Topic: Over-Torqued Lug Nuts

[bridgecity]

Anybody have problems with tire shops over-torquing lug nuts?  It's a reoccurring issue for me.  I check the torque on the nuts after every tire rotation, and they are always over-torqued.  Today was a bit different.  I was going to replace the rear pads on my Honda Pilot, and couldn't get the keyed nut off.  Tried regular length wrench, no go.  Added about a foot pipe length, no go.  Tried the impact wrench (probably shouldn't with the keyed socket), no go.   Cut a 3 foot pipe length, gave it a go, and the keyed socket just shattered  .  I had the tires rotated about two weeks ago and hadn't backed off each lug nut to check them yet because I knew I'd be doing the rear brakes soon.  The tire shop is getting a piece of my mind tomorrow morning.  It just blows my mind that they can't make the effort to do this simple task properly. Might as well do mine own tire rotations from now on.

[toolatecrew]

You need a new tire shop. My local one (which I tend to use only for install removal) always hands out a card to remind you have the wheel torque checked after driving for 80Km or more. You can stop into any location and the guy from the counter will usually drop most everything and come out and check the torque so you know they are being conscious of it when they do it.

[aquadorhj]

i had my winters taken off and all-season installed at Wal-mart. 

you might be saying  "whaaaat?"

but they did good job.  I was there to observe, and they made good use of the torque wrench after torquing each wheel.

and it's only $5 per wheel. (my rims and tires are already well-balanced individually)

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However, I used to be guilty of over-torquing, when I worked at my parents' shop.  Never enough to shatter anything, though.  I was very good to customers' cars.    all wheels balanced to perfection(given the old balancing machine), never had ANYONE complain on my work.

I cared like I would when I worked on my own car, and that took extra 2-3 minutes per car.   ....  but you just don't see that in many shops.   (never even close at honda dealer where i bought my Fit, new)

sucks.  hope your issue gets resolved satisfactorily.

[bridgecity]

My local one (which I tend to use only for install removal) always hands out a card to remind you have the wheel torque checked after driving for 80Km or more

That card means nothing.  This shop hands out a card also, states when they need to be re-torqued, who torqued them, and to what spec.  Lies, lies, lies  . 

[toolatecrew]

My local one (which I tend to use only for install removal) always hands out a card to remind you have the wheel torque checked after driving for 80Km or more

I think you misunderstand. The car says  Don't forget come back and get the wheels retorqued> I've done so many times. The guy came out from the counter after checking the specs for torque with the torque wrench and checked tit in front of me on ever wheel. It was right on every time.

The card doesn't mean they do it properly the fact that they have proven it to me many times does.

That card means nothing.  This shop hands out a card also, states when they need to be re-torqued, who torqued them, and to what spec.  Lies, lies, lies  . 

[safristi]

  Me-THINKS we all have"OVER TALKED" this subject till it HURTS!!!!... !.... ..................fer some amongst us there is no limit to TIGHTY NUTTIES

[bridgecity]

Me-THINKS we all have"OVER TALKED" this subject till it HURTS!!!!... !.... ..................fer some amongst us there is no limit to TIGHTY NUTTIES

Take a deep breath and let your nutties relax! 


Gotcha toolatecrew.  I did misunderstand.  One of the problems is that this chain of tire shops offers free rotations when you purchase your tires there, and there is only one of their shops in our small city.  Next time its do it myself, or sit and watch them do it.

[dr_spock]

I always check my nuts after somebody else tightened them.   My local dealership managed to get them right.   Most other places I used in the past were too tight.   Everybody seems to be rush, rush; no one is taking the time to check the specs in the manuals.

[bridgecity]

Stopped by the tire shop this morning.  Bitched them out (in a nice way) and they said they'd take take of it.  Next thing I know the manager comes to me while I'm waiting and says that one of the other nuts was cross-threaded, so now they also have to replace the stud on the rotor, which would be a day to get the part from Honda.   He also admitted the the rest of the lugs were over-torqued.  Talk about screwing up the simplest of tasks.  All I wanted was a friggin' tire rotation.

[No H2O]

I check the torque on the nuts after every tire rotation, and they are always over-torqued.

How do you know they are over-torqued?

Do you put a torque wrench on them at the correct setting and expect them to unscrew? Well they won't...it doesn't work that way.

Might as well do mine own tire rotations from now on.

Now you know why I don't take my cars or motorcycles to any shop.

[bridgecity]

I check the torque on the nuts after every tire rotation, and they are always over-torqued.

