Torque wrench needed?

[~MRVIBE2006~]

Since most of the tire stores locally want anywhere from $40-$50 to change my summer wheels/tires to my winter wheels/tires, I think I'm just going to take the time and do it myself. Yes I have the floor jack and jack stands to do it but I had one question. Do I need a torque wrench to torque down the lug nuts or can I just crank them down until they are tight and then recheck them after about 100 miles? Also, if I need a torque wrench, what is the setting on the wrench that the lug nuts need to be set at? Any particular brand of torque wrench that anyone suggests?Thanks again!

[joholste]

I never use a torque wrench when rotating tires...I just tighten them up good while the cars on jacks...and then once the tires are on the ground i wrench a couple more times.

[Sublimewind]

On the flipside of joholste's post, I ALWAYS use a torque wrench.... It assures you that your lugs are of the proper "tightness" and can actually improve the life of your BRAKES... yes, I said brakes and the reasion is that if you have say 2 lugs that are much tighter than the other 3, you can actually pull the rotor out of true wit hthe 2 tight lugs... You don't need an expensive TW, one from harbor freight will work fine. You don't need perfection, just making sure they are in the same range.... also, DON'T lube the lug studs EVER... it drasticly changes the torque of the lug... I have some VERY interesting reading on this in one of my posts here... something worth looking at for the both of you... Also, on a Vibe you'll need about 75-80ft/lbs of torque on the lugs...

[mistertwo]

sublime is correct!I was told 76ft/lbs for the vibe and I use a torque wrench every time!

[NibCrom]

I would say buying a torque wrench is a good investment. Then you know your wheels are on nice and snug. Plus then you never have to worry about them falling off.

[zionzr2]

I use a torque wrench all the time as well.76 Ft-lbs

[engineertwin2]

Quote, originally posted by mistertwo »sublime is correct!I was told 76ft/lbs for the vibe and I use a torque wrench every time! Correct! 76 ft/lbs is the torque spec for wheels on the Vibe/Matrix/Corolla.It is always worth it to use a torque wrench. I remember back in the day when I was 16 and did it without a torque wrench, drove it to the local Discount Tire and asked them to torque it for me. It was so loose, it was unbelievable. That may be a testament to my engineering feats of strength, but I thought I had those babies snug.The flip side is that several people have reported snapping the lug studs: http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id ... id=8247You may consider the relatively cheap investment in a torque wrench as insurance for preventing the hassle of replacing the lug studs.Harbor Freight has a half-inch torque wrench on sale for $20 - http://www.harborfreight.com/c...r=239Sears has a craftsman clicker wrench on sale for $75. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1...renchI recommend the clicker-style wrench as it tends to be more accurate than the needle style. These torque wrenches listed are +/- 4%, so you should probably set it at 80 ft-lbs (79, but typically they go in 2 ft-lb increments) to ensure you hit 76 ft-lbs.If you invest a lot of money, you can get one down to about +/- 1%, but not worth it in this case.

[Mavrik]

I ALWAYS use a torque wrench. You can buy some pretty good cheap ones at Sears or something like that. Its a good investment because you should never take short cuts when it comes to keeping a wheel on the car.

[burkeyro]

I'm a bit old school where I use the impact gun and call it a day. I've never had a problem, but that doesn't mean that I never will. I assume my own responsibility on this one. it's just the way that I do it. but one of these days I'll spend the 70-100 bucks on one - and either way, always check them to make sure that they are tight after about 50 to 100 miles of driving

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by burkeyro »I'm a bit old school where I use the impact gun and call it a day. I've never had a problem, but that doesn't mean that I never will. I assume my own responsibility on this one. it's just the way that I do it. but one of these days I'll spend the 70-100 bucks on one - and either way, always check them to make sure that they are tight after about 50 to 100 miles of drivingWell, depending on your impact gun setting you could be WAY over... I mean WAY over... I recently had to do a front brake service (see my tutorial) and had to JUMP on the breaker bar to get most of the lugs off...!!!!!!!!! To the OP, if you do go the TW route (which you should) always remember to re-check the lugs after 100 and 500mi just to make sure.... Also, my TW was from harbor freight and it's a "clicker" style as engineer mentioned...

[RIT]

Harbor Freight !

[mistertwo]

I have the HW torque wrench too!

[Raivis]

and another YES to the TW idea. i worked in a tire shop for 14 months. you should always use a TW. i think walmarts even sell some if not i think autozone or a place like that should have a inexpensive one for ya. and i recomend the clicker style. i have a brand new needle craftsman TW it works but i wish i had the clicker! (it was a gift) 75-80FTLBS is absolutly right. anything more could damage the lug studs

[NibCrom]

I gotta disagree with rechecking your lugs after a certain mileage. If you did it right the first time, they will stay on. I guess if you're really paranoid...

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by NibCrom »I gotta disagree with rechecking your lugs after a certain mileage. If you did it right the first time, they will stay on. I guess if you're really paranoid...Do you mean cranking them down with an impact gun??? or do you mean jumping on the breaker bar to tighten? Not true, aluminum is compressable.... and also they need a little time for everything to "align" this occours more with tapered seat lugs, but still applies to the vibe... Just for example my moms subaru forester, which uses tapered seat lugs.... I put her stock alumnium wheels on for the summer for her last year, and I forgot to re-check/torque them for her, well she called me one day all freaked out after getting to work. She said she thought for sure a tie rod or something went out on the car (an 04') well, I packed up my jack and all my tools, wwent out to her for and started looking around... I grabbed the top of the wheel and rocked it and the darm thing ROCKED inward 1/4" !!!!! 2 of the 5 lugs were lose enough to spin with my fingers..!!!ALWAYS ALWAYS recheck your lugs after 100 and 500mi, if you don't you are simply a fool... My own car I have lost lugs due to not re-checking them, again, tapered seat lugs, but reguardless, what does rechecking things lose you? Compaired to possibly losing a WHEEL...

