removing lug nut by hand with a bar wrench that were torqued to 200 lbs plus? Amost impossible without destroying the wrench.
As for hand tight, you got to be nuts!!

Last edited by C8-Vette; Sep 29, 2011 at 05:20 PM.

Sep 29, 2011 | 07:11 PM

#13

R50THC5

Burning Brakes

Joined: May 2006

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From: Englewood OH

Just had to deal with that today left front wheel . Was a bit pi$$ed but broke the lugs free and then re trq 100 lbs as abv said

Sep 29, 2011 | 07:38 PM

#14

MikeyTX

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From: Big Bend Country, TX

St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15- '16-'17-‘18-‘19-'20-'21

NCM Lifetime Member

Just don't use JB Weld when you re install as a thread lube ................

Sep 29, 2011 | 08:37 PM

#15

Honch

Instructor

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 102

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From: Brownsburg IN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne88

But in over 40 years of messing around with cars I've always tightened them by hand, without a torque wrench.
I never heard of a wheel falling off because the lug nuts fell off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohmy

me too...

did you ever see how they do it at the dealership or a tire store? air gun set to 200, star pattern optional...

Yes and on the end of the gun is most likely an item called a torque stick which limits the impact action of the gun to a specific torque. Arguably not the best way of measuring torque but not the same as a uncontrolled impact gun.

ARP (the racing fastener company) notes that the ability of a fastener material to rebound (like a spring) is what really provides the clamping force. Different materials tend to react differently to these conditions. As a result, different fasteners are designed for different tasks.

ARP also states that if a fastener is over-torqued, it stretches too much. Because of this, the yield will have been exceeded, and for all intents and purposes, the fastener is ruined.

When engineers determine torque values they will also take into consideration the expansion of the clamped materials such as an aluminum wheel on a steel rotor. An aluminum wheel that is hot from performance driving or heavy braking will expand causing the bolt to stretch even further.

Why even take the risk when it only takes a few minutes to torque them to their design spec.

Sep 29, 2011 | 09:57 PM

#16

MikeyTX

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From: Big Bend Country, TX

St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15- '16-'17-‘18-‘19-'20-'21

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Always carry a band aid ..............

And if the screw under yer belly button ever backs out, guess what falls off .........................

Sep 29, 2011 | 10:22 PM

#17

ohmy

Melting Slicks

Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 2,485

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From: Central NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by c6vette

Did you ever try removing lug nut by hand with a bar wrench that were torqued to 200 lbs plus? Amost impossible without destroying the wrench.
As for hand tight, you got to be nuts!!

that was exactly my point! I once had to use a 4 foot steal pipe at the end of the wrench to get the lug nuts loose, I ended up bending the wrench and yelling at the dealer for doing that to my wheels, not to mention leaving me unable to remove the wheel if need to put the spare on! even though I found this out when changing my brake pads at the comfort of my garage, I was NOT happy... however, the rotors and wheels never warped even with the lug nuts over torqued to the extreme...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honch

you're assuming the dealership knows what they're doing!

see my comment above

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