Correct Lug Nut Torque?

The instructions that come with the Subaru wheel locks says to torque the nuts to 65 ft-lb. The LGT owners manual says that when changing a flat, torque the wheel nuts to 74-89 ft-lb.

 

Which specification is correct? What does it specify in the service manual? 65 ft-lb sounds a little on the low side to me.

When I had my new wheels put on I was told 72 ft-lbs.

Quote: D:\Car\11 - Suspension & Tires\Wheel & Tire Systems

The dealer told me 81, Costco said 72. I set my wrench at 90.

75-80 Pounds is the recomended setting for all subaru's

 

 

i'd go with 80, you dont want to go too overboard and over-tighten your nutz

80 is good.

Thanks all, 80 sounds reasonable.

Thanks all, 80 sounds reasonable.

Just keep in mind 81.1 is spec

I always crank my lugs to 100 lbs for track days and at least 90 for autocrossing or just swapping out rims.

 

Keefe

All auto manufacturers make wheels, rotors, studs, etc. capable of tolerating a pretty hefty amount of lug nut torque. (Remember, most "mechanics" remove and install wheels with air impact wrenches--many capable of more than 200 ft/lbs of torque.) This is a well-established manufacturers' design criteria that has been in place for at least 30 years, so don't worry if you think you've overtorqued your wheels by 10 or 20 lbs, it won't hurt them. The manufacturer's recommendation is optimal for street use, but there is a wide range of tolerance built in. Just make sure you've torqued your lugs to the same level and do so in a staggered (i.e., tighten opposite lugs in succession) fashion.

I intended to change my wheels (removing the wheel and putting the new one on) using with a four-way wrench, how am I suppose to measure the torque? Or should I absolutely buy a torque-wrench when putting my log nuts on?

You can pick up a torque wrench for $20 really. But Sears/Craftsman are life-time garantee so you pretty much trash them if you want and return and get a new one later (as the Craftsman are ratcheting, and you get them for $60 and up).

 

Eventually you'll know how much 90 lbs of torque feels like once you use a torque wrench long enough then you can just torque the lugs without one. I am usually within 5 lbs of 95 lbs of torque for the lugs. You just know how much to turn it and how much resistent you should feel using x-feet long wrench.

 

Long story short: Barrow one or buy one.. dont try to guess as some people dont have the strength to torque a lug if someone is using a 6" long ratchet/wrench.

 

 

Keefe

A couple months back I read a thread (here or on another forum) where people were highly recommending the Pittsburgh 1/2" drive torque wrench. I found it at the time for $12 on sale...so I got one. Some people said they recommended it over the Craftsman models which are much more expensive...but you're probably paying more for the insurance...being able to stop by a Sears and replace it if it breaks. I have not had a chance to use mine yet, so I don't know if it works well yet.

 

Here's the one I got for cheap:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=239

 

Here's one that looks like it's for Lug nuts:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3105

A couple months back I read a thread (here or on another forum) where people were highly recommending the Pittsburgh 1/2" drive torque wrench. I found it at the time for $12 on sale...so I got one. Some people said they recommended it over the Craftsman models which are much more expensive...but you're probably paying more for the insurance...being able to stop by a Sears and replace it if it breaks. I have not had a chance to use mine yet, so I don't know if it works well yet.

 

 

 

The Craftsman warranty on the torque wrench is only 1 year. This is what they told me in the store.

the store-rep doesn't know that all Craftsman Tools carry a lifetime warranty.. this includes their "smart tool" and their racing jack ($130 MSRP).

 

Keefe

the store-rep doesn't know that all Craftsman Tools carry a lifetime warranty.. this includes their "smart tool" and their racing jack ($130 MSRP).

 

Keefe

 

I hate to point it out, but Sears doesn't agree with you:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00944593000&tab=spe&bidsite=CRAFT#tablink

90 days.

 

The professional line is two years:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00934881000&tab=spe&bidsite=CRAFT#tablink

 

John

Just force the return and without a reciept.. they'll take it back. I dont think the customer rep is actually going to spend his time to look up the transaction date that was back 90 days to 2 years ago to see if you still qualify for the warranty.

 

oh yea, why are we looking at 3/8" drive? get a 1/2" drive for lug nuts!

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&pid=00944595000&bidsite=CRAFT&BV_SessionID=@@@@1012110487.1112295391@@@@&BV_EngineID=cckeaddefffjimfcehgcemgdffmdggh.0

 

 

Keefe

Just force the return and without a reciept.. they'll take it back. I dont think the customer rep is actually going to spend his time to look up the transaction date that was back 90 days to 2 years ago to see if you still qualify for the warranty.

