Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by StevieC
Why do they have a Torque Spec then? Well because they need to convey to someone else approximately the force used in some manner but aren't needed above common sense when it comes to things like lug nuts or oil drain plugs for example. Not torquing these things and using reasonable force that is "plenty" but not "over tight" is more than enough.
They have a torque spec because they are supposed to be torqued, in sequence, to that spec to provides the proper amount of even clamping force for the wheel/rotor/hub assembly. Any decent dealer will always use a torque wrench on the wheels and will require you to come back in ~150Km to have them re-checked. Torque spec varies massively depending on application and stud size, fastener type...etc. Most dealers also won't let you use the same lug nuts for summer aluminum and winter steel wheels, because of the difference in how they seat.
Using an impact and just blasting them on is simply lazy and, for someone who is openly proud of being so anal-retentive/OCD, I'm quite surprised that you not only find this satisfactory but in fact endorse it
Like I said to Trav, no harm done torquing it. But in the 37+ years I have been around (28 of them learning/working with my dad on the side and full time at times) and the 50+ years my dad has been a licensed mechanic he hasn't torqued the wheel nuts and 0 issues, 0 lawsuits, 0 comebacks. I'm not saying don't do it, but that we haven't and had no issues because we double check each nut a 2nd time with the gun at full power for a short blast.
The tires on my Caravan when I took them off to put my Snow tires on were so tight I had no choice but to use a breaker bar to get them loose on 3 wheels and the 4th wheel was fine with just the impact gun so clearly they weren't torqued properly from the get go. I put them back on with a high torque battery powered impact driver in the method I have described and drove them 10,000km (6K miles) 0 issues. I then pulled them all off at the last oil change and rotated the fronts to back and put them back on and it has been 3,000km and 0 issues and I'm sure it's not what FCA spec is nor was it the case on my Journey either. Also 0 issues. Also 0 issues on my Santa Fe with multiple sets of tires, rotations etc.
Here is what FCA calls for for my '18 Caravan... Which again I assure you mine aren't tightened to this spec I'm sure and no wheels popping off. And again I'm not against Torquing them, adding a step for safety is always a good thing. It's just my opinion and mine alone it's not needed is all. To each their own with what they are comfortable with.