torque settings for wheel nuts. | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Sun 6 May 2007 20:23

torque settings for wheel nuts. - wemyss

Just bought an Haynes manual for my wifes Fabia.
The wheel nuts torque is 83lbs ft but the illustration shows steel wheels.
Never having had alloys this seems high even for steel.
Would this be the torque for alloys as well.
wemyss

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Sun 6 May 2007 20:33

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Aprilia

Yes, that's about 110Nm, which is about right.

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Sun 6 May 2007 20:52

torque settings for wheel nuts. - wemyss

Thanks Aprilia, I didnt realise alloys would have had such tightness.
wemyss

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Sun 6 May 2007 21:41

torque settings for wheel nuts. - tr7v8

Try Porsche Alloy ones they go to 93ft/lbs!

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Mon 7 May 2007 08:22

torque settings for wheel nuts. - L'escargot

Just bought an Haynes manual for my wifes Fabia.

The wheel nuts torque is 83lbs ft

Are you sure it doesn't say 83 Nm, which is 61 lb.ft ? (My Focus Haynes manual says 85 Nm, 63 lb.ft)
--
L\'escargot.

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Mon 7 May 2007 08:39

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Roger Jones

For a high value, try the MB W140 at 150 Nm for both steels and alloys, which is what the fitting shop at a certain discount megastore were going to apply to my W126 until I insisted that they double check and verify 110Nm as the correct figure.

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Mon 7 May 2007 09:07

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Ruperts Trooper

Does it matter?

Tyre fitters and garages just airgun them at 500Nm regardless of car!

When I get my car back from such work it takes my full 90kg bouncing on a 50cm extending wrench to undo the wheel bolts, as standing still won't do it. I then re-torque them to the 110Nm recommended by Vauxhall.

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Mon 7 May 2007 09:29

torque settings for wheel nuts. - L'escargot

Does it matter?

Yes. Too high a torque could damage both the threads and the wheels.
--
L\'escargot.

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Mon 7 May 2007 09:34

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Ruperts Trooper

So why does the motor trade universally (or almost universally) overtighten wheel nuts?

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Mon 7 May 2007 10:09

torque settings for wheel nuts. - L'escargot

So why does the motor trade universally (or almost universally) overtighten wheel nuts?

None of the Ford dealers I've had my car serviced at have overtightened the wheel nuts/bolts. (When I get it back I check them with my torque wrench.)
--
L\'escargot.

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Mon 7 May 2007 09:40

torque settings for wheel nuts. - L'escargot

>> Just bought an Haynes manual for my wifes Fabia.

>> The wheel nuts torque is 83lbs ft

Are you sure it doesn't say 83 Nm which is 61 lb.ft ?

I take it all back ~ see tinyurl.com/37xjal
--
L\'escargot.

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Mon 7 May 2007 09:54

torque settings for wheel nuts. - wemyss

Thanks for finding that l'escargot. Just checked the Haynes manual again and its 89lb.ft -- 120Nm exactly as the tyre site says.

wemyss

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Mon 7 May 2007 10:57

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Peter D

It all depends on the car and the alloys. Some alloys use the tapered faced bolt and usually have a lower torque requirement i.e. 65 ft lbs on a golf compared to some flat faced bolts which tend to have a higher requiement like 80/90 ft lbs. You can not make a general statement about alloys. Regards Peter

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Mon 7 May 2007 12:31

torque settings for wheel nuts. - stuartl

In their defence I have to say that in the past two or three years I have never once had a tyre change/replacement at a tyre centre without seeing them do the final tighten with a torque wrench.

Mind you, I also didn't notice anyone referring to any info beforehand to set it to the correct torque for that particular vehicle................................ ; o )

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Mon 7 May 2007 14:19

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Ruperts Trooper

I've seen them use a torque wrench after the air-gun but if the air-gun overtightens, the torque wrench just clicks off and leaves the bolt overtightened.

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Mon 7 May 2007 14:58

torque settings for wheel nuts. - L'escargot

As with all things it's going to be down to the level of competence and conscientiousness of the individual technician doing the job.
--
L\'escargot.

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Mon 7 May 2007 17:52

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Ruperts Trooper

As with all things it's going to be down to the level of competence and conscientiousness of the individual technician doing the job.

It must be the water in the Midlands, I have the same problem wherever I take my car!

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Mon 7 May 2007 22:03

torque settings for wheel nuts. - John S

I'd agree. Most surprised and pleased to find that tyre dealers for the last few years have done a 'light tighten' with the air gun, and finished with a torque wrench - and yes, it did rotate before it clicked!

JS

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Mon 7 May 2007 22:13

torque settings for wheel nuts. - TurboD

I think the tyre fitters want to ensure that the wheels do not come off, whether you want them to or not.

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Thu 10 May 2007 17:42

torque settings for wheel nuts. - Big Vern

The Air powered impact guns have a torque setting and can be set to tighten to surprisingly low torques.

I also like to see the bolts insert by hand with the aid of the socket before zipping up with the air gun to gaurd against damaging the threads.

Also when testing at high speeds there is something comforting about hauling the 150nm on before by hand using the torque wrench and doing a 2nd click to make sure :o)

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