[mikebb]

I ordered wheel locks for my stock rims - did anyone use a torque wrench when instaling or is it not important? Also what size is the nut?
Thanks

 

[basilisk4]

I have never used anything other than a socket wrench to tighten any wheel bolt on any car, and I've never lost a wheel.

 

[mikebb]

I know it is possible to damage wheels(particularly alloy) by overthightening.

 

[jito72]

According to owners manual they shall be torque to 76 lbs-ft.

 

[mikebb]

Unfortunately I don't have a torque wrench lying around. Checked a few websites. $20 at sears was about the cheapest - just not sure of the size(1/2in, 3/4in etc?)

 

[moriarty]

I don't have a torque wrench either. It is something I have been thinking about picking up. could come in handy if i were to torque something. usually, I just tighten things until they feel like they did when i removed them....


i guess it's time to get to sears.

 

[sciontc_mich]

1/2, 3/4" is all about the drive of the torque wrench.. what socket sizes that will fit.. i had to pick up a new torque wrench from sears.. the old one (9 years old) was definitely in need of replacement..

i paid $70 for it.. it's a 1/2" drive.. picked up a 21mm (size of tC's lugnuts) and also got a 2" extension for the socket.. otherwise i was hitting the side of the tC..

one other thing.. the one from sears that i got is a breaker type.. so that when you get to the torque it's clicks.. only torque the nuts ONCE.. when the torque wrench clicks.. that's it.. that lug nut is torqued.. Discount Tire would go around a 2nd time.. this doubles the torque on the lug nuts.. not a good thing.. basically they're applying 76 ft-lbs TWICE.. not a good idea.. so i've stayed away from them.. no thanks..

 

[lo bux racer]

It doesn't matter how many times you apply 76 ft-lbs as long as you don't exceed it. It is standard (and prudent) to cross check on torque, I typically break the pattern for the second pass to be sure they are all still at the value I expected. That includes cylinder heads, flywheels, and wheels. I also double check crank and rod bolts, but there's no point in breaking pattern with them since they are typically pairs (unless it's a super high-tech block with four or six bolt mains, definitely not the 2AZ).

 

[iGod]

^^^ true

 

[burn6010]

I happen to work for Discount tire, and I can assure you that clicking the torque wrench twice does not double the torque put on the lugnut. It is merely a safety precaution to ensure that every lugnut has been torqued and none have been missed. You would not even believe how much training we go through, constantly, to ensure that what we do is correct, and in the best interest of the customer.

 

[lo bux racer]

^^^can't vouch for Discount Tire, but what he says about torque is exactly true.

 

[dizzymon]

I can tell you discount tires AKA american's tires over torques your lug nuts. I just got my Kumho AST's and they were torqued at 80 lbs. It's even on the spec sheet. Should I leave it alone or retorque them?
QUOTE (lo bux racer @ Feb 13 2005, 12:08 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=37820

^^^can't vouch for Discount Tire, but what he says about torque is exactly true.[/b]

 

[engifineer]

80 isnt terribly bad as long as they are all even. But you would think they would just set it at 76 and make it right. Or even better, use the torque sticks they probably already have, which are color coded and made for specific makes of cars (there is a 76 lb torque stick, in most sets AFAIK) if they use those instead of a tq wrench.

I dont take my car to tire shops any longer. I take the wheels. Too many bad instances, and most of them around torquing the lugs properly. The last place (TiresPlus in Golden Valley, MN) ran then down with an impact wrench with no tq stick. Of course they claimed they used them, but when my 180 lb self has to stand on the end of a 1 foot wrench to break them loose right afterward, it is pretty obvious. Destroyed the lock one one wheel and the key (McGaurd). They ended up having to buy me a new set of locks after I came back, visibly upset. It also took the guy 4 hours to mount my tires, which is just plain ridiculous.

Its not a discount tire, tires plus, etc thing. It is the person working there. I dont care how much training the company has going on, you will still run into this.

 

[dizzymon]

I even asked the guy who works there and he says "Most Toyotas have a torque spec of 80lbs". At that point I was skeptical about how these guys work. If they are an "All tires" store they should run their business anticipating that customers want the job done right by a business that does just tires.

 

[sciontc_mich]

QUOTE (dizzymon @ Jan 29 2008, 03:21 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=365774

I even asked the guy who works there and he says "Most Toyotas have a torque spec of 80lbs". At that point I was skeptical about how these guys work. If they are an "All tires" store they should run their business anticipating that customers want the job done right by a business that does just tires.[/b]

It is true that the Toyota's were 80 ft-lbs for the lug nut torque. But Toyota has been changing that starting with Lexus and now Scion, to 76 ft-lbs. The trucks are different but we're talking cars here. I have had to correct many places that NO, it's 76, NOT 80. Then they try to argue going back to their "chart", and I pulled out the owner's manual, and said "Want to give Toyota a call, since you don't believe me? Look, put it at 76 or I'll do it myself".. The guy didn't argue. Then later on when I went back he said "yeah found out that the company that makes our charts made a mistake".. I said "no kidding".

you really have to stay on top of these people, watch them like a hawk to their young!

 

[Dr. Isotope]

Go to Wal Mart, baby! My sister gets her cheap ass tires there, and last time I worked on her brakes I had to put a 3' long iron pipe on the end of my 24" breaker bar to get the lugs loose. My IR pitgun could only remove 3 of the 5 lugs. I don't know what they put those lugs on with, but I assume it's cold-blooded, lives in a cage, and eats live goats.

 

[suprman133]

QUOTE (Dr. Isotope @ Jan 29 2008, 01:26 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=365805

it's cold-blooded, lives in a cage, and eats live goats.[/b]

my car?

 

[Dr. Isotope]

I wasn't sure your car had gotten the Wally World job, but I guess now mystery solved.

 

[iGod]

QUOTE (Dr. Isotope @ Jan 29 2008, 01:26 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=365805

Go to Wal Mart, baby! My sister gets her cheap ass tires there, and last time I worked on her brakes I had to put a 3' long iron pipe on the end of my 24" breaker bar to get the lugs loose. My IR pitgun could only remove 3 of the 5 lugs. I don't know what they put those lugs on with, but I assume it's cold-blooded, lives in a cage, and eats live goats.[/b]

WalMart is the devil. And they must have had something to do with virtually every single tC that I have had in my garage for suspension work. Aside from Lo Bux, I cannot think of another tC I haven't had to use a big ass breaker bar on to break lugs loose. Torque specs are everyone's friend.
And, so is anti-seize. For god's sake, use it. I hate breaking wheels studs off because someone had light rust and an over-torque.

 

[todd.colbert]

I work at a Lexus dealership here in raleigh, and before that i worked at a Sears auto center, i can asure you that torque is a very important thing. Over-torquing your wheels can damage the wheel and also if the torque on your lugs isnt consistant it can cause vibration like a bad ballance and even cause premature wear on brakes (rotors mots of the time). I've seen it happen time and time again so if you ever hear someone saying that torque specs. aren't important, please, smack them for me.