Do dealer use air guns or torque wrenches?

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Dealer techs are paid on a "flat rate" basis. The quicker they can finish the job, and move on, the more money they make. No one cares about torquing lugs nuts to the right value. They do care that the wheel does not come off, so over-torque is the name of the game.
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Most reputable dealers use Torque Sticks. They are normally good to within 5 ft lbs of torque on wheel nuts.
 
I think it also depends on what the particular tech's specialty is. A tech that does brake and suspension work exclusively will tend to use a torque wrench on a wheel over a lube tech to do rotates and wallet flushes.
 
The dealer I bought my certified Pilot from used air guns, and then borrowed the local Silverback gorilla from the Chicago zoo and had him then tighten up everything with a 36" breaker bar. They don't care one bit (usually).
 
On larger trucks they use either a large gun or a torque stick. A car size gun wont make enough torque so they have to tighten it with a torque stick.
 
+1 for impact wrenches. On our Jeeps the lug nut is a 2 piece unit...every time the dealer (or tire place, for that matter) does something with the wheels, I have to replace several of them.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Dealer techs are paid on a "flat rate" basis. The quicker they can finish the job, and move on, the more money they make. No one cares about torquing lugs nuts to the right value. They do care that the wheel does not come off, so over-torque is the name of the game.
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I would have to say....Approx. correct!

The sticks only work with exact air pressure and other stuff so the impact stops at the correct tightness. It is very rare to see all the techs with the same air gun. And of course the level of wear in each air tool varies as well as air pressure depending on proximity to the compressor.

The checking of torque with tq wrenches is mostly for show so the tech doesn't get in trouble and so the customer sees it (if they are watching). And to verify for the tech (sometimes green techs) that they did indeed tighten all the wheels before backing it out.

I hope that my observation(s)/experience doesn't hurt anybody's feelings about their wheel torque.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
The dealer I bought my certified Pilot from used air guns, and then borrowed the local Silverback gorilla from the Chicago zoo and had him then tighten up everything with a 36" breaker bar. (usually).

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I despise torque sticks purely because people depend on them too much. Personally what I did when I turned wrenches and what I do now is use the impact gun to zip the lug nuts/bolts on snug. I then follow with a torque wrench set to the proper value.
 
Originally Posted By: Gene K
On larger trucks they use either a large gun or a torque stick. A car size gun wont make enough torque so they have to tighten it with a torque stick.


What are you calling a torque stick? I'm pretty sure its something besides what I'm thinking of?
torque stick

I usually use a torque stick thats slightly below How tight I want it then finish off with a torque wrench.
 
If its a good car they better, try using an impact gun on a Jag or Mercedes and the shop will be buying you brakes and possible wheels.

Last guy who got an impact gun near my Mercedes got chewed out. Torque wrench, 80ft pounds its not rocket science.
 
Personally I use the lowest ft/lb torque stick which limits to about 50 ft/lbs of torque with car still in air and bring it down and do correct torque with torque wrench. Doing just torque wrench after hand backing every bolt/nut in all the way takes too long.
 
I use my impact on anything i can possible use it on. When your doing it as a profession you get used to using power tools and pneumatic's. I could "probably" do my job with only hand tools, but at the end of the day i would be to tired to drive home.
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On wheels i hit them with the torque stick to start, and finish with a torque wrench ... unless we have an unruly mob of customers waiting for service, then i just use the torque stick, but go over all the lug nuts twice over with it.
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Originally Posted By: Nyquist
Most reputable dealers use Torque Sticks. They are normally good to within 5 ft lbs of torque on wheel nuts.


+1

I have checked torque sticks several times on different vehicles and they were +/- 5 ftlbs. I have not found them to be sensitive to air pressure or the setting of the impact.
 
When I got my tires rotated at Discount Tire, I checked the torque on them a month later and was shocked to discover that they were all 20 FT LBS below factory specifications. They used air guns.

I think the people at the oil change places also use air guns because when I changed my own oil for the first time, I had a hard time getting the drain plug off. It felt like it was torqued it to 50 FT LBS. I'm just glad the threads weren't stripped.
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
What do new car dealers use for installing lug nuts?
costco uses torque wrenches, at least in my city.
Anyone know for sure?
Some air guns put out 300 ft lbs
 
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