Wheel nut torque (or not)

Yep, I always check them too. Mine are the same numbers as yours:
209 Nm (154ftlb)for steel and 131 Nm (96 fltlb) for alloy.

But it must be pretty hard for these guys to keep track of these specs for all the different vehicles - the Prado and 80series wheel nut torque was 113Nm which is a lot different to the fatter studs on the 100series

At least they didn't strip any threads. I've never been back to TyrePower (Bulleen, Victoria) since I picked up the landcruiser and two front wheel studs were stripped. I was told "that sometimes happens on Landcruisers, we don't know why". Casper

I think it is "set the rattle gun flat out then tighten"
Tim

Personally, I'd be thankful that none of 'em were overtorqued, whereupon I'd then be free to torque 'em up myself to correct specs...
I mean, _everybody_ checks their nuts after a wheel change, right??? (and regularly thereafter, right???)....

I very much prefer the above scenario to one in which the nuts are waay overtorqued (bl@@dy rattle guns!!!) thereby potentially damaging the studs...

I'd definitely be thankin' the bloke.... YMMV;-))

Regards, Ed. C

Just ask him for two things, a loan of his rattle gun and the location of
his car in the garage carpark.

T.R.

you know some times i wonder to take a basic touque rench with me at times as if you rattle up the nuts or break your 4 cornered wheel brace you really don't know if they are too loose or too tight. what is a touque wrench worth compared with the satisfaction knowing that the job is done right!!
ps i have had 16yo in the best places doing up wheel nuts and you belive it is done right. the onus it always on us the drivers!!!

rob 0412041668

Not this morning.
This one is too good to lose.

Hi Mike

I get so I don't let them fit my wheels , good thing about having a few sets
is that when need new tyres I have just dropped in the old wheels, saves leaving the car to.

Don't torque up mine either , just make sure I go round each whel at least a couple of times with wheel brace , but before hand usually make sure the studs are in good shape with a little grease.

Then always go back next day and re-check.

Robin Miller

My local tyre dealer has a workshop policy of using the rattle gun just to spin them up, but finish off with a hand torque wrench.

What torque? Don't know, don't care.

The fact that I saw them finish of manually was good enough for me.
No chance of stripped threads or snapped studs.

i fitted tyres for about 10 years.
must have tightened 1000000000000000000 wheel nuts.
never used a torque wrench on any one of them
used to tighten with the rattle gun on lowest setting and check by hand.
number of wheels that came loose.
none.

After we bought our Hino RB145 bus (coaster size) I attempted to take a wheel off. What a nightmare!
I couldnt move the nuts with a 600mm bar on the factory wheel brace - so tried my 200 ft/lb half inch rattle gun - still no movement.
So took the vehicle to a tyre joint with a much larger compressor and a 3/4 drive 750 ft/lbs rattle gun!
Still couldnt move the nuts.
Ended up moving them with two guys (both over 100Kg) swinging on a 2 meter long piece of pipe on a 1 inch drive socket!

Have no idea why it was necessary to tighten them that tight.

The Owners handbook speifies 174-216 ft/lbs on oiled threads!

Have had instances with our cars and 4x4's where over-zealous tyre fitters have stretched the threads on the wheel studs. Any situation where it is difficult to run the nuts on by hand usually indicates that the stud threads have been stretched. Studs like this should be replaced - they will break at the most difficult time!

Wheel nuts/studs have a tightening sequence & torque setting the same as a cylinder head.
The difference is that if a cylinder head fails, it won't kill you, losing a wheel may well!