Lug Nuts

[woody]

This has probably been talked about before, we are getting ready for a trip so I had my truck serviced which included tire rotation after driving back and forth to work for a week I decided to torque the lugs on the truck and found each wheel had at least one and one wheel had two lugs that were not torqued enough so I moved on to the trailer that I will be pulling and found one lug per wheel moved at least a half a turn each. so friends when you get a chance check your lugs.

 

[goeduck]

Good reminder.

 

[mrmikey]

for sure. NSTSA has a promo running on the radio but I can't find a link to it. Humorous but it gets the point across. Long story short there's this gravelly voiced guy in the background who's a vehicle inspector and he's saying, "check your nuts....or I will" end of the commercial ..."......I'm waaiiitiing".................Mike

 

[Gunny]

I pull a 5th wheel frequently, along with a couple of different utility trailers, so I used to spend some time torquing lug nuts. I finally got a good set of torque sticks for my battery powered impact driver.
Now I just grab the appropriate torque stick (each vehicle specification is written on tape inside the box) the torque wrench and socket, just do a quick walk around, then put everything back.
One of the flip type sockets works for the 5th wheel and both trailers, the truck uses a larger 23mm socket.

The other end of the spectrum is when I have tires mounted. Usually around here, they torque them down as tight as their driver can get them, way over spec, so I always check the torque when I have tire work done, that way I know if they're too loose or too tight.

 

[bigtiller]

I pull a 5th wheel frequently, along with a couple of different utility trailers, so I used to spend some time torquing lug nuts. I finally got a good set of torque sticks for my battery powered impact driver.
Now I just grab the appropriate torque stick (each vehicle specification is written on tape inside the box) the torque wrench and socket, just do a quick walk around, then put everything back.
One of the flip type sockets works for the 5th wheel and both trailers, the truck uses a larger 23mm socket.

The other end of the spectrum is when I have tires mounted. Usually around here, they torque them down as tight as their driver can get them, way over spec, so I always check the torque when I have tire work done, that way I know if they're too loose or too tight.

What brand did you get?

I seen a set from Neiko on Amazon for $50 but I have no idea if they are top of the line or junk.

https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-02450A-Limiting-Extension-5-Piece/dp/B000IX3BSM?th=1

 

[Gunny]

I got the Ares 70367 - checked them out when I got them against a good torque wrench and they were spot on

 

[Gary Fowler]

I pull a 5th wheel frequently, along with a couple of different utility trailers, so I used to spend some time torquing lug nuts. I finally got a good set of torque sticks for my battery powered impact driver.
Now I just grab the appropriate torque stick (each vehicle specification is written on tape inside the box) the torque wrench and socket, just do a quick walk around, then put everything back.
One of the flip type sockets works for the 5th wheel and both trailers, the truck uses a larger 23mm socket.

The other end of the spectrum is when I have tires mounted. Usually around here, they torque them down as tight as their driver can get them, way over spec, so I always check the torque when I have tire work done, that way I know if they're too loose or too tight.

You are absolutely correct, most tire places just use air impacts to tighten to max torque.
The only place I have seen torque wrenches used was at Sam's club. They have policy that the technician tightens to spec. He uses an impact to snug the nuts, then a torque wrench to finish tightening to spec. Then he has to have a second technician verify the torque before he can release the vehicle. I couldn't believe the procedure when I bought my tires there, but it is a great process and pretty much guarantees that there will be no loose nuts.

 

[zing]

You are absolutely correct, most tire places just use air impacts to tighten to max torque.
The only place I have seen torque wrenches used was at Sam's club. They have policy that the technician tightens to spec. He uses an impact to snug the nuts, then a torque wrench to finish tightening to spec. Then he has to have a second technician verify the torque before he can release the vehicle. I couldn't believe the