Re-Torque After New Wheels

9XLT3Explorer · March 14, 2006

When i bought my steel wheels a couple months ago the guy said i had to have these aftermarket lug nuts for these new rims.So i got them and we had them install the rims and lug nuts.Well the next week i heard a slight banging noise coming from the rear passenger side tire.When you have a car or truck for so long you know this like the back of your hand.I told my wife that the noise was there and she didnt think anything of it.Well i checked and checked the tire for nails screws or anything that would make that noise.I found nothing.So im thinking ok maybe im dreaming this up.Well a few days after that the noise got 10xs louder and the truck would wobble like crazy.Then i knew something was definatly worng.And my wife finally felt and heard it for herself.So i take it back to the alignment shop giving them hell about not doing something right and they get the tires off.Well come to find out these lug nuts i had to have were too small for the studes and the whole truck.And they were backing off and the rim was banging against them trying to come off.I could even see where the paint from the rim and the area around where the lug is against the rim was being banged off by the impact.So i put on the old lugs from the stock rims and no problems since then.We went back to the place i got these rims and gave the hell too.Told them i have 2 children with me and that they were giing me my money back.When i walked out of there i had 130 bucks in hand and a FREE filter K & N filter cleaning kit.

Sorry that was so long.But that was my experiance.

etc · March 18, 2006

etc said:
A question about retorquing. Do you loosen them then retorque, or just straight ahead?

I've read somewhere than trying to torque something that's already been tightened isn't accurate.

Good question etc, according to Modern Tire Delaer

TO RETORQUE OR NOT TO RETORQUE

There are two schools of thought regarding the need to retorque wheel fasteners. We´ll ignore one of these and focus on the correct method.

While it´s possible to "get away" without retorquing, the right approach is to retorque each wheel fastener (in sequence) following the first 50 to 100 miles or so of operation. Because of a concern for potential metal compression/elongation and thermal stresses, the wheel clamping loads may change during initial use, so it´s simply a good idea to re-check.

In order to retorque, first wait for the wheels to cool to ambient temperature. Then, loosen and retighten each fastener to specified value, in sequence.

Tire Rack recommends

When installing new wheels you should re-torque them after traveling the first 50 to 100 miles. This is necessary because as the wheels are "breaking in" they may compress slightly allowing their lugs to lose some of their torque. Simply repeat the same torque procedure listed above.

But the do not mention loosening the lug nuts.

Still looking for a valid answer as of now. I shall continue the self conversation. Stay tuned!

spindlecone · March 18, 2006

Makes sense to loosen and re-TQ on a cool wheel, never would have thought about that.
It would seem that the TQ values on a hot wheel, would be higher than on a cold wheel.
I ck mine every couple mos. just for drill, are always the same, 95 lbs

wee · March 20, 2006

I just got a set of Crager Soft 8's and the box said to re-torque after 25 Miles. Insane, but bet your ass i will do it.

TommyEX · March 20, 2006

spindlecone said:
I ck mine every couple mos. just for drill, are always the same, 95 lbs

So is 95 lbs/ft OEM recommendation? Does this apply for all years or certain year Explorers? I've been trying to get the torque spec for my Ex but I'm getting different numbers thrown at me.

Overtightening is also a good way to warp rotors. Yet 9 times out of 10 a wheel shop will not take the time to torque down a wheel.

Nothing like doing it yourself. I've invested in a proper torque wrench and highly recommend it to everyone else.

spindlecone · March 20, 2006

90/100 ft lbs is within spec for all EXs

sonnyfl · June 24, 2006

retorque alum wheels

Retorquing is an issue with any dissimilar metals under severe load stress and high heat. The answer is ideally to loosen and retorque each one at a time in the proper sequence. Cool wheels of course.

kbailess · June 27, 2006

Damn good answer

If you don't back-off before re-tqing, you will not know if they're overly tight. I think that any time you want to apply accurate tq, you must first back-off.

93 x_SPORT · August 15, 2006

I didn't read this whole thread, I'm just going to post my experience...

When I took my '68 cougar to get the new wheels and tires put on (years ago), the tech told me to re-torque them after however long because they are aluminum and they will loosen. I re-torqued them and they were fine ever since.

I finally got my car put back together after having it torn apart (new engine, trans, front end rebuild, power disc brake swap, etc...). I was too lazy/procrastinating re-torqueing the wheels. So a couple weeks ago I was leaving work, walking to my explorer. I saw a lug nut on the ground in the parking lot. I thought it looked just like my lug nuts on my Cougar. So when I got home I looked and sure-as-s**t, I was missing one and several others were way too loose.

Moral of the story if you have aluminum wheels re-torque. If you have steel wheels and value your life, even though they probably won't loosen, re-torque them anyway.

It's not that big of a deal so just do it.

ma96782 · September 13, 2006

A question about retorquing. Do you loosen them then retorque, or just straight ahead?

I've read somewhere than trying to torque something that's already been tightened isn't accurate.

IMHO: Torque in steps........once you are at spec........that's it, LEAVE IT.

Most folks I know who re-build motors, torque in steps...........say the spec says 100 f/lb. The first try could be, say 25% less than the final............second could be, say between the first and final. EXAMPLE: First try 75 f/lb, then 83 f/lb, then finally 100 f/lbs.

If you're gonna re-check stuff............loosen the bolt, then re-torque to spec. I've never seen a head bolt tightened to spec, then re-tightened again to, "check it." The bolt streaches......and IF it wasn't correct the first time......who says it gonna be correct the second time.....or should we try again for a third time, fourth, fifth?

I "think" the spec. has taken into consideration those "thoughts."

