Demountable Rims

[John Lynn]

How tight should the lug nuts be on demountable rims. studs have 3/4" nuts. Hand tighten or what torque wrench setting ?

[dei]

Dad only used a four way wheel wrench on the Overland. I remember occasionally I could hear a few of them squeak when he went over them the second time. He would check them about every second time just to be sure nothing had loosened up.

 

[Alfa]

There was no such thing as a torque setting when those wheels were manufactured. However, a 3/4" spanner size probably relates to a 1/2" diameter thread (worth checking yourself) and you can look up for yourself what torque settings to use.

 

I would estimate something around 40ft/lbs (or a firm pull on an 18" bar). The important thing is to make sure that the mating surfaces are properly bedded together, that threads are clean and oiled and above all... To recheck them regularly after fitting and until you are sure that they are not going to 'pull up' any more. 

 

Do not go berserk and over tighten them. That will just end up with pulled threads and distorted mounting flanges. Tighten them down evenly and recheck regularly.

[JFranklin]

I like to tighten fasteners by hand and then see what a torque wrench says then I know the feel needed by hand. My friend Mr Armstrong always tried to prove is name and snapped more than 1 bolt, so don't reef on them before you judge your strength.

[Wheelmang]

Sorry but I do not agree with oiling the threads. Occasionally a "drop of oil" is mentioned for wheel studs or bolts in best practice instructions. The issue with that is the interpretation of a drop frequently evolves to a drop or two dripping off the stud after application. Wheel torque is measured as dry torque. They should be tightened to "X" torque and then re-torqued after a day or two of use. If you insist on oiling then, please, 1 (one) drop of oil on the outermost thread. I have seen the catastrophic result of many wheel offs on trash trucks through out my career. Oiling the threads is one of the many causes for loss of torque.

[Spinneyhill]

Oiled threads also have a lower torque specification.

[Alfa]

But if there is no torque setting available.....

 

My advice is predicated upon having clean oily threads rather than dry, rusty or painted threads. The presence of oil will allow for the nut to clamp more tightly for a given torque. The trash truck wheel nuts were presumably tightened to a torque setting intended for dry threads, in which case oiling them would have led to increased clamping force, and the possibility of stretching wheel studs and damaging conical seats (or were they spigot mounted?). That would be the cause of the wheel loss, not the presence of oil per se.

 

The demountable stepney rims in the original question presumably had no torque setting recommended and indeed the tensile strength of the bolts is unknown, hence my advice is somewhat generic.

[Guest]

In the 400,000 miles I have put on my Pontic since 1959 I have never put any oil on the threads.  I always used either my 1/2" drive ratchet or the engine crank that has a socket on the end.  I always tightened just as much force as I could with one hand.  Then checked the tire/rim for run out and tightened the appropriate bolt to correct the wobble.  I never checked them again once they were tight.

Edited December 20, 2018 by Guest (see edit history)