 

oh yea, why are we looking at 3/8" drive? get a 1/2" drive for lug nuts!

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&pid=00944595000&bidsite=CRAFT&BV_SessionID=@@@@1012110487.1112295391@@@@&BV_EngineID=cckeaddefffjimfcehgcemgdffmdggh.0

 

 

Keefe

 

+1

 

Speaking of torquing lug nuts, what the consesus on these things?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42478

 

I wonder how accurate they are.....

 

John

they should be ok.. but why go through all that when you can use either the 1/2" drive or 3/8" drive Craftsman Torque Wrench with an extension or deep impact sockets instead? I wouldnt pay $70 for that set when I get a 6" extension for $10 or so and have a variable torque range from 15 to 150 lbs. at 1 foot increments

 

Harborfreight has some simple and cheap stuff, but I wouldnt recommend some of their other tools (hence I went with the Sears/Craftsman Racing Jack instead).

 

 

Keefe

You can pick up a torque wrench for $20 really. But Sears/Craftsman are life-time garantee so you pretty much trash them if you want and return and get a new one later (as the Craftsman are ratcheting, and you get them for $60 and up).

 

Eventually you'll know how much 90 lbs of torque feels like once you use a torque wrench long enough then you can just torque the lugs without one. I am usually within 5 lbs of 95 lbs of torque for the lugs. You just know how much to turn it and how much resistent you should feel using x-feet long wrench.

 

Long story short: Barrow one or buy one.. dont try to guess as some people dont have the strength to torque a lug if someone is using a 6" long ratchet/wrench.

 

 

Keefe

Thanks Keefe, I'll buy one this week-end. BTW, my four-way wrench is 20".

they should be ok.. but why go through all that when you can use either the 1/2" drive or 3/8" drive Craftsman Torque Wrench with an extension or deep impact sockets instead? I wouldnt pay $70 for that set when I get a 6" extension for $10 or so and have a variable torque range from 15 to 150 lbs. at 1 foot increments

 

Harborfreight has some simple and cheap stuff, but I wouldnt recommend some of their other tools (hence I went with the Sears/Craftsman Racing Jack instead).

 

 

Keefe

 

Oh, I wasn't thinking of buying the set. A garage I used to frequent used them all the time and I was always wary of how accurate they were.

 

John

oh ok, I was about to say, what if one of the techs were color-blind? and picked up the 65 lbs one instead of the 120 lbs (btw, I think 5x130 bolt patterns like vipers or vettes use 120+ lbs of torque) and just "eased" it on there? Well, I guess they can be alright provided that the air impact gun wasnt turned up all the way to 400 lbs while using those torque-extensions.. I would hate to see someone snap the extension in the process and have a piece of it hit you in the face.

 

Keefe

A couple months back I read a thread (here or on another forum) where people were highly recommending the Pittsburgh 1/2" drive torque wrench. I found it at the time for $12 on sale...so I got one. Some people said they recommended it over the Craftsman models which are much more expensive...but you're probably paying more for the insurance...being able to stop by a Sears and replace it if it breaks. I have not had a chance to use mine yet, so I don't know if it works well yet.

 

Here's the one I got for cheap:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=239

 

Here's one that looks like it's for Lug nuts:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3105

 

Bumping an old post which has save me a decent amount of $$$

Just ordered a torque wrench and a breaker bar from Harbor Freight!

Also, always google search for Harbor Freight coupon codes...because there's always something out there. A current one is for $5 off of $50, which a set of 3 tin snips for free. They also have some nice breaker bars. The only problem with mine is that I got the ones with the rubber handles...and they have that stinky Chinese grease smell on them...I have them venting in the garage for a couple of months.

 

Also, be aware that their pricing for a particular item between in-store, fliers, catalogs, and the website are usually not the same. Not sure why this is...but it seems to happen more often on the sale items. For whatever reason I can order $100 worth of stuff online, they end up not charging me tax (even though they have retail locations in my state)...and the shipping is only like $8...very reasonable.

I read something like 76 ft.lbs. for my Outback, so I bought an AccuTork Torque Stick that is 80 ft.lbs. That's what I use for my LGT. That way I can use the ol' Harbour Freight rechargable impact gun when changing my wheels for autocrossing.

 

H2OSB