I break lug nuts and threads when taking wheels off

[Slopoke]

I don't trust shops in general. If it's something that I can do, I do it myself.

I had an incident at my local tire shop. I usually take the wheel/tire assy off the car and bring them to the tire shop to have new ones installed. This one time and it was a first for this car, I didn't have the time to take the wheels off. The shop I took it to, stated that they always use a torque wrench to install the lug nuts, BuII Poop. I double checked the torque on the lug nuts and found one to be stripped. The shop changed the stud at no cost to me. But that further reinforces the motto of " If you want it done right. Do it yourself".

Always use a torque wrench to install the hardware. An impact driver is OK for removal, but if you have nice lug nuts, they usually get marked up by the impact driver.

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[kz]

I use impact all the time to install it - but know well when to stop to still be under spec torque. Finish with torque wrench. Lugs (Gorilla or something else, but not Ford junk) look perfect.

 

[17Magnetic5.0]

On my car I personally take off the lug nuts by hand with the torque wrench as I know these Ford lug nuts are known to separate then when I’m ready to throw them on I flip the switch on the wrench and get to torqueing.

As far as using torque sticks I’m not really too sure they’re meant to be doing the final tightening. I worked for a tire shop back in the day and would use the torque stick just to get them on tight then do the final tightening with the wheels on the ground using a torque wrench. It takes maybe a minute or two to torque a car’s lug nuts and it’s someone’s life you’re putting in danger if the wheel comes off. But nowadays people just go to work for a paycheck and don’t care about their jobs or others.

 

[Shadow277]

I don't trust shops in general. If it's something that I can do, I do it myself.

I had an incident at my local tire shop. I usually take the wheel/tire assy off the car and bring them to the tire shop to have new ones installed. This one time and it was a first for this car, I didn't have the time to take the wheels off. The shop I took it to, stated that they always use a torque wrench to install the lug nuts, BuII Poop. I double checked the torque on the lug nuts and found one to be stripped. The shop changed the stud at no cost to me. But that further reinforces the motto of " If you want it done right. Do it yourself".

Always use a torque wrench to install the hardware. An impact driver is OK for removal, but if you have nice lug nuts, they usually get marked up by the impact driver.

And the S550s have lug nut adapter keys, right? How does a shop take the wheels off without one?

 

[Shadow277]

On my car I personally take off the lug nuts by hand with the torque wrench as I know these Ford lug nuts are known to separate then when I’m ready to throw them on I flip the switch on the wrench and get to torqueing.

As far as using torque sticks I’m not really too sure they’re meant to be doing the final tightening. I worked for a tire shop back in the day and would use the torque stick just to get them on tight then do the final tightening with the wheels on the ground using a torque wrench. It takes maybe a minute or two to torque a car’s lug nuts and it’s someone’s life you’re putting in danger if the wheel comes off. But nowadays people just go to work for a paycheck and don’t care about their jobs or others.

I have heard people say to loosen the lug nuts on the ground, then finish taking them off once on the car stands or rack. Put the wheel om and torque to spec while off the ground. What is the ideal step by step methodology?

 

[WD Pro]

I also got some 19mm lug nuts so that I didn't have to torque it down so ridiculously high.

How does the hex size effect the torque setting ?

WD

 

[Bear376]

My favorite method is to to loosen on the ground when using a breaker bar (Gorilla wrench), but if using an impact(Ryobi cordless) driver, it is not necessary. Installing the wheel, I loosely install the lug nuts with the impact, and then take it off the jack to torque them down. As for why they increased the torque when going to a slightly larger stud, the answer is testing. Lots of calculations and stress tests before they find the safest torque that the average shop or owner can remove. And some racers and lawyers believe that the lug nuts should be used once and replaced.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

I have heard people say to loosen the lug nuts on the ground, then finish taking them off once on the car stands or rack. Put the wheel om and torque to spec while off the ground. What is the ideal step by step methodology?

The real reason to loosen while on the ground is to prevent the wheels from turning while your trying to loosen the lugs, that's all. If you have a good impact, you can skip that step and just take them off with the impact while in the air.

1. loosen lugs while on the ground if you don't have an impact
2. raise car, place on stands
3. remove lugs
4. swap tires
5. replace and run down lugs to snug but not tight
6. lower car back on ground or floor
7. tighten lugs to spec with a torque wrench.

If you get a click type torque wrench, ALWAYS run it out to the lowest setting until you can feel the tension release on the spring before you store it. If you keep tension on the spring, it will lose tension over time and become less accurate.

 

[17Magnetic5.0]

I have heard people say to loosen the lug nuts on the ground, then finish taking them off once on the car stands or rack. Put the wheel om and torque to spec while off the ground. What is the ideal step by step methodology?

thats to stop the wheel from spinning. As someone else said not necessary if using an impact but if you’re doing it by hand what I recommend is jacking the car up until the wheel is barely in contact with the ground then loosening them. I personally don’t like the idea of having the weight of the car just resting on the studs so I help relieve some of the stress on them by lifting the car up a bit. If doing it by hand I put the lug nuts back on I tighten them by hand as much as possible unless using an impact then I’ll just tighten until they make contact and again lower the jack but with the wheels only making enough contact to stop them from spinning then I torque them. Recheck torque after some miles and you’re good to go

 

[kodioneill]

There's soft sockets for impact wrenches that will not mar the lug nuts.

 

[Andy13186]

Torque sticks dont work properly with electric impact wrenches, the wrench hits too fast, they only work with air impacts. There are a few youtube videos proving this.

My milwaukee mid torque works for lugs, I wouldnt want anything with less power but its definitely sufficient.

 

[Slopoke]

If you get a click type torque wrench, ALWAYS run it out to the lowest setting until you can feel the tension release on the spring before you store it. If you keep tension on the spring, it will lose tension over time and become less accurate.

Never go below ZERO. The airline that I work for, had come out with a memo, a while ago, stating that running the click type torque wrenches below zero is not good. It can damage it and cause the calibration to become unreliable. We were told to be mindful of not going below zero when storing them.

 

[Slopoke]

And the S550s have lug nut adapter keys, right? How does a shop take the wheels off without one?

Mine didn't have locking lug nuts, but IIRC, the ones with the enhanced security package, has locking lug nuts.

 

[BimmerDriver]

How does the hex size effect the torque setting ?

WD

I don't know. I read it somewhere. The shop (one of those racing supply places, they build race cars as well) that I sourced them from say that with the 19mm nuts, 90 ft/lb is perfectly fine, and I've not had an issue using that spec.

From years of torqueing down at 90 ft/lbs my arm is so finely calibrated that I don't need a torque wrench. Although I do still double-check it.

 

[WD Pro]

I don't know. I read it somewhere. The shop (one of those racing supply places, they build race cars as well) that I sourced them from say that with the 19mm nuts, 90 ft/lb is perfectly fine, and I've not had an issue using that spec.

From years of torqueing down at 90 ft/lbs my arm is so finely calibrated that I don't need a torque wrench. Although I do still double-check it.

Note : I’m not wanting to start a war on nut torque etc

The 90 may well be enough (more so if you are lubing threads), but be aware that the torque ford calculated is based on the thread / stud size rather than the nut hex size that’s on the end of it.

All I am saying is that if you are someone that wants to stick to OE specs, then you still need to torque to 150 rather than the 90 they have told you.

Another note : The 90 may well be based on the quality of nut you have and it’s ability to actually take 150 - but that’s another wormhole we shouldn’t go down ... lol

WD

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