Wheel Lock: No Torque Wrench?

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I have seen in both NTB and Discount Tires, the Tire Tech would use the impact wrench on all five of my lug nuts, then lower the wehicle to the ground, he would then torque the four regular lug nuts down with a torque wrench, but he would not touch the wheel lock again.

Why is this? Any given moment I have got one under torque lug nut per wheel?
 
Simply lazy, and wrong. Technically they should have used the impact (with torque stick) on the four lugs and then check the lugs with a torque wrench and then tighten the wheel lock with a torque wrench only. Oh they should not use an impact to take the wheel lock off either.

Now you know.
 
He's probably just checking that he didn't break any studs. He doesn't want them to break off at least until you try to remove the wheel.
 
Had a "tech" at a local tire-chain *start* the lugs on my dads Crown Vic with the impact wrench. I saw it happen, but it was too late for me to stop him. Didnt think anything of it.

Had to change the brakes on that wheel, got 4 lugs off, the 5th was apparently now cross-threaded. Snapped the wheel lug right off trying to remove the nut that the "nut" used the impact wrench to start.

I now only use an impact wrench to remove stubborn lugs. Otherwise tightened down by hand, give it a half turn with the torque wrench to seat the wheel on the hub, lower the vehicle just enough that the wheel cant spin, then torque down in a star pattern. And yes, I include the wheel lock as part of the star pattern. They function like any other lug nut, so I treat them as such.

-Chris
 
Usually you "pin" the wheel first...tighten down the lug nuts snug ensuring nut bevels are seated/equal and provides even torque. Using a torque stick to tighten, and recheck with a torque wrench (of course using the correct tightening sequence)....lock included. Probably was too lazy to keep switching the lock adapter
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I don't remember where I read it (instructions for Honda wheel locks?), but it said locking wheel nut should be tightened last and unscrewed first. Makes sense that the locking nut should be exposed to the least amount of stress, as it has that delicate pattern to wear out.
 
Today I decided to take off my wheels, clean the inside and reinstall them and torque them down to 76 ft-lbs myself..

The front ones came off fine - the wheel locks are indeed, a little under torque.

The back wheels were super over torque, including the wheel lock. I had to stand on the wrench to get the nuts off. No such luck with the lock. When I stand on it, the key slips off. The key and the lock are a bit stripped.

I could not get the locks off. I went to a coworker's house down the street. He has a compressor and an impact wrench. The wrench puts me at a much better position, I was able to hold the key down to the lock. Guess what, the impact wrench went out of torque. Neither back wheel lock moved. I will have to go to another coworker's house next weekend, who has bigger, more torquey impact wrench.

On some studs, I was not able to tighten the nuts back by hand. The threads look pretty sorry. I think the damage was done by the tire shop using impact wrenchs to tighten lug nuts. I think I will have to run a die over the studs, to fix the threads. I hate to have to replace the studs.

The guy who rotated my tires last at Discounted Tires, must had his rear impact wrench set at max. Perhaps after using it to free someone else's seized up nuts, reversed it and used it to tighten mine...
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I guess it could have been worse. I could be finding this out on the side of the highway with a flat, in the cold rain...
 
Quote:


... The threads look pretty sorry. I think the damage was done by the tire shop using impact wrenchs to tighten lug nuts. I think I will have to run a die over the studs, to fix the threads. I hate to have to replace the studs...


If the threads are that bad, you should replace the studs. Industry and government doesn't #@$%!-foot around with wheel stud problems - neither should you. These fasteners are critical safety items that deserve special attention, and should be nothing less than perfect.
 
There isn't much to replacing wheel studs... especially if you have disk brakes.

Hammer out, pull in.
 
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