Lug torque

**dunedancers** · 12-16-2007, 01:20 PM

I have aluminum, beadlock wheels with paddles on the rear and razors on the front. What is suggested torque on the lugs?

I also have chrome beadlock wheels with desert tires. What is suggested torque on the lugs for these?

Thanks!

Steve

**mrr23** · 12-19-2007, 04:46 AM

refer to wheel manufacturer suggested torque for given stud diameter.

**WARP211** · 12-27-2007, 01:13 PM

factory spec. is 100ft Ibs...

**dunedancers** · 12-27-2007, 01:39 PM

For which? Surely there is a lower torque for the aluminum wheels than the chrome, steel ones. Yes????

**WARP211** · 12-27-2007, 09:49 PM

dude its 100ft Ibs. no matter what... even if you change your rim size..

**dunedancers** · 12-28-2007, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by WARP211

dude its 100ft Ibs. no matter what... even if you change your rim size..

Great! I've had people tell me that to "be careful you don't over tighten those soft aluminum wheels" and I took it to mean the torque was different when apparently they meant "you can over tighten the chrome wheels and get away with it but don't exceed 100 ft lbs with the alum".

Thanks!

**FuhBreezeE** · 12-28-2007, 07:57 AM

No impacts! I sheared off all 5 lugs

**dunedancers** · 12-28-2007, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by fabrizi

No impacts! I sheared off all 5 lugs

Now I'm corn fused. The lugs are on the car and I assume are steel!! I was worried about the aluminum rims and I'm reading about sheared off lugs. Holy torque wrench, Batman!

I have a little 18v Ryobi impact wrench that gets them off but doesn't seem powerful enough to put them on past 80 ft lbs. so I hand tighten. I use it because the car won't fit in the trailer with the sand tires so I have to swap them with some "skinnys" that were custom made so there is way more tire changing out at camp than is fun.

I don't know.... am I being overly concerned about this? Just crank 'em down good and tight like I used to on my VW rail and go. Just don't "stand on them" when putting the aluminum wheels on.

What 'cha think?

**Bottesini** · 12-28-2007, 09:02 AM

I use a torque wrench and make sure that I go in a star pattern. On the F-bodies it is doubly important because of the free floating rotor design for the brakes (only thing holding the rotor to the car is the caliber and the wheels). For just moving the car around onto the trailer I think the impact at only 80 should be fine, but if you are going to do anything more then that invest in a good torque wrench, which is something you should probally try to get if you end up for other things anyways. The only way you will probally shear the lugs off is if you are driving in a high toruque situation, like the starting line at a drag strip etc.

**widget** · 12-29-2007, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by Bottesini

I use a torque wrench and make sure that I go in a star pattern. On the F-bodies it is doubly important because of the free floating rotor design for the brakes (only thing holding the rotor to the car is the caliber and the wheels). For just moving the car around onto the trailer I think the impact at only 80 should be fine, but if you are going to do anything more then that invest in a good torque wrench, which is something you should probally try to get if you end up for other things anyways. The only way you will probally shear the lugs off is if you are driving in a high toruque situation, like the starting line at a drag strip etc.

Yep, a GOOD accurate torque wrench is an essential investment! Make sure it can be calibrated.......

**dunedancers** · 12-29-2007, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by mrm1149

Yep, a GOOD accurate torque wrench is an essential investment! Make sure it can be calibrated.......

I have a Craftsman from Sears years ago and use it. No calibration though. I'm torqueing both aluminum and chrome rims at 100 ft lbs until I read different, but it makes me nervous as you can see where the previous owner of the car cranked down the lug nuts differently resulting in varying "craters" on the aluminum rims.