Torque wrench technique on lug nuts?

[Eric Pennal]

As I was installing my wheels this weekend, I wondered if I have been using the proper technique to torque down the lug nuts, all these years.



Here's how I've always done it:

After snugging up the wheel nuts (in a criss-cross pattern) with a standard lug wrench, I adjust my torque wrench to the required setting (100 lb/ft for example). I then gradually tighten each nut in the same criss-cross pattern, going around and around this way until the wrench clicks on each nut.



Typically what happens is, after each nut has clicked once - by the time I come back around to the first nut in the pattern, it has to be tightened some more before it will click again. Usually, 2 or 3 nuts will have to be re-tightened to get them to click again. It's not uncommon to have to go around the horn 3 or 4 times before all the nuts click instantly - requiring no more tightening to do so.



Is this a good technique? My concern is that I am over-tightening the nuts by doing it this way. Should I stop after the first click, and not check them after that?

 

[clo 650]

Sounds good to me. You are not over tightening the nuts if you stop once it clicks. If it were to click & you continued to turn the nut then yeah.



Chris

 

[Richard L]

Eric,

Your technique is fine for lug nuts.



When I build enginces, I will torque usually torque things like rod bolts, main bearing caps and head bolts in 2-3 stages. Anything 60 Ft/lbs or less is done in 2 stages---First at about 1/2 the final torque and the second pass at the final torque setting.



If they bolt is to be tightened more than 60 ft/lbs, I will do it in 3 or 4 stages.



But again, lug nuts are not that picky. Over-torquing is the biggest problem since it can lead to warped rotors, which is common if they are installed with an impact wrench set to 240 ft/lbs



...Rich

 

[Jeff C]

I torque to 40, 70, 95.

 

[Travis Munday]

Torquing the lugnuts in one shot is fine with hub centric wheels. Go 'round and get them all snug, then torque to 100lbs and be done. Recheck in 100 miles or a week.



I do all my wheels by hand, no need to get out a torque wrench.

 

[Eric Pennal]

Thanks, guys.



Some of you may have mis-understood my method. I don't torque all the way to 100 in one twist. I tighten about half-way on each nut, all the way around, then tighten some more all the way around, ending up on 100 on each nut on the last round. My concern was that on the third time around, after clicking off on each nut, the first few that clicked are now loose enough to tighten some more before they click again. Now that I think about it, that first and second nut probably would be loose enough to go some more, because the other nuts pulled the wheel tighter against the hub as I continued on around the pattern.



I appreciate everyone's input.