Retorquing lug nuts

[truck2014]

Got a flat one morning early in company truck F 150. Had to get extended bar and it took 2 of us standing and flexing on dat cheater bar to break lug nuts free.

Next morning went to garage where company had account ref repairs and lost my turkey mind. The service chief guy whom I knew was not happy. I had them get out there and loosen all nuts. Tighten to snug and then use torque wrench each lug and I stood there watching.

I cringe at the thought of that 21 year old if he’s that old , installing a new set of tires on my truck . It’s the only time they get to do it , after that I do my own rotations . This last set was so tight on my first rotation , I had to take an eighteen inch breaker , and a cheater pipe on it to get them loose . It’s troublesome when they get cranked that tight , and stretch those threads .

I like the tire shop , it’s where I buy all my vehicle tires . My next set they will definitely do it right .

 

[Dean2]

I cringe at the thought of that 21 year old if he’s that old , installing a new set of tires on my truck . It’s the only time they get to do it , after that I do my own rotations . This last set was so tight on my first rotation , I had to take an eighteen inch breaker , and a cheater pipe on it to get them loose . It’s troublesome when they get cranked that tight , and stretch those threads .

I like the tire shop , it’s where I buy all my vehicle tires . My next set they will definitely do it right .

Have to agree. I have had more than a few very frank discussions with shop managers and owners. Those that don't get it and properly address the issues, I just don't go back. There are lots who want to do a great job.

 

[LouM]

You mean something like this, with 300 pounds on the pipe to start them to moving?

 

[4xdad]

After reading all the comments time for my 2 cents. Imho retorqueing is important. Especially if you have the tires done by someone else. Aluminum is softer than steel so if the lugs are loose they will be more likely to shift around and wallow out. As for never seize use it but less is. If you are running aluminum rims put n/s on the mounting face of the wheel. The wheels on the kids f-150 had electrolisis welded to the rotor so bad that he had to chain it to a tree and use the winch on the pw to get it off (all 4 what apita).

 

[4xdad]

As for hose water still drink it. Running with scissors is not a worry anymore because I don’t run anymore. But I do use a chainsaw alot. Still drive like an idiot when I know I can get away with it and I know that there is little chance of hurting my truck. You are only young once but you can be immature forever.

 

[4xdad]

One of the first and best things I bought for my truck was solid steel lug nuts the stock ones with the metal sleeve do not hold up to a duggadugga wrench. Once they are stripped you are in for apita to get them off

 

[TheDude9040]

Returning to verify wheel nut torque has been an SOP everywhere in North America since a crazy amount of litigation from runaway wheels.

I check my own at home and have yet to find one nut loose, others will often claim they have.

I also use anti-seize on the wheel nut studs and torque to a non-dry torque of 105 ft pounds.

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I am not one to tell a man he is wrong for doing something... BUT. I just cannot condone lubricant of any kind on lug nuts. First reason is it will change the clamping torque. Torquing to 105 lb-ft dry will have x clamping force. torquing to 105 lubricated will have x times y clamping force... It is well established that over-torquing lugs will stretch the studs. Not saying your specific practice is dangerous just pointing out my observation, being that you could be stretching your studs without realizing it. Never have had problems with properly torqued dry lug nuts coming off (with an impact of course).

 

[turkeybird56]

You mean something like this, with 300 pounds on the pipe to start them to moving?

View attachment 563561

YUP, but in my instance, with the "Company" F150 at o-dark 30, it took (2) of us bouncing on a cheater bar with pipe to get lugs broken.

 

[alex6666]

Just a week ago I happened to be getting my winters shifted to summers and asked the tire shop if they ever see any issues when people don't retorque. He tells me of a couple occasions where people didn't return for retorque and had their tires go flying off. Says he occasionally finds bolts that weren't torqued right or backed off. I have skipped retorques with no issues and alternatively return for the free retorque. The process is there to shift liability to you if something goes wrong I guess. Do it.....it's free and peace of mind is worth a lot.

 

[RamDiver]

I am not one to tell a man he is wrong for doing something... BUT. I just cannot condone lubricant of any kind on lug nuts. First reason is it will change the clamping torque. Torquing to 105 lb-ft dry will have x clamping force. torquing to 105 lubricated will have x times y clamping force... It is well established that over-torquing lugs will stretch the studs. Not saying your specific practice is dangerous just pointing out my observation, being that you could be stretching your studs without realizing it. Never have had problems with properly torqued dry lug nuts coming off (with an impact of course).

Do you use anti seize or impact drill on your lug nuts

So what do you guys do for lugs? Ever since we had a case where a family left a tire shop and a tire came off and killed a kid back in the late 80's, I have tried to do my own work that I can at the tire. A few times I let the shop do this such as when I had them replace an axle, but I rotate...

www.ramforum.com

.

 

[Marshall]

I have mentioned this before here, Dad bought a new ram 1500 in late 80's and soon after had a nail, him and brother broke off 2 studs getting that wheel off to fix it, he had a tire machine.
I went down with my big snap on torque wrench ,turned all the way up would click and only a couple other nuts would turn.
Dad took it back to the dealer and had them take off all the bolts , about 1/2 broke with a 3/4" air wrench.
He made them replace everything. It helps when you deal with the same dealer for 70 yrs.

BTW , The GM dealer has bought them out now, same family dealer since 1920? or so.
Standard Motors Chev, Olds, Cadillac, +now Buick, Chrysler/ Ram, Nissan that where owned by the Ram guys. Only other is Honda & Ford in town these days.

I figured all those nuts where at about 300lbs , don't know if factory or dealer did that crap.
Out on the road , there would have been no way to change a tire even with a set of tools.
Dad always carried a full set of tools.
He was still restoring cars and farming when he passed in 2005 at 86
Sorry ,I am rambling again with my coffee.