BTW.......Haynes says wheel lugs get 100 f/lbs........nothing mentioned about the temp. I always do mine at regular room temps., after it has had time to cool down (not after driving 100 miles). Though, after the wait at the tire shop.....I'll venture to say the the wheel temps have come down to close to normal. If your brakes are too hot to touch.....the wheels are possibly, "too hot."

TIP OF THE DAY........you just purcahsed a new/used car......or just got back from the tire shop........take those wheels off, put anti seize on the lugs and torque to spec. It's a BAD TIME to findout when you have a flat, that the lugs/bolts are rusted togeter or that the DEALERSHIP or the TIRE PLACE used an impact wrench set to some UN-GODLY spec. (those lugs have to come off with the factory supplied tools). Don't ask me how I know.

Aloha, Mark

levishake · February 27, 2007

when i worked as an autotech i always had to drive and retorque all wheels excpet for steel, probly about 1\4 of all the vehicles i retorqued the lugs nuts loosened some. One of our workers didnt retorque the alloys on a grand am and the costomer came back 2 weeks later complaining of a horrible virbration, there was 2 lug nuts holding the tire on with just a few threds, the other studs broke off. That could of been a real disaster.

MountaineerGreen · June 6, 2007

Saw this first hand today:

My Grandpa's 97 F150 had a blow out a few weeks back. He changed the tire on the side of the road, proceeded to a tire shop, bought a used tire and had it mounted. The guy at the shop put the wheel back on the truck for him.

Fast forward a few hundred miles to today. He was coming to my workplace for a cookout today- felt a vibration, thought it was a U Joint (wtf ??) and kept on driving. Pulled into the parking lot, parked the truck and went in to eat. Someone noticed that his wheel was sitting like \ on the axle. I went and looked, sorry no pictures ( I had my camera phone but completely forgot ) His wheel was being held on by one lug nut and one lug nut only. I lifted the truck off the ground, the lug nut came off with 3/4 of a turn!

One of the studs was completely gone, the others were intact. All of the holes in the wheel were egged out to a large hole, the soft aluminum didn't damage the threads on the remaining studs. The rear brakes are drums, and the drum holes were egged out as well.

I stole a lug nut from each of the other intact wheels to get him home and put his spare tire on.

His lug nuts apparently worked loose, he never noticed ( he isn't highly observant anymore ) So check your lug nuts after your (especially aluminum) wheels are removed and replaced.

MountaineerGreen · September 3, 2007

Here are some pictures from the above post. I replaced the wheel stud and took a few pictures while doing so.

Blacksheep Josh · December 30, 2007

i didn't have this problem with the shop i go to for my balancing and rotations, but i did have the problem when i used mys pare tire.... the lugs kept backing off, and about once a day i'd have to redo them while i was using the spare...

and yes i was doing it in a star rotation...

skoal_mint · December 30, 2007

Thanks guys, seeing that picture does it for me. I will now to this everytime at work and my customers the pop back in for retorque.

Now this could explain why about a year ago one of out good customers wheel came loose on a family trip. He broke 2 lug nuts and had to call a tow truck.

I think it would be worse in winter becasue the rims are warm inside the shop then go stright to -25c

JohnJ · April 26, 2008

To back off or not when retorquing:
If you don't loosen the nut before retorquing it, your torque wrench is measuring breakaway torque instead of final torque. Breakaway is higher than final, so you can have your torque wrench set to 100 and it clicks before the nut turns even if final torque is only 85 or so. If this sounds like it makes no sense, consider how while braking if a wheel locks up you get less stopping power when the wheel locks than when it's still rolling with the road surface. Loosen the nut then torque it.

Anti-seize or grease on the threads:
The torque specification is for a clean dry nut on a clean dry specially coated stud. A lubricant will give you slightly more clamping force at the same torque, but lack of any coating can give you corrosion and thus a much lighter clamping force than needed. As such, a little corrosion can make your wheel fall off and a little oil can keep your wheel on. The lighter/thinner the oil the better, but anything is better than rust making your wheel fall off. I like to first spray with carburetor cleaner to remove any particles then apply a drop of penetrating oil. Blue loctite would probably be better, but I'd feel silly using it. Grease and anti-seize can cause grit to stick to your threads which isn't good.

MountaineerGreen · April 26, 2008

Nice post John!

I've personally witnessed wal-mart tire center use anti seize on every stud every time :dunno:

parad1mg · November 3, 2008

just adding my personal experience here.. i have aluminum wheels that i installed a month ago and a few days back when i decided to pick someone up from work the truck and the steering wheel would vibrate lightly whenever i reach 85mph.. took out the lug nut wrench as soon as i reached my destination and checked the the nuts were loose.. yep, they were pretty loose.. i mean all 20 lug nuts can be turned with the wrench with ease..

i tightened them all up and drove up to 90mph heading back home and it drove smoothly again.. no vibrations or veering to any side.. i'll probably check them every two weeks or so as to prevent any avoidable accidents from happening..

^GAWG^ · June 4, 2009

Ya. we tell people to retorque at 100-150 km. We have a guarantee that the wheels will stay on after retorquing. if you don't come back for a retorque then its your problem. I work at a tire shop btw

^GAWG^ · June 4, 2009

I suggest always going to a real tire shop rather than walmart or canadian tire. They are more budget, less quality. (Generally of course, each store is different) Our shop gets alot of people coming from canadian tire to get stuff redone because they screwed it up. So does the Kal-Tire in my town. And parad1mg, checking them every 2 weeks is a really good habit to get into. it only takes a minute and can save alot of money and prevent dangerous tire losses. i re-tighten my wheels, (not actually torque, just tighten to roughly 120 ft/lbs) every 2-3 weeks and before long trips.

Re-Torque After New Wheels

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