vassey50

I have just about finished a brake caliper paint job and the wheels are ready to go back on. Is it necessary to bring the car to a shop to properly torque the lug nuts back on? or is a good turn with your hands sufficient? thanks for your help.

Vas

Tammy

They are torqued to 76 Ft Lbs, with a 21mm deep socket.

This way you know "how tight is tight" and the five lugs are tightened evenly, applying equal pressure on the rotors.

vassey50

thanks for the torquing pressure Tammy, but again, is that something a shop has to do or is it safe enough to simply tighten them all by hand. thanks again.

Vas

Tammy

A torque wrench is a hand wrench, not a power tool.

When you refer to tighten by hand, what hand tool are you using?

A angle bar lug wrench? A metric spin wrench? A large ratchet and socket? A breaker bar and socket?

thirdmotio

whatever you do, never kick the wrench to tighten nuts!!!
I once thought tightest was best and kicked/stepped on the wrench after tightening using my body weight... and ended up breaking the keylock nut which costed me to bring to a tireshop to get it out..

steviej

iTrader: (1)

just be sure to put the lugs on in a 5 star pattern. (put one on and skip one, then put the next one on and skip one, etc.)

Hand tight is relative to the person putting them on. Don't put them on so tight you can't get them off in the rain at 2:30am on the side of a desolate highway. But not so loose they vibrate loose. Torque wrenches insure even pressure across the hub.

steviej

1993ES300x

get yourself a torque wrench .. it is useful in other ways also.. like spark plug, and all that other things are best when tighten in the right torque.. i know it cost around 100bucks for a good one. but pays it's dues..

amf1932

The big problem is when you go to a tire shop to rotate or change your tires. Most likely they use an air wrench that tightens the lug nuts too much more then the manufacturers recommendations.

lexusk8

In my experience, this only happens if I don't inform the service guy ahead of time to use a torque wrench when installing the wheels back on, and to apply a torque of 76 ft-lbs.

vassey50

Tammy, I was referring to tightening the lugs with the hand wrench. I think i'll go with 1993es' advice and go get a torque wrench here locally. And yes, i think the guys that put my tires on use an air tool and tighten the damn things too tight. I almost broke my back getting the lugs off to do the brake job. Thanks for the info all...Vas