So, this is going to be a bit hard to explain.
Purchased a used 2020 Ecoboost Conv a few months ago and finally got around to pulling off the tires to see how much meat were left on the break pads. The front driver's side tire lugs were a beast to get off and then soon realized that the rim was seized to the rotor (did the obligatory curse of the last person to touch it). Used PB Blaster and dead-blow mallet to finally get it off. There was a lot less rust and crap than I was expecting. Brushed it off, used a wire Dremel attachment to clean it up, rotor hat and inside of rim. Sprayed it down with brake cleaner. All good. Went to put the tire back on and where all the other tires torqued easily to 150-lbs this tire seemed awfully difficult to get there and I'm underselling it. I'm a big guy and shouldn't have any probs applying 150-ft.lbs with a decent 1/2 inch torque wrench. No adult that is venturing to work on their own car should. Checked the setting on my torque wrench 3 times just because, and have to wonder if I'm going to have the same problems when I go to take this wheel off when it comes time to change the pads.

Does this even sound remotely familiar to anyone?

Topic Updated To Help Others Find Info & Moved To Service Help Forum!
KC Admin

 

Sounds Odd. If I Get an Unruly Lug & Stud I Would With Tire Removed Check Each Nut By Hand and if Any Bind I Would Wire Brush The Bad Stud and Then Lube up a Lug Nut and Use an Impact and Run it In & Out To Free up. As Far As The Wheel Sticking Make Sure it Does Not Have A Burr Somewhere on Rotor or Wheel Itself. Might Also Swap Wheel From Side To Side To Test if Issue is Wheel or Rotor. Are These Stock Wheels or Aftermarket. Oem Should Fit Like a Glove! Aftermarket Who Knows!

KC

 

150 ft-lb sounds high to me, first I would check that .... maybe the new lugs need this much but I always go a little over 100

What do you mean you could not get to 150 ft-lb? Did the nut just keep turning forever, and the torque never came up? Or you couldn't push hard enough on the wrench to get it to 150?

If the nut keeps turning, that means the threads are stripped, hopefully in the nut not the stud.

If the torque come up early but the nut keeps turning and the torque never rises, then the threads probably are buggered up and/or stripped.

If you are having trouble applying 150 ft-lb, get a longer wrench.

 

150 ft lbs is correct. Sounded high to me at first but that is the number that you can pull up all over.
Link to the owner's manual
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...&buildtype=web

It's not a single nut and the threads are fine. It's all 5 on a single tire where there was zero issue on getting up to 150 on the other tires. Rims are OEM.
The nuts didn't keep spinning it's just that I thought the force needed was excessive compared to how the other tires felt. Torque wrench has a range from 50 to 250, so it isn't like 150 is it's top number. If it were a single bolt I would have figured that I missed the click and was over torquing, but it was all 5 and on the tire that I had a dickens of a time removing. I'm thinking that the last person ran into the same thing I'm experiencing.

 

I think the newer cars have fine pitch thread on the lug nuts and that is the reason for the higher torque value

force should be exactly the same because that's how torque works -- it is force times distance; distance is the length of the lever arm, which is the wrench; so if you are using the same wrench and not "choking up" on it, then the force should be the same

I'm guessing the threads are buggered up ... I would take a lug nut off and check the threads carefully on the stud, also look inside the lug nut to see if there are broken threads .... maybe try cleaning up the threads, I like to put a very light coating of anti-seize on mine and use that as a cleaner with a paper towel or something to clean the threads .... or maybe swap lug nuts from the normal wheel to the wheel that is acting up

hopefully the threads on the studs are good and you just need new lug nuts

 

I can't really add anything, just wanted to subscribe as I found this intriguing. Never ran into a problem like that.

I do find it interesting that the first time he took it off, that one wheel was stuck on. Gotta be a connection there as well.

Hope you find something out and it's a simple fix.

 

@Mike8307

FYI, For Those With Sticky Wheels!

Here is The Ford Shop Manual Procedure For a 2015-2023

Ford Advises Anti Seize on Wheel To Pilot Bore! That Would Explain Sticking Wheel But Not Feel So Much of Torquing Down Unless Wheel Binds as it Pulls Down! A Little Oil or Just a Smidge of White Grease Perhaps Put on Bore To Test Would Work Vs Paying Big Bucks For The Anti Seize!

They Also Advise A Retorque after 100 Miles! When Has Any Shop Ever Told You To Come Back For That!

KC