# Watch your wheel nut torque



## slyedog (Mar 17, 2011)

I rotated the tires on my 2lt today. On the rear driver and front passenger there was a few studs that couldn't handle the 100 ft lbs of torque required per the manual's stated torque spec. Two on the rear driver snapped off and two on the passenger front I stopped on from feel before they snapped. The studs seem awfully soft compared to any other vehicle I have owned. I was using a $250 1/2" micrometer torque wrench to do this. I am very unsatisfied with this.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

:eek7: You got me concerned about this one, because I've cranked the piss out of some lug nuts before and I've never snapped a stud off of any car in my life.. EVER.. 

I was planning on swapping out my studs when I swapped out to my new wheels (when i make up my mind what I want) but I may swap them out sooner now.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

My manual stated 80lbs of torque, When I installed my caliper covers i put the nuts back on with 80lbs and nothing broke.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> My manual stated 80lbs of torque, When I installed my caliper covers i put the nuts back on with 80lbs and nothing broke.


Caliper covers... really?


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## Crewz (Jul 12, 2011)

slyedog said:


> I rotated the tires on my 2lt today. On the rear driver and front passenger there was a few studs that couldn't handle the 100 ft lbs of torque required per the manual's stated torque spec. Two on the rear driver snapped off and two on the passenger front I stopped on from feel before they snapped. The studs seem awfully soft compared to any other vehicle I have owned. I was using a $250 1/2" micrometer torque wrench to do this. I am very unsatisfied with this.


Did you torque them to spec in one pull? Did you use any lube to get an accurate torque reading? It's recommended to torque in steps. Say 35, 65, then 100. Even so, it concerns me that it broke.


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

Torque wrench still within calibration?


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

Yeah. wasnt going to paint them thats for sure





Skilz10179 said:


> Caliper covers... really?


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## slyedog (Mar 17, 2011)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> Torque wrench still within calibration?


Wrench is a year old. Only used twice. Stored with no load on the spring. Always back wrenches off when done using. The studs are crap. I have rotated the wheels on my 98 regal 20+ times plus every other vehicle I have owned and never had this problem. Being as it is the first time the wheels have been off the car from the factory, they may have been overtorqued there? It was just the 4 studs I mentioned that didn't feel right. When I install I finger tighten, Hit with inpact at low setting which I have verified puts 60ft lbs on. Then I lower car and torque to spec. Done this for years with no problem.


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

slyedog said:


> Wrench is a year old. Only used twice. Stored with no load on the spring. Always back wrenches off when done using. The studs are crap. I have rotated the wheels on my 98 regal 20+ times plus every other vehicle I have owned and never had this problem. Being as it is the first time the wheels have been off the car from the factory, they may have been overtorqued there? It was just the 4 studs I mentioned that didn't feel right. When I install I finger tighten, Hit with inpact at low setting which I have verified puts 60ft lbs on. Then I lower car and torque to spec. Done this for years with no problem.


You may have gotten the short end of the stick on the the studs for your car. In my maintenance practices I never use an impact on something that requires a specified torque value. Also we always got our TQ wrenches re-calibrated every 6 months. There are a lot of differences between aviation and the auto world when it comes to maintenance though. We're a far more conservative bunch which may not always be appropriate. It may not be the cause but if you were take take it to the dealer and told them you used an impact before torquing, then I'm sure they would not honor a warranty claim.


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## NBrehm (Jun 27, 2011)

How do you verify an impact puts 60 Ft Lbs on consistently? Even torque sticks are not that reliable. And just out of curiosity if you installed the nuts by hand why did you use an impact at all? Could be a bad bunch of wheel studs for sure, but that is a fairly silly way to tighten your lugs IMO. Personally I have never used an impact gun on any wheel studs as you are just asking for trouble. You can break studs, warp rotors, scuff up wheels. I run them down as tight as I can with a socket and extension with my bare hands and then torque to spec.


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## slyedog (Mar 17, 2011)

NBrehm said:


> How do you verify an impact puts 60 Ft Lbs on consistently? Even torque sticks are not that reliable. And just out of curiosity if you installed the nuts by hand why did you use an impact at all? Could be a bad bunch of wheel studs for sure, but that is a fairly silly way to tighten your lugs IMO. Personally I have never used an impact gun on any wheel studs as you are just asking for trouble. You can break studs, warp rotors, scuff up wheels. I run them down as tight as I can with a socket and extension with my bare hands and then torque to spec.


This is getting a little carried away over a simple wheel nut tightening procedure. My impact is regulated at 90 psi from my compressor through a milton pressure regulator. I don't run full shop pressure. With the power regulator dial on it's lowest setting won't even break a wheel nut loose unless I crank the dial up. You will tighten tighter by hand than I will with that impact on low. Plus anyone with experience wont hammer down full blast. I used it on low when I first got it and checked with my torque wrench and all nuts on my Regal were clicking at 60 and turning at 65 if that says anything. It will never be completely accurate but close enough for what it is. We aren't talking engine internals or tty bolts here. It's wheel nuts. I have four new studs installed and it is now fixed.


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## NBrehm (Jun 27, 2011)

I'm just trying to help you find a solution, impacts are notorious for breaking wheel studs and it just seemed odd to me to tighten the nuts hand tight and THEN use an impact gun on them and THEN torque them. Once they are hand tight a turn or so with a torque wrench and you are done. You can tighten them any way you want to, it's your car. But an Impact gun is not a good way to do it in my experience, especially without a torque stick.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

even a impact wrench shouldn't have caused this.. wheel studs are suppose to be tough for a reason.

-my manual says 100 ft/lbs
-i'm still swapping mine out asap

sorry you got screwed on this deal, but i'm glad i know now.


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

The problem with impacts is that they can apply both tension and torsion stress to the studs where as a TQ wrench applies only tension to the stud. The studs are manufactured with proper maintenance procedures in mind which wont include an impact wrench for re-installation of lug nuts.


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## mikeskingv (Nov 16, 2013)

i have an impact with a low setting, after using it i go to the torque wrench if i start at 40 it just clicks then i try 50 and it just clicks then i go to 60 and the nut turns slightly before clicking. its not rocket science to test the general torque output of a tool. he wasnt saying he was using the impact to get a consistent spec just to spin them on tight enough to drop the car back down


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## Farmboy (Apr 21, 2013)

Crewz said:


> Did you torque them to spec in one pull? Did you use any lube to get an accurate torque reading? It's recommended to torque in steps. Say 35, 65, then 100. Even so, it concerns me that it broke.


That is how you do it to get an incorrect torque or over torqued bolt/nut.

All torque specs are for dry threads unless stated otherwise.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Never used a torque wrench in my life for lug nuts. I have never broken off a stud, I have had some stripped on my 96 Beretta after taking it to a tire store. But never by myself.


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## Smurfenstein (Nov 16, 2011)

Thread thats over 2 years old gets resurrected from the pages of forum history.

Never ceases to amaze me when it happens.

I use a torque wrench set to ~100ft/lbs for my wheels and they're holding up so far.


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## n1philli (Sep 9, 2013)

I agree with NBrehms 110%. Installing lugs with an impact is looking for disaster. **** removing them as well. Even with your torque being correct, that impact spins at that pressure, right then, right now, which can sometimes lead to exactly what happened with your lugs. Snapping them off. It doesn't mean the lugs are cheap. I'd never recommend using an impact to install your wheels.


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