How do you know they are over-torqued?

Do you put a torque wrench on them at the correct setting and expect them to unscrew? Well they won't...it doesn't work that way.

Might as well do mine own tire rotations from now on.

Now you know why I don't take my cars or motorcycles to any shop.

I know they are overtorqued because I have removed rims from vehicles enough times that I've got a very good feel for what removing 80-100 ft lbs should feel like.  If I'm putting all of my 220lbs on a ratchet and they don't budge, I know its overtorqued.

I do most of my own maintenance for the same reasons as you, but most of all I enjoy it.

[No H2O]

If I'm putting all of my 220lbs on a ratchet and they don't budge, I know its over torqued.

Not knowing how long your ratchet handle is, I'd guess about 150 lbf.ft. or thereabouts.

I guess they are afraid your wheels will fall off. 

They just love those impact guns. I use mine...can't remember the last time though...maybe twice in 20 years to remove a stubborn fastener.

[bridgecity]

I guess they are afraid your wheels will fall off. 

They just love those impact guns. I use mine...can't remember the last time though...maybe twice in 20 years to remove a stubborn fastener.

Ya, they probably figure that its better to be over tight than for the wheels to fall off.  I don't use my impact very often either.  The last two times I've brought it out was to attempt to loosen the lug nuts that this tire shop overtorqued.  I've learned my lesson, they probably haven't 

Anyway, thanks for listening to me moan n' whine!

[X-Traction]

Over-torquing lug nuts seems to be very common.  Last winter I had a flat fixed.  A couple of months later, when rotating to summer wheels, I couldn't get that rim off.  Back to the tire shop.  Mechanic fails with a regular lug wrench.  Fails with wrench over 2' long.  Eventually gets it off with an air gun.  I would never have gotten it off.

The locking lug nuts with the "flower" pattern are a bad match for this problem.  You will strip out the pattern long before getting the nut loose.  (Always loosen the locking nut first, not last.)  So I've switched to the socket-style locking nuts.  The splined ones should also be good.

Recently I bought some nice high-quality lug nuts for our other car.  To replace the both the locking nuts and the cheapo/rusty Canadian Tire lug nuts.  Can't get any of the four "flower" pattern locking nuts off, and can't get half the regular nuts off either.  Standing, bouncing on a tire wrench.  So it has to go to the shop also.

Maybe I should quit carrying spare tires around, since it seems I'd never be able to get a wheel off by the roadside anyway.

[maritime_storm]

Recently I bought some nice high-quality lug nuts for our other car.  To replace the both the locking nuts and the cheapo/rusty Canadian Tire lug nuts. 

All of our wheel studs & nuts are supplied by PAPCO, they also supply most North American car plants of all makes.

[bridgecity]

The saga continues.  I arrived at the tire shop this morning so the stud in the rotor could be replaced, only to find out that they didn't know that their mechanic wasn't in today.  I'll have to take it in tomorrow now.  But all is well, as the manager informed me that everything will still be free of charge! 

Really? You're still willing to fix something that you effed up free of charge?  Good on ya!   

I'm tempted just to say leave it, and fix it myself, but I don't want them to get off that easily.  I'll have to check their work closely when I get it home. 

[Nathan@1010tires]

For the 12 seconds it takes, guys should use a torque wrench. Once you know the torque specs for each stud/bolt size (there are only about 5 or 6) you can torque every vehicle on the road properly. Problem is, good torque wrenches are not cheap. At a minimum they should be using torque sticks on their guns.

[blur911]

At a minimum they should be using torque sticks on their guns.

How good are torque sticks?   I have one, but haven't actually used it yet.  I've heard conflicting reports on their usefulness and accuracy.

[Nathan@1010tires]

At a minimum they should be using torque sticks on their guns.

How good are torque sticks?   I have one, but haven't actually used it yet.  I've heard conflicting reports on their usefulness and accuracy.

Good torque wrench

Cheap torque wrench

Torque sticks









Impact gun



 

[Canada Stig]

I gave up on this a long time ago.  I switch over my own winters/summer and thus never ask for the wheels to be rotated.  If it is in for a brake job I have the advisor write on the work order "Torque wheel lugs to 80lbs/ft" (for the Mercedes) and 95lbs/ft for the Ford.  I then bring my torque wrench with me to check them on the car when I pick it up.  Dealers are usually pretty good, but the Mercedes dealer did torque my lug bolts to 130lbs/ft instead of 130nm