this is why i do my own rotations

[The Critic]

IIRC he's a foreman at that dealer. He's a solid guy - I've talked to him before.

Honestly, considering the condition of most lug studs, I highly doubt that any achieved torque value is as precise as you think. Ballpark similar is the best that you will ever get.

 

[CharBaby]

I bought snow tires+alloys from Tirerack last December. Took the car and the ties to a local approved installer. I preset my torque wrench to the prescriber 105ft-lbs. I handed it to the guy doing the install. As descried above, he proceeded to use an impact gun to install the lug bolts, and then checked them with my torque wrench. I didn't say anything, but I "un-torqued" each lug bolt and properly torqued them as soon as I got home.

I’ve done the same thing only to find my lugs to have a different torque reading x 20
The techs don’t care because the shop is who has to take the abuse from the customer. And the techs just gets a talking to.

 

[wemay]

We've done them at the VIOC we visit. They are excellent. The sockets have rubberized tape on the outside so they don't scratch the rim. All hand tools with a torque wrench to finish it off.

 

[borgward]

I'm guessing the guy using the impact gun to get the job done in the prescribed time set by management. The Silverback knuckle drager is beind a desk in a corporate office. Granted, the guy doing the job probably does not understand that flexing your torque wrench to your prescribed setting does not indicate how much tighter the lug nut is stressed. Maybe tell them to loosen the nut first and then torque it to what ever.
Would your torque wrench indicate how much the nut was torqued to if you used it to loosen the nut? I'm guessing not to a fine degree but it would indicate if it was tightened way too much.

 

[CapriRacer]

Would your torque wrench indicate how much the nut was torqued to if you used it to loosen the nut? I'm guessing not to a fine degree but it would indicate if it was tightened way too much.

Somebody needs to do this. Video it and post on youtube. You're famous.

 

[Langanobob]

I think part of the problem with shops over tightening lug nuts is that their only concern is that the nuts don’t come loose. They don’t care if they are too tight.

 

[Fabulous50s]

I’ve been doing my own for a while now, which isn’t always the right thing (covers get left off, various unapproved mods). But at least I know who to blame.

Bit bummed at my current shop. I bought a set of new tires for my CRV, and wanted the best old tire rotated to replace the 20 year old spare. Didn’t happen. Knew I should have bought 5 tires and learned how to do 5 tire rotations. My fault.

Our 2 year old / 50kmile hybrid hasn’t been back to the dealer once since we brought it home. If I didn’t have to do safety inspections I might well buy my own tire balancer and not “have to” go to any shop.

I actually bought a Snap-On WB200 tire balancer at a local auction for $225. That'll pay itself off in less than 5 years I figure, just for my own stuff.

 

[Rand]

. I get Discount Tire notice email that says rotate and balance every 6,000 miles. I view that as a chance for them to tell me I need to spend money for other things I don't need. I can rotate while the oil is draining and be done in less time than driving to their shop and waiting around for them to o it.

That would make sense except discount tire only sells tires... they do nothing else.. so nothing else to sell you.. and rotations are free.

 

[redhat]

That electic impact is set to low power and most of the nuts turn before the torque wrench clicks.

Y'all are sensitive.

Exactly how I put wheels on. I make sure they're center on the bore and evenly tighten them star. Then one full pass with the 20v Dewalt on "1" setting. I then spin each wheel while checking with my fingers that the hub/wheel contact is uniform. By the time I go to torque them, they're probably at 75 lb-ft. Put them up to 140.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Would your torque wrench indicate how much the nut was torqued to if you used it to loosen the nut?

No, not even close. Anyone who says otherwise does not understand how torque wrenches work.

 

[The Critic]

Would your torque wrench indicate how much the nut was torqued to if you used it to loosen the nut? I'm guessing not to a fine degree but it would indicate if it was tightened way too much.

Not even close. Fastening torque and breakaway torque can be very different; I would guesstimate that breakaway torque can be 50% higher, if not more.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

I can guarantee you that 90% of mechanics, dealerships and tire shops do it this way, regardless of how the service manual says to do it. Go around in a star pattern to lightly tighten them, then go around again with two more Ugga-Dugga's. They will not use a torque wrench either. Doesn't matter if you have a $500 beater or a $90k truck.

Another 5% will do it this same way but will go around with a torque wrench...set to TIGHT. They are not going look up the torque specs for every car they work on.

Another 3% will use a torque stick only.

The remaining 2% tighten by hand with a low torque wrench and torque to spec. These are usually premium very high end dealerships.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

That electic impact is set to low power and most of the nuts turn before the torque wrench clicks.

Y'all are sensitive.

Is how I do it, use my Dewalt impact on lowest setting then tighten to 80 with torque wrench.

Granted I’m not in a shop and have a deadline