What should my wheels be torqued

Using a torque wrench enables you to tighten up the wheel bolts to a specified torque. All you have to do is set the value on the tool and then release the lever — as soon as the tightening torque is reached, you will hear and feel a clear click in the wrench. But where can you find the stipulated value for your own car?

The optimum torque value for your car or mounted rims can be found in the vehicle manual. It depends on the car model, rim size, design aluminium or steel rims and number of bolts. If you change the rims on your car, you will find the new torque values in the rim certificate.

The rim certificate is issued by the manufacturer. It confirms that the rims have been tested and approved by the relevant authority. If you do not have the car manual to hand right now, it is worth taking a look at our torque chart. If you are retrofitting: Remember to have your new rim size entered in the vehicle registration document. This means that you will have to take the wheel rim certificate with you to your next vehicle safety inspection. Check the seating of your wheel nuts and adjust if necessary, whether after a tyre change or before a long journey.

We will explain how to tighten your wheel nuts:. Step 1: Put your car into first gear and then apply the handbrake. Have the torque wrench ready. Step 3: Tighten the wheel bolts one after the other in a criss-cross pattern. Turn the torque wrench clockwise. Step 4: Loosen the torque wrench so that the spring does not slacken and the torque value settings remain correct for the future.. If the spring is slack, the torque wrench will give way before reaching the set value.

Ensure that the wheel bolts are tightened in a criss-cross pattern. This will ensure that the wheel is seated correctly. If your studs or lug nuts are sized between 12 X 1. Furthermore, how many pounds of torque do you need to tighten lug nuts? And when you look at that, and realize that the average torque required on a lug nut , to hold the wheel on, is 80 to 90 ft- lbs , well you can imagine how over- tightened some of these lug nuts are.

Now that's a problem because it almost guarantees warped brake rotors. Aluminum wheels should have the lug nuts torqued to 70 ft.

The beadlocks should be ft. Install the wheel lugs by hand. Most manufacturers do not recommend using any lubricant or anti seize compound on the lugs. Push the wheel home on the hub and using your socket wrench, tighten the wheel nuts just enough to hold the wheel snugly.

New wheels should be re-torqued after the first 50 to driving miles. Can you over torque lug nuts? Once lugs are snugged down, finish tightening them with an accurate torque wrench. How much torque do I need in an impact wrench? Our rule of thumb is that if you need to reach for a socket adapter, you're better off grabbing an impact wrench.

What size torque wrench do I need? Its not as important that you torque down steel wheels like you do aluminum, as long as you dont overtighten and crack the stud.

Do I need to torque my lug nuts? Lug nuts must be torqued to the manufacturer's recommended values, and they must be re-torqued to those values after driving approximately 50 to miles on your new tires after the tire service. Both under and over tightening can be dangerous. Jin Machina began writing professionally in His main writing interests are film, literature, boxing and martial arts, automotive and performing arts. Machina has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington, where he completed two majors: anthropology and comparative history of ideas, a discipline focused on culture, literature and the self.

Torquing Lug nut torquing is expressed in foot-pounds.