DIY Tire Roatation

[Timothy Ferguson]

I want to do my own tire rotations. I have every thing I need except for the impact wrench. I found this neat cordless jobby that put out 85 ft/lbs of torque. Is that too much torque. I want an adaquate enough of torque and not too much. Others told me not to over torque lug nuts because there is a chance of stripping bolts and nuts. I think 85 is a good universal average for tourque. I have a Ford Ranger and a Mazda MPV.

Thanks
TIM

 

[brianl703]

I use a $50 Harbor Frieght electric impact wrench (255 ft/lbs) and an 80ft/lb torque stick I got off Ebay for $15 shippped.

The torque stick acts as a torque limiter. This combination works really well.

 

[Timothy Ferguson]

Thats exactly where I found the cordless impact wrench that puts out 85ft/lbs. If you are using 80lbs limiter then I can skip the all that and get the cordless one and not have to get the torque stick. Right??

 

[T-Keith]

85 lb-ft of torque won't remove most lug-nuts. I don't use an impact, I break then nuts loose before raising the car, then remove them with a crossbar.

-T

 

[Timothy Ferguson]

Thats fine but the biggest question is what is the torque required to safely replace the wheel? Just like when you go to the dealer or your repair shop they use a certain torque to resequre the wheel safely so that the bolts dont strip and don't loosen over time. Is it safe to say 80-85 ft/lbs is a good area to be in?

 

[ruking77]

If it is a choice between an impact wrench or a torque wrench, I would chose the torque wrench. There are a host more reasons why you want exact torque values vs the ability to get off the lugs in a very fast way. I'd say if you make your living as a tire changer a impact wrench is essential. But all too often I see shops that use the impact wrench to torque. Since torque almost always has a torque value, to me this is misuse of the tool which can possibly result in an unneeded or untimely repair- say warped rotors. Of course I have seen lug nuts torqued on SO tight that even the tow truck operators (who do this for a living) not able to break them.(get them loose to change the tire) This of course changes the operation from a simple road side R/R to a logistical towing job to the tire shop and a possible breaking of the stud and/or lug nut and replacement.

 

[Timothy Ferguson]

so 80-85 ft/lbs is safe to say ok to use on a torque wrench and impact wrench when rotating tires on most cars? You don't want to use anymore than that or less right?

 

[USAFREOD]

Just did my tires this weekend, along with new rotors and pads on the front. Since I bought my tires at Costco (best value for the tire I bought), they came with 'free lifetime rotation'.

Unfortunately, when I broke the nuts loose, I noted they were WAY over torqued from my last rotation. When I replaced, I used my impact wrench on low setting to get the nuts on, then used a torque wrench to get to final value.

I won't be letting them rotate my tires again!

 

[Timothy Ferguson]

So what torque did you use?

 

[ruking77]

The best is to get the specific lug nut torque values for each of your vehicles.

I do not have access to the values for your particular vehicles.

I had an electric impact gun, but found out I would rather (for how many rotations I do ) use a breaker bar.

It would be helpful to have some reserve power in the impact wrench, so keep in mind you will not have that combination of vehicles or torque values for the rest of your life.

 

[Razl]

An impact wrench is not a replacement for a torque wrench, even if 85ft/lbs of the impact wrench matches your car's specs. Torque wrenches are precision instruments where an impact is really designed for removing lug nuts.

I do use my impact for installing the lug nuts but at the LOWEST setting using the criss-cross star configuration order. I finish off using my torque wrench set at 80 ft/lbs, again with the criss-cross star pattern of tightening. This ensures all the lug nuts are squeezing on the tire with equal pressure and your wheel sits as flat as possible on the hub.

Both my cars call for 80 ft/lbs (Saab & Honda). I wouldn't think 10-20 ft/lbs over that would do any harm, but I prefer to use the suggested torque. BTW, a $25 torque wrench is going to be more accurate than your impact wrench. For a really good torque wrench, expect to pay $100 and up.

 

[T-Keith]

Torque ratings for most domestic cars and light trucks is around 100, most foreign cars are 75-85 and trucks can be as high as 140-180. Also keep in mind that it takes more torque to remove the lugnuts, especially after they have been on a while. Just use a breaker bar(or crossbar) and torque wrench.

-T

 

[robbobster]

Stay away from impact wrenches! Use a torque wrench as stated.

Many opinions are that uneven lug-nut torque can lead to rotor warping, FWIW.

 

[Al]

As mentioned..break loose the lugs before raising the wheel. Use a torque wrench. For what its worth..with a little experience and practice you can tighten lugs evenly without a torque wrench. And really the thing that's important is the actual stress on the bolt. With all the thread friction and nut friction on the bearing area. Torque wrenches are almost a waste of time getting uniform clamping on a wheel. But its better than nothing.

 

[MAJA]

Some owners manuals give torque recommendations for lug nuts. Most service stations, tire stores I have tried in the recent past use impacts to reinstall lug nuts. Then later, when I try to get them off, I cannot get them off. So I try to take off the wheel and take them to get fixed, and reinstall myself. I use an impact to reinstall on occasion, but just to run the lugs down, and then tighten by hand. I have also had rotors warped by someone using an impact to reinstall lugs, and not getting them all the same torque.

Back to the original post, 85 lbs to reinstall is probably a little low. I would think 90-120 would be the norm. The owners manual, or a good service manual will give a good recommendation. 85 lbs to take off will probably not get very many lug nuts off. Most impact wrenches are designed with more torque in reverse. Wouldnt a cordless give different torque value due to its charge, or, from the first lugnut to the sixteenth, or twentieth? I would still do the final tightening by hand.

 

[rcy]

What do your owner's manuals say? My 2000 Beetle says 87 lb/ft, my 1999 Grand Caravan says 85-115. I always use a torque wrench when rotating or changing from winter to summer tires.

 

[Shannow]

Al, who will be the first BITOGer to purchase an ultrasonic bolt stretch measurer.

 

[benjamming]

The wheel nut torque in the manual for my 2002 Accord has 80 ft-lbs while my 1994 Pontiac Grand Am has 100 ft-lbs.

 

[MAJA]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Al:
..........break loose the lugs before raising the wheel. Use a torque wrench..........

---

No, do not use a torque wrench to break loose the lugs. That will most likely damage the torque wrench. I think he means to use a breaker bar to loosen the lugs, and a torque wrench for the final "tightening". In my opinion, an impact can be used between the initial loosening and final tightening.

 

[rcy]

Exactly. Torque wrenches are for tightening, not for loosening.