 

[rzr6-4]

Start nuts by hand, run them down with the impact to the first ugga-dugga and stop, then do them to full tq with a tq wrench, going through the pattern twice. When I restart the star pattern for the second go-around, the first couple from the first go around will usually turn 10-15 degrees but the later ones usually don't turn. Once that's done, I don't think about it at all until they need to come off again.

I used to just use the impact but after rotating the tires on my dad's sierra, he got a flat tire and wasn't able to get the nuts off with a hand wrench. Got ripped for that and told not to go so tight. Well the next time I only gave them maybe a second of ugga-duggas, and after a while he had a wheel come loose going down the road. Ripped again. (In my defense I was in high school at the time, learned a lot since then.)

I keep a breaker bar in the tool box so I think if I favored on the high end of the ugga-dugga scale I would be fine as I can always get them off with the breaker, but for the sake of consistency I just figure using a tq wrench isn't that hard, we have a nice one so I just use it and don't have to worry. No need to recheck when it's done correctly the first time.

 

[4xdad]

Oh and don’t use wheel spacers don’t be cheap and get the proper rims. Tell the wife it’s a safety thing because it is.

 

[turkeybird56]

Start nuts by hand, run them down with the impact to the first ugga-dugga and stop, then do them to full tq with a tq wrench, going through the pattern twice. When I restart the star pattern for the second go-around, the first couple from the first go around will usually turn 10-15 degrees but the later ones usually don't turn. Once that's done, I don't think about it at all until they need to come off again.

I used to just use the impact but after rotating the tires on my dad's sierra, he got a flat tire and wasn't able to get the nuts off with a hand wrench. Got ripped for that and told not to go so tight. Well the next time I only gave them maybe a second of ugga-duggas, and after a while he had a wheel come loose going down the road. Ripped again. (In my defense I was in high school at the time, learned a lot since then.)

I keep a breaker bar in the tool box so I think if I favored on the high end of the ugga-dugga scale I would be fine as I can always get them off with the breaker, but for the sake of consistency I just figure using a tq wrench isn't that hard, we have a nice one so I just use it and don't have to worry. No need to recheck when it's done correctly the first time.

I keep a breaker bar and also 6 point 22 mm Depot socket in the truck just in case I have an issue.
When I travel, I always carry my torque wrench and also a 3 ton bottle wrench jack in case I have any issue

 

[4xdad]

Yeah I carry a breaker bar with multiple size sockets plus a high lift bottle jack and when camping a high lift jack

 

[Sherman Bird]

After reading all the comments time for my 2 cents. Imho retorqueing is important. Especially if you have the tires done by someone else. Aluminum is softer than steel so if the lugs are loose they will be more likely to shift around and wallow out. As for never seize use it but less is. If you are running aluminum rims put n/s on the mounting face of the wheel. The wheels on the kids f-150 had electrolisis welded to the rotor so bad that he had to chain it to a tree and use the winch on the pw to get it off (all 4 what apita).

Old solution to the "frozen" wheel problem: Remove all but 3 of the lug nuts. Leave the three lug nuts loosened up

I keep a breaker bar and also 6 point 22 mm Depot socket in the truck just in case I have an issue.
When I travel, I always carry my torque wrench and also a 3 ton bottle wrench jack in case I have any issue

I had to remove the driver's side wheels (front and rear.) The front wheel being of gave me room to remove/ install a reman engine, and the rear allowed me to replace the fuel pump on the 2002 RAM 1500 I recently did all the major work on.

In both instances, the chrome sheet metal encased lug nuts had been molested by some ham fist(s) impact to the point that I had to hammer a 22mm deep impact socket on every one of them, remove the lug not from the wheel stud, then go to the vice and drive the further molested nuts out with a punch, and toss them in the trash.

The new nuts from O'Reilly's were of the Dorman make, and solid chrome. One wonders why the sheet metal covering was ever done in the first place!

 

[Wild one]

Old solution to the "frozen" wheel problem: Remove all but 3 of the lug nuts. Leave the three lug nuts loosened up

I had to remove the driver's side wheels (front and rear.) The front wheel being of gave me room to remove/ install a reman engine, and the rear allowed me to replace the fuel pump on the 2002 RAM 1500 I recently did all the major work on.

In both instances, the chrome sheet metal encased lug nuts had been molested by some ham fist(s) impact to the point that I had to hammer a 22mm deep impact socket on every one of them, remove the lug not from the wheel stud, then go to the vice and drive the further molested nuts out with a punch, and toss them in the trash.

The new nuts from O'Reilly's were of the Dorman make, and solid chrome. One wonders why the sheet metal covering was ever done in the first place!

A set of these 1/2 mm sockets are life savers Sherm.

Amazon.com

For the Canucks

Amazon.ca

 

[hallmarc47]

Wow, I've never had a tire shop say anything at all about returning to re-torque the nuts or told me to do it. And the times I've watched the tire guy rotate my tires or put new tires on, I've never seen a torque wrench in anybody's hand. Haven't lost a nut or a tire, either. I'm 77 y/o, so been driving a long time.

 

[RamDiver]

Wow, I've never had a tire shop say anything at all about returning to re-torque the nuts or told me to do it. And the times I've watched the tire guy rotate my tires or put new tires on, I've never seen a torque wrench in anybody's hand. Haven't lost a nut or a tire, either. I'm 77 y/o, so been driving a long time.

Maybe, you should buy lottery tickets, you've been cheating death from runaway wheels for so long.

.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Maybe, you should buy lottery tickets, you've been cheating death from runaway wheels for so long.

.

Like Russian Roulette.... "Been playin' for 30 years! Haven't shot myself yet!".