[Whelan]

I plan on pickin one up. Two questions though.1) What size drive did you guys get, I see the 1/2 1/4 and 3/8, and the clicker style is only $20! What a deal!2) What size socket is needed, deep or no?

[NibCrom]

If you do it RIGHT the first time, (double checking all your wheels with the torque wrench) then you should be fine if you did it CORRECTLY. If you're doing it for a peace of mind thing, I guess there's nothing wrong with that. My Dad has been autocrossing for probably 30 years now, and some people tell him to retorque his wheels after racing, but they're always fine. Now one time he didn't double check his wheels (just for driving his car on the street) and one of his lugs was loose but if you do it CORRECTLY the first time, you shouldn't need to redo it.

[~MRVIBE2006~]

I just made a piece of mind purchase at my local Sears. Got a 1/2 inch drive TW (the clicker type) and a 21mm regular socket (6 point). I don't mind the cost and will use them whenever I change wheels and do any work on the car. It's a piece of mind thing. And yes, if you do it right the first time, you SHOULDN'T need to re torque them. BUT every time I have purchased tires, the shop ALWAYS told me to come back and have the wheels re torqued after 50-100 miles, which I did. Wouldn't want the wheel coming off at 75 MPH on the highway! NOT GOOD!

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by Whelan »I plan on pickin one up. Two questions though.1) What size drive did you guys get, I see the 1/2 1/4 and 3/8, and the clicker style is only $20! What a deal!2) What size socket is needed, deep or no?I'd get a 1/2" drive clicker, and get and extension(4") and a 21mm socket, doesn't need to be a deep well...

[NibCrom]

Quote, originally posted by ~MRVIBE2006~ »I just made a piece of mind purchase at my local Sears. Got a 1/2 inch drive TW (the clicker type) and a 21mm regular socket (6 point). I don't mind the cost and will use them whenever I change wheels and do any work on the car. It's a piece of mind thing. And yes, if you do it right the first time, you SHOULDN'T need to re torque them. BUT every time I have purchased tires, the shop ALWAYS told me to come back and have the wheels re torqued after 50-100 miles, which I did. Wouldn't want the wheel coming off at 75 MPH on the highway! NOT GOOD! I think them having you come back to have the wheels retorqued is sort of a cover-their-(removed) situation to make sure they didn't screw up.Better safe than sorry.

[Sublimewind]

yeah, you "shouldn't" BUT you should... ask my brother who rounded out his wheels and broke studs off (well, it was his GF, go figure) after driving the car without re-checking... I always go over the lugs, tighten a bit over half (38ish ft/lbs) and then go back and bring them up to full torque.... I have to say it's much less of an issue with the Vibes lugs as they are a flat washer type lug i've never really seen before... but on a tapered seat lug... you gotta do it... I even have a set of "gorrilla" lugs that have a spinning seat, so the torque is easier to achieve, BUT, they still came lose on me after 500mi of driving... I just try and stay on the safe side of the fence, rather than the sorry side... It's good practice..

[NibCrom]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »I just try and stay on the safe side of the fence, rather than the sorry side... It's good practice.. Nothing wrong with that.

[Whelan]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »I'd get a 1/2" drive clicker, and get and extension(4") and a 21mm socket, doesn't need to be a deep well... Thanks sub, I have an extension for my 1/2" drive socket set, I should have a 21mm at home as well. I can't believe it is $20. That is crazy!

[RIT]

If you are buying a socket, i would recommend that you get a 6-point instead of a 12-point. The walls are usually stronger, and much less chance of rounding a lug-nut - VERY important.

[zionzr2]

I have a Harbor Freight Clicking Style wrench and a deep well socket. Got them as gifts many years ago.

[burkeyro]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »Well, depending on your impact gun setting you could be WAY over... I mean WAY over... I recently had to do a front brake service (see my tutorial) and had to JUMP on the breaker bar to get most of the lugs off...!!!!!!!!! You are exactly right, it is really easy to screw up, tighten too much, stretch/break studs. Sorry you had to do some Ghetto Jumping on the breaker bar, I've never had do to that on any of my vehicles or ones that I serviced. the only time I had problems is on my buddy's POS neon after he took it to a shop when I was out of town, he's done that 2 times to me and both times I had to replace a stud, but that was also when I was taking the tire off, not putting one on. I'm going to get a TW for Christmas to double check what I've been doing for years. After almost 15 years of driving and working on cars, I'd like to see if I've even been close to "Spec". I normally buy Craftsman, but there seems to be alot of people that have purchased from H.F. - I'll check them out.

[Sublimewind]

Well, creftsman would be a good way to go, but for just lugs the H.F. TW isn't that bad... It'll get you close, not as close as a FACOM TW, but you get the picture

[blue_can]

Another vote for using a torque wrench. I have 3 (for the different ranges) and tighten pretty much everything to the specs in the manual except if it is not very cirtical. Definitely very important when working on the engine or when repairing/rebuilding the transmission. In some cases you also have to follow the prescribed pattern to minize things warping. Again engine head and transmission valve body bolts have a pattern you're supposed to follow. Also the lugs should be tightened in the correct sequence in addition to using a TW.

[ajflan]

To be honest, I have never used one, but I definitley want one. Maybe Santa will bring me one this year!

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by ajflan »To be honest, I have never used one, but I definitley want one. Maybe Santa will bring me one this year!I would have to call santa a cheap $#!%#$@ if he didn't...lol