Wheel shops over torque nuts!

I don't know if all wheel shops over torque lug nuts, but the bigOtire in Pleasant Hill, CA, certainly does.

i hadn't touched my wheels since about two months ago when i had bigOtire rotate my tires for me, and when i did a rotation in my garage today, i found that BigOtire torqued my nuts to over 100 lb/ft!! i had a hell of a time trying to get them off. in case if you wonder, i know the torque because i unscrewed the nuts with a torque wrench.

Just giving you guys a heads up. if you have a shop work on your car, it wouldn't hurt to undo the nuts and retorque them again when you get home. tirerack.com says "Be careful because if you over torque a wheel, you can strip a lug nut, stretch or break a wheel stud, and cause the wheel, brake rotor and/or brake drum to distort."

I've also taken the following chart from Tirerack.

Hardware
Size Torque in
Ft/Lbs

10MM
45-55
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12MM
70-80
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14MM
85-90
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7/16"
70-80
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/2"
75-85
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9/16"
135-145

Any good tire shop should have invested in torque sticks. They are extensions for impact wrenches that are designed for specific torques. They are sized to twist and flex enough at the specified torqu so the impact bounces and ratchets, so you dont overtorque. They allow you to to safely torque wheels properly. I always dread the tire shop cause they hardly ever seem to do this. It definitely is bad for rotors and alloy wheels!!!

Just thursday i had justtires add hubcentric rings to my wheels for free. But of course there was a downside. The idiot working the wheels seemed to use too much torque and he totally broke a tuner lug. It took like an hour to get it off, and now i'm left with a scratch, and an oversized nut hanging off my wheel. ____ed -_- :gun: :gun: :cry:

Just thursday i had justtires add hubcentric rings to my wheels for free. But of course there was a downside. The idiot working the wheels seemed to use too much torque and he totally broke a tuner lug. It took like an hour to get it off, and now i'm left with a scratch, and an oversized nut hanging off my wheel. ____ed -_- :gun: :gun: :cry:
They are the ones with 1 scratched slightly used wheel. They need to order you a new wheel and a matching set of tuner lugs then fire the idiot that did this IMO.

This is another reason I do 99% of my own service work. I hate people that don't take care of other peoples cars! :flame:

You shouldn't let a shop use a torque wrench. It will scratch ur rims.

You shouldn't let a shop use a torque wrench. It will scratch ur rims.
WHAT the heck are you talking about and how is a torque wrench going to scratch a wheel??? That statement makes 0 sense :loser:
A torque wrench is the only proper way to tighten you lugs to 80 ft. lbs with out causing 1. warped rotors 2.broken or stripped lugs-studs 3. cracked wheels

You can do it by hand. If u dont think a torque wrech doesn't scratch your rims then shoot yourself.

You can do it by hand. If u dont think a torque wrech doesn't scratch your rims then shoot yourself.
How exactly do you "THINK" a torque wrench works and how does it even touch the wheel.(This, I gotta hear) Even my wife can use a torque wrench and not scatch a whell. If I must explain, A torque wrench is nothing but a "Special 1/2 inch drive ratchet" That goes click when the lug is tight. :rofl: If you don't know how to maybe you should pay someone that does! :clap: If I were you I'd be as embarassed as hell and I'd want to shoot myself :roll:

Look here, I know a guy that owns a shop. He service top quality cars. All the wheels are loosen and tighten by hand because guess what? It can cause scratches. But oh well you can use whatever you want on your 13k box.

Seriously, a torque wrench can in no way scratch your rims any more easily than any other wrench. A torque wrench is a wrench, just like any other wrench you would use to tighten a bolt. The difference is in the handle mechanism, which clicks when you reach the set torque. Other than the mechanism in the handle, it works the same a a normal ratchet or wrench. I think maybe there is a terminology mixup?

