wheel lugs

[cooter9]

was looking at my manual and it says 85-95 pds. torque for wheel lugs. I don't have torque wrench. How many of you guys actually use a torque wrench for wheel lugs or other things.

[Rattpac]

Lugs should always be torqued, this way it assures a even amount of pull, and you don't snap a lug off. Torque wreches are about $10 at Harbor Freight Tools, or you are an experienced mechanic (whether shade trade or professional) we aquire a "feel" of an approximate torque with air wrenches.

[Guest Randy Berger]

I use a torque wrench for my lug nuts. If I could get the tool man to sell me a 100 pound torque stick by itself, I would use that with the air gun. Tool man won't break up a set and I don't need the other three.

[tbirdman]

Always use a torque wrench. Doesn't make all that much difference in time. I also try to use a torque wrench when tightening anything up if I have a torque spec. Doesn't take much longer and I have plenty of time.

[Guest Randy Berger]

Brian, I've double-checked the torque-stick at my friend's garage and it has been on the money every time. Of course he has a good mechanic turning the wrenches over there. Using the torque wrench just takes a tad longer but I always use it whether on the Honda or the Packard.

[Guest Albert]

My dad had an oil change done at a Nissan dealer once, when he went to do the next one he broke a silver craftman socket on a 3foot breaker bar trying to get the drain plug out, dummy had used an impact gun putting the drain plug in.. the same dealer had also done the front brake pads and one of the retaing bolts had fallen out on there trip, the only thing that had stopped it from comming off was the rim it was rubbing on.

[Clipper47]

I have used a torque wrench every since a garage "mechanic" installed the wheel nuts on my 78 Ford so tightly that the brake rotors warped. I use my impact wrench only to remove wheel nuts etc. and never to tighten them.

[mrpushbutton]

Good advice on the use of impacts guys! I was in the assembly torque monitoring business for 14 years, and the impact was the bane of our existence. Production managers loved 'em. They used to say "tight is tight, and this CP impact always make em' tight", to which we used to reply, "oh yea, how tight?". They couldn't say. Our equipment was capable of producing a (nist traceable) graphic print out of the true torque passed from the output square drive on the impact to the socket (which inturn is the torque applied to the fastener). We learned that the actual applied torque occurred in the very first "hit" (an impact has a reiterating nature, it is not a linear application of torque) and that all impacts, regardless of manufacture are highly variant as to actual final torque. I like using a torque wrench on all critical fasteners (all suspension fasteners, including lug nuts). We manufactured equipment that read, and stored all crucial safety-related torqued joints on a vehicle--by vin#. Impacts are good for disassembly only IMO.

[cooter9]

There is a Harbor Freight retail store close to me and I am heading that way within a few days. I do know that if I ask 30 different people aboout brands of torque wrenches I will get 30 different opinions. Been there and done that.

[tbirdman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is a Harbor Freight retail store close to me and I am heading that way within a few days. I do know that if I ask 30 different people aboout brands of torque wrenches I will get 30 different opinions. Been there and done that. </div></div>

My preference is to buy high quality stuff (read not Harbor Freight stuff) that may impact my life i.e jack stands, torque wrenches. HF is great for getting tools you use every so often and their failure to operate doesn't cause any possible harm. Only wish they put one on my side of town <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Guest Randy Berger]

I agree with Tbirdman. For a precision tool such as a torque wrench or a safety tool like jack stands, go with a known brand-name product. I'm not saying you should buy Snap-on because you're just paying for the name, but do buy good quality. Cheap tools don't save you money, they squander your resources.

[mrpushbutton]

When I worked in the calibration lab of the torque monitoring company we would occasionally test and certify other types of mechanical torque wrenches for automotive/aerospace firms. We did a lot of snap-on units, and occasionally a Sears Craftsman or two. Funny thing--within the operators ability to correctly read the needle-pointer against the scale, they were very accurate, and the Snap-on was no more accurate than the Sears. The Harbor Freight Chink-O-matic might not be as accurate.

[cooter9]

Lets take it one more step on the wheel lugs. Seems simple but I have heard more than one or two different ways. With wheel off ground I get lugs good and snug then drop jack and tighten.

[Rattpac]

Don't knock HFT too bad, if you depend on your tools for a living buy a different brand. If you need a specialty tool for a one time or seldom used tool buy from HFT, if I break the tool they replace without too many questions. If you have more money than I know what to do with by all means buy some things that can sit in your tool box that you can be proud of! I would rather put the money in my gas tank and enjoy driving my Packard. My .02

[tbirdman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Don't knock HFT too bad, if you depend on your tools for a living buy a different brand. If you need a specialty tool for a one time or seldom used tool buy from HFT, if I break the tool they replace without too many questions. If you have more money than I know what to do with by all means buy some things that can sit in your tool box that you can be proud of! I would rather put the money in my gas tank and enjoy driving my Packard. My .02 </div></div>

I think we all agree with you, however stay away from tools that could affect you life if they fail i.e. jack stands. I've done my fair shopping at HFT.

[Rattpac]

Can't argue the safety point. I don't trust the floor jacks, but the truck rated positive lock jack stands are pretty decent. Check your local yard sales for older stlye jack stands, most of the "Good" ones were heavy guage, made in America and designed to hold up the massive tanks of yesteryear and can be had for very little cash. Champagne Taste and Beer Pocketbook!