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Lug nut torque
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I have one of the 4′ torque wrenches in my garage left over from the trucking days. We had several of them and did NOT use torque sticks in any of our shops as we found them to not be very accurate. They are very handy, and would usually get close, but we found to many times they were less than what we wanted. We used 1″ IR guns and then the wrench to finish up.
I have never been to a tire shop that wants to use the wrench, they all want to just use the stick. I doubt that many of the tire shops even have the wrench. If they have the proper air and hoses and a good gun, they will likely be pretty close with the stick.
We also needed the big torque wrenches for head bolts and anything else that needed big time torque, so it wan’t that we had to buy something we wouldn’t use on another job…
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I have never seen a tire shop that even used the torque sticks.
I think if they did show a little care and concern I would take tire work to shops that did, but I know from experience I lose it when I see the kid beating up my aluminum rims. Far easier and less frustrating to change my own. Also I can usually do mine in less time than it takes to drive the bus to and from the tire shop.
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Alvie,
Here’s the part numbers I used:
Rear High Hat – 850 – RW7715
Front/Tag Baby Moons – RW6215U2NEL
33 MM stainless lug covers – Tag & Steer – RW5625
1 1/2″ stainless lug covers for drivies – RW5610
I had help sorting it all out by Kevin at Real Wheels to make sure I was ordering the right parts. Total came to 3710 for all 6 wheel positions. Here’s what they look like today:
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Prevost service shops have the appropriate torque wrench to tighten wheel nuts. The use of the wrench is at the coach owners option, just ask for it, no extra charge.
The X-12 wrench should be used with a torque wrench for proper tightening.
The X-12 wrench is not manufactured to take the abuse of a pneumatic (impact) wrench, per the manufacturers instruction.
One other tool option is the Makita TW1000 1″ electric impact wrench.
JIM
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Thanks Tom!
They look great!
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Looks good Tom!! Did Al help ya polish the rims? He doesn’t have anything to do anyways.
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I can’t get him to do anything Sid, all he’s doing is napping and counting H’s in his sleep.
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I guess I’ve been luckier than most. I have had tires replaced three times. All three times a manual torgue wrench with 2 guys was used or once a tool that looked a lot like this: http://www.nibtorque.com/id28.html I can’t remember if Prevost-Jacksonville used a torgue wrench, but believe they to used a manual torgue wrench.
I’ve never seen a calibrated air or electric impact wrench. I’m sure some mechanics that do this day-in and day-out will develop a feel for the right torque. If you want it right, use the right tool. Using an impact wrench: http://www.normarkindustries.com/ImpactWrenchUM.htm
I have a relative that is paralyzed from the was down due to a car accident. He lost control when one improperly torgued wheel left his car.
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Gil, I think you might be on to something. We have had tires replaced 3x in te last 3yrs by Callaghan Tire(Bradenton/Clearwater) and a torque check of the wheels 150-400 mi later has shown them even and in spec. They were always put on with a 1″ impact and always re-checked with 1″ 4′ long torque wrench.
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Corey,
How does one check an already torqued bolt for the correct torque value? Simply putting a torque wrench on it and seeing that the nut didn’t turn when 450 ft-lbs is applied doesn’t seem suitable. You need to overcome the static coefficient of friction, which as we remember from physics class is higher than the dynamic coeficient. AFAIK, the only way is to loosen the nut and retorque to the specified spec. The nut needs to be broke free so that we’re actually measuring bolt preload using it’s dynamic coefficient of friction. I’m sincerely all ears if there’s a method that doesn’t require first loosening the bolted connection.
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David,
You know the correct answer. In those rare instances when a torque wrench is used there is no viable way to re-check. The recommendation to re-check after XXX miles likely means a torque wrench if used will click at 450 ft pounds when rechecked. I would be surprised if the average trucker gets his wheels torqued using a calibrated tool, and further surprised if the wheels are rechecked after XXX miles.
Silent in this discussion is the condition of the studs and nuts, with the torque values being for dry clean threads. Yet I have seen a tire shop wire brush the threads and then apply a light coating of anti-seize compound (copper), When asked the response was that was always how we did it. That is the same response I got when I had a tire changed on the road the the mechanic rammed the nuts home with a 1″ impact wrench and he had no torque wrench or ability to assess the torque.
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
There are a gazillion big trucks out there getting tire work everyday. Do you really think there is a torque problem here when a 1″ impact is used with high air pressure? I don’t think so. How many of you have lost lug nuts? I’m not being critical of safety and the proper method is to torque, but in the real world, the torqueing just doesn’t happen often. Not to be confused with Twerking!:)
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That Tom knows what twerking is amazes me. Wow.
Anyway, took it to Love’s and had Centramatics installed on steers because they only had one set, new hub covers on tags and steers.
Drove them home with the 1 inch impact wrench and checked with a big torque wrench. Only a couple needed further tightening after the air wrench. Signed my life away to recheck in 50-100 miles, knowing that there wasn’t another Love’s in that distance.
Drove 300 miles or so, past several Love’s and slept at a rest stop 3 miles past one, but am such a sucker for authority (and hearing “I told you so” from Jon) that I woke up early and backtracked to the Love’s where they rechecked the steers which, of course, were just fine, thank you.
Feeling better now, hub covers look good and still no vibration from the tires.
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