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Date:         Fri, 19 Jul 2002 18:59:20 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Lug Nut Tightening Comments (long)
Comments: To: email99@BELLSOUTH.NET
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

My Reply. Short. Duh! I was expecting #1 through #10, you must have skipped something.

Stan Wilder 83 Air Cooled Westfalia Lugs torqued just like the driver.

---------------------- On Fri, 19 Jul 2002 19:45:28 -0400 Ed McLean <email99@BELLSOUTH.NET> writes: > With all the discussion on lug nuts and impact wrenches I would like > add > a few comments of my own: > > 1. When I buy tires or have them rotated I insist a torque > wrench > be used to insure the lug nuts are tightened correctly. I also ask > what > torque specifications will be used. Most tire stores have > specification > books and many times the torque specs are also written right on the > wheel bearing dust cover, wheel or brake disc. If torque > specifications > are not followed, loose wheels, frozen lug nuts, stripped lug nuts, > rounded off lug nuts, and broken lug bolts may occur. > > 2. I always watch the technician actually install the wheels > to > make sure he knows how to use the torque wrench. I once watched a > kid > carefully install the lug nuts by hand, tighten the nuts with a > click > type torque wrench until it "clicked", and then give it an > additional > healthy tug to make sure they were tight. He was trying but he > just > didn't have a clue. > > 3. If the technician doesn't install the lug nuts in the > correct > manner I report to the person who wrote the service order and > request > that the lug nuts/bolts be hand torqued correctly. If he will not > have > them torqued properly, I won't pay. It was part of the deal. > > 4. Most all chain tire stores have poster that indicated the > correct way to install lug nuts. Just ask the sales person to > explain > it to you. Then ask him to make sure the technician follows the > directions exactly. (This also works to insure the tire mounter > uses > the proper lubrication when pulling the tire over the rim. This is > important with tires with stiff or reinforced side walls, such as > the > MXL's or light truck tires.) > > 5. Some tire stores use a calibrated "Torque Stick" to install > lug > nuts. These are not designed for final tightening but to insure lug > nuts are not over tightened before they are given their final > torque > check with a torque wrench. Torque Sticks are not accurate unless > the > impact wrench used with them has been calibrated with the Torque > Stick. > If an installer insists on using Torque Sticks because "they are > accurate", ask him to let you see the records of impact wrench > calibration. I personally do not allow the use of torque sticks > because > the wheel is generally tightened one lug at a time, a procedure > that > will induce excessive stress when the second lug is tightened. > Wheels > lugs should be tightened in a crisscross pattern in a stepwise > manner. > > 6. It is not only tire stores that don't install wheel > correctly. > On a recent trip to our local Volvo dealer I watched a mechanic use > an > impact wrench to mount wheels. After a short discussion, the > service > manager used a Snap-On dial type torque wrench to remove a lug nut > that > was supposed to be torqued to 63 ft. lbs. It required more than 150 > ft. > lbs. to break it loose... The service manager then, without > comment, > loosened and retorqued all 20 lug nuts. > > and finally: > > 7. Everyone should have a 6 point impact socket and a torque > wrench > to use on their lug nuts. These are not expensive ($7 at Sears a > 1/2" > drive 19 mm black impact socket and $19.99 for a 1/2" drive beam > type > torque wrench). These sockets are designed for maximum grip on the > lug > nuts and will eliminate most problems with the socket slipping off > and > rounding off the nut or bolt head. Never use a 12 point socket on > lug > nuts or lug bolts. The impact sockets are usually black and are > cheap > compared to cutting off even one rounded off lug nut or broken > bolt. > The beam type torque wrench is probably more accurate than an dial > or > micrometer type torque wrench that has never or not recently been > calibrated. It is certainly good enough for alloy wheels. > > 8. If you lubricate your lug nuts/bolts with oil or antisieze, > you > have to change the torque specifications to adjust for the > lubrication. > Generally, torque should be reduced by 20 to 30 percent, depending > on > the lubricant you use to insure proper bolt tension. You must find > out > what your oil/antisieze specifications are before you do this. > However, > don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself. > > I think that about covers it from me. > > Ed McLean >

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