Inconsistent Lug Nut Torque from Shop!

[Turk]

So I did my Semi-Annual rear drum brake cleaning on my 2000 Saturn SL2.

Two of the Lug Nuts were torque'd on VERY TIGHT! Could barely get them off with the star wrench!

Discount Tire was the last place during a rotate & balance...

Does anyone else run into inconsistent Lug Nut torque from a shop (if you ever check)??

 

[gregk24]

Im not surprised, no pride in workmanship these days.

 

[Leo99]

How much variability would you consider "inconsistent"? +/- 1 ft-lb, 5 ft-lbs, 10? My lug nut spec is 76 ft-lbs. I just zip them on with my impact wrench for 3 seconds per lug after they snug. I'm guessing it's about 80 to 90ft-lbs.

If I checked, I'm sure they are +/- 5ft-lbs but what does it matter?

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
How much variability would you consider "inconsistent"? +/- 1 ft-lb, 5 ft-lbs, 10? My lug nut spec is 76 ft-lbs. I just zip them on with my impact wrench for 3 seconds per lug after they snug. I'm guessing it's about 80 to 90ft-lbs.

If I checked, I'm sure they are +/- 5ft-lbs but what does it matter?



Oh WAY more than that.......... Didn't you read my post?

I posted I could BARELY get 2 off with a star wrench, all others were easy!!

 

[JHZR2]

Corrosion can play into this substantially.

 

[Charlie1935]

That's why I tell them use no air guns on my wheels.
Then when I get home I re-torque them.

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Corrosion can play into this substantially.


All threads look good; that wasn't it. They were MASSIVELY over-torqued!
Just rotated & balanced 2 weeks ago!

 

[andyd]

I want the lugs tight enough so that the wheel doesn't fall off. And they must be loose enough so that I can change the wheel with my tools. 2 were tight to keep the wheel on

 

[HerrStig]

There's a liability issue created by loose nuts which fall off, so many installers overtighten. I always check with a 1/2 inch torque wrench when someone else has been at my lugnuts, especially with alloy wheels. I have found things a little better when the installer uses a torque stick, but I don't know how good they really are.

 

[robertcope]

I don't think I've ever gone to a shop that properly torqued my lugs (or anything else). When I have to take one of my cars to a shop, I check it all afterwards.

robert

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
How much variability would you consider "inconsistent"? +/- 1 ft-lb, 5 ft-lbs, 10? My lug nut spec is 76 ft-lbs. I just zip them on with my impact wrench for 3 seconds per lug after they snug. I'm guessing it's about 80 to 90ft-lbs.

If I checked, I'm sure they are +/- 5ft-lbs but what does it matter?


I bet you would be surprised. Why not buy some torque sticks for the impact and do it right? Torque stick it to a close-to-spec number then torque by hand to spec?

If I ran my impact for three seconds per lug, they'd break off or something. They would be massively over torqued at the very least.

robert

 

[Rand]

AT the DT by me they use a low setting impact w/ torque stick then finish with a torque wrench.. that should be foolproof.. but sometimes you get a fool.

I do retorque mine after 100miles. if they dont move I set it 10lb higher and if they still dont move then I loosen and retorque..

and then go back in another 100miles to check them.

 

[Turk]

I bet the person kept the Impact Wrench on WAY TOO LONG on 2 of them.
Then, when they go back with a Torque Wrench, they were already over-tightened.

A Torque Wrench does nothing if they're already over the torque setting!!

 

[buck91]

DT does air gun them on but they use torque sticks followed by hand torque wrench every time I've been. Never had an issue that I've noticed.

 

[Vikas]

Doesn't DT allow you to be near the vehicle when they are working on it? Why were you not watching the guy who did the work?

 

[Kuato]

Not one bit surprised.

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Why were you not watching the guy who did the work?


Serious??

There was 2 large vehicles between me and where my tiny Saturn was, I always watch when I can, but how could I see this one??

Then, am I suppose to run a timer for each lugnut too? If I run a timer, what if I get it confused with another Tech's impact wrench? If it is on 1 second too long, am I suppose to run in there and say: HEY! STOP!!! You were on that lugnut too long!!!!!" BACK OFF THAT LUGNUT. NOW!

I think I'm done posting here.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: Turk
So I did my Semi-Annual rear drum brake cleaning on my 2000 Saturn SL2.

Two of the Lug Nuts were torque'd on VERY TIGHT! Could barely get them off with the star wrench!

Discount Tire was the last place during a rotate & balance...

Does anyone else run into inconsistent Lug Nut torque from a shop (if you ever check)??


What do you expect from a $10 an hour tire tech ???

 

[B20z]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
What do you expect from a $10 an hour tire tech ???


Their rate of pay is irrelevant. Like others, I expect them to perform the tasks for which they are compensated. A lot of these shops proudly boast that they torque-to-spec and print the spec for the vehicle right on the w/o. And yet, I also have never had my tires properly torqued. Ever. I bring a wrench and redo it properly in the parking lot, and then again in 50mi.

 

[4wheeldog]

Whenever I have something done that requires the wheels to be off (New tires, rotation etc) the first thing I do when I get home is retighten the lugs. By that I mean, I back each one off with a cross wrench, and resnug in a cross pattern.

I have a cross wrench in each vehicle, and I do NOT want to find an overtightened lug when I (Or my lovely wife) need to change a flat. Also.....If someone overtightened a lug, damaging the stud, I want to know now, not 6 months from now.

Anal? I suppose. But not leaving oneself to the vagaries of a tire monkey is only good sense.