Just got new wheels put on yesterday and aftger 50 miles they need to be retorqued. I drove 70 miles last night to my summer house so I am nowhere near the shop where I had my wheels installed. Since it's a quick job and I have a tool set, is this a do it yourself job?

 

If you have a torque wrench. You can always tighten them up on your own, but unless you have a torque wrench, I would not leave them for very long with a guesstimate of the torque. Heck, whenever I have tires changed, I take the wheels off the car, take them to the place to have them mounted, and then come home and put the wheels back on myself. I hate air wrenches. They screw up lugnuts and they sometimes strip the threads on the stud. It has happened to me.

Also, if I remember correctly, ours lugs are supposed to be torqued to 100 ft-lbs.

 

Is that regardless of type or size of wheels?

 

Well according to the owner's manual, that is the number for both our stock wheels and the temp, so I would assume that since the difference between those is so drastic, it would hold true for any wheel, but don't quote me on that.

 

Torque figures have to do with the stud (and lug nut) "SIZE" and not the wheel mounted to it.

Tire shops typically have special "max-toque calibrated" sockets for tightening lug nuts ... a different one for each lug nut size. Basically the installer is supposed to know how to use this special socket and may actually know nothing about a real torque wrench.

After finding a few loose lug-nuts on various cars over the years, I have since always checked torque after I've had my vehicles in for wheel-related service. They usually are NOT tight enough !!

I never use an impact gun to install lugs and seldom use one for removing them ... it is just too easy to mess up a lug nut or worse yet strip the threads on a stud. A cross-type lug wrench is my tool of choice and always follow with a torque wrench checking them 2 or 3 times each.

 

Why night just tighten the lugs until you cant tighten them anymore? Thats what I have always done and I'm still alive (knock on wood?).

 

Well first of all, yes you can do the torques your self if you have a torque wrench. Just do a criss cross pattern. Also on the last note. You do not want to overtighten as this often leads to warping your rotors. Rotors made these days arent as solid as they use to be. So not to hard to mess them up. So try not to put on lug nuts using air tools, wether you have a torque sensing bar for your socket or not. Best method is always a 1/2" calibrated torque ratchet with proper socket. Good luck

 

Well this is the reason (below) you should measure how hard you are putting them on. Granted for my T-Bird I did it without measuring for a long time without problems, but it can lead to problems. Especially if your "as tight as you can" varies between the lugs.

My step-dad has worked in many auto shops thru his life and has seen it happen.

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You do not want to overtighten as this often leads to warping your rotors. Rotors made these days arent as solid as they use to be. So not to hard to mess them up.

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