You still didn't explain how exactly the wheel get scratched. The only possible way you can scratch a wheel with a torque wrench is by taking it and purposely hitting the wheel or dragging it acoss it. When used properly in conjunction with a deepwell impact scocket the freakin wrench DOES NOT TOUCH the wheel. Plain and simple ,FACT!!!!! You are either major thick, stupid or both. If you don't believe me ask anyone else and they will tell you the same freakin thing. Get a life!!!
OH, BTW do some research! Where can you get a NEW BOX for 13K? I'd be rich quickly :rofl: Mine was 16K before mods and I'd put it's quality up against say Mercedes (read many recalls) anyday. You take what others say without checking the facts first. That is what happens when you are young and still finding out what life is about. I pitty you :(

do whatever you want on your box and ill do what i want.

do whatever you want on you box and ill do what i want.
Still waiting on your explanation :tap: Why talk about stuff when you have no facts to back up your statements. The guys are gonna love reading this in the morning. :lalala:

I already told u my facts/ my reasoning behind what I said. Are you retarded?

I already told u my facts/ my reasoning behind what I said. Are you retarded?
NO, but clearly you must be. Where did you explain how and when the wrench touches or scratches the wheel. Does your buddy have bionic fingers and doesn't have a need for any sort of wrench??? :rofl: And how do you do it by hand and not use a wrench of any sort??? Lots of questions and not one single explanation. You cannot be serious! You generally have to pay for this type of entertainment!!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

hand wrench

OK, I can't take anymore of this. My side is hurting from all the laughter. Pleeze if you have the nerve to. Print out this discussion I've had with you and show it to him. Let him explain it to you (because I give up. You don't get it and you don't want to get it). You will feel very dumb when HE explains it to you. Maybe he can show you what it looks like and how it works? :shock: If not, oh well! :blah: :ttth: :loser:

I think the guy screaming about a Tourque Wrench is thinking of a Pneumatic Tourque Wrench. And yes, these will scratch wheels and twist the heck out of the bolt. And probably chew up your lugs pretty well.

That is, if, they are being handled by an idiot.
Which at most rim shops, unfortunately they are.

A manual tourque wrench is the best way to get rims on a car without overtightening. I've heard horror stories about idiots at rim shops overtightening the lug nuts, to the point that the wheel studs actually snapped off the car. Sometimes the owner of the car may not notice until they're barreling down the freeway at 60+ mph, and they see flying lug nuts in their rear view mirror.

I'll bet the person who suggested tightening lug nuts by hand is in their garage right now, twisting real hard with their bare fingers and wondering if they're at 80lbs pressure yet.

i belive turbome is talking about impact whrenches, a pneumatic impact wrench, or electric for that matter can tourge a nut, depending on its strength upwards of 300pounds per square inch. which is more than enough to snap a stud, i recomend turning nuts on by hand and hitting them lightly with an impach wrench, (read till it clicks once) then tourquing them to 75-80 pounds for out boxes, as well as the tc's....but what do i know i only worked for tow wheel companies and have installed several hundred sets of wheels

brent

oh too add to this, if your worried about scratching the inside of your wheels around the lugnuts, use a thin walled socket, snap on has a huge selection as well as a number of other companies

brent

Turbome doesn't know what he's talking about. Torque HAND wrenches are the way to go. You don't scratch the wheel, you won't loose a stud or lug. Or warp a rotor.

Clearly he was thinking of some sort of impact wrench. He was just too stupid to know when to shut up.

:lol:

i belive turbome is talking about impact whrenches, a pneumatic impact wrench, or electric for that matter can tourge a nut, depending on its strength upwards of 300pounds per square inch. which is more than enough to snap a stud, i recomend turning nuts on by hand and hitting them lightly with an impach wrench, (read till it clicks once) then tourquing them to 75-80 pounds for out boxes, as well as the tc's....but what do i know i only worked for tow wheel companies and have installed several hundred sets of wheels

brent

Thats why I mentioned torque sticks. The fit the lug tightly, they are thinner just afte the nut, like a lug wrench, and are designed to flex enough when the torque is reached to cause the impact to cam over, or bounce back. When used properly they will not scratch the rim. They are very handy tools! Unfortunately though, they are each designed for sprecific torques/lug sizes. So if you work on many different cars, such as in a shop, you need a set of them which can be a little spendy. The nice sets are color coded and come with a list telling which vehicle models require which color.

Come on guys, cut Turbome a break. I thought this message board was here to educate and inform others. I mean I certainly have learned some stuff here. So he might have been mistaken or confused leave him alone.

Come on guys, cut Turbome a break. I thought this message board was here to educate and inform others. I mean I certainly have learned some stuff here. So he might have been mistaken or confused leave him alone.
Read his posts...

That is what I thought at first. Then I tried to explain to him exactly, short of drawing a picture and he still didn't get it. Then I figured he was just messin wit me. Then I just lost it. Normally people pick up on stuff but this time it went right over his head and I reached my breaking point!
Clearly he was thinking of some sort of impact wrench. He was just too stupid to know when to shut up. I think this quote is the most accurrate explanation. My side still hurts from laughing though!!! :rofl:

i belive turbome is talking about impact whrenches, a pneumatic impact wrench, or electric for that matter can tourge a nut, depending on its strength upwards of 300pounds per square inch. which is more than enough to snap a stud, i recomend turning nuts on by hand and hitting them lightly with an impach wrench, (read till it clicks once) then tourquing them to 75-80 pounds for out boxes, as well as the tc's....but what do i know i only worked for tow wheel companies and have installed several hundred sets of wheels

brent

thank you :)

i belive turbome is talking about impact whrenches, a pneumatic impact wrench, or electric for that matter can tourge a nut, depending on its strength upwards of 300pounds per square inch. which is more than enough to snap a stud, i recomend turning nuts on by hand and hitting them lightly with an impach wrench, (read till it clicks once) then tourquing them to 75-80 pounds for out boxes, as well as the tc's....but what do i know i only worked for tow wheel companies and have installed several hundred sets of wheels

brent

thank you :)
I guess you thought about what I was telling you. And now you get it. :clap:

oh. and if anyone needs a torque wrench and doesn't wanna fork out 100+ for one or doesn't need professional quality tools. Sears has a needle style one that costs, i think, 30 dollars. it does the job.

this is a torque wrench
http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/44600/00944600000-dlv.jpg

http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/44562/00944562000-dlv.jpg

and this is an impact wrench
http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/19910/00919910000-dlv.jpg

and this is a torque dial indicator wrench
http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/44978/00944978000-dlv.jpg[/img]

Auto zone has the click kind for like around 50 bucks. It's a cheap investment in the long run!

all i can say is when i got my car I notriced they had scratched my wheels when they put them on. DOn't know what type of wrench they used but it ____es me off that they are scratched.

i prefer the snap on ones, with the lock on the small knob that adjusts the tourque. yes they are much more expensive, but as everything in life is you get what you pay for

brent

Come on guys, cut Turbome a break. I thought this message board was here to educate and inform others. I mean I certainly have learned some stuff here. So he might have been mistaken or confused leave him alone.
Read his posts...
yeah I was going to write this too!!! what a tool :rofl: .

He got mixed up on torque wrench and impact wrench. Big deal. I used to have those torque sticks when I worked in a garage. We were told "the bigger the car the bigger the stick" but never really told much more than that. I always used one, but never knew if it was the right one :) and then, I'd take an old valve stem and scratch the crap out of their rims anyway. MFrs, thinking they're better than I.

Hey, someone stole my avatar.

He got mixed up on torque wrench and impact wrench. Big deal. I used to have those torque sticks when I worked in a garage. We were told "the bigger the car the bigger the stick" but never really told much more than that. I always used one, but never knew if it was the right one :) and then, I'd take an old valve stem and scratch the crap out of their rims anyway. MFrs, thinking they're better than I.

Hey, someone stole my avatar.

The color coded ones are the best. They are all made for specific torques.

He got mixed up on torque wrench and impact wrench. Big deal.

That's what I thought at first, then I explaned I was talking about a hand/manual torque wrench. It didn't seem to matter though. He just kept arguing :yawn: :rofl:

whoops "impact wrench" is what I was told that scratches the wheels. :D

good to read you clear that up, or else a lot of people and mechanics will develop hand burns and blister from tightening the lug nuts :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: just kidding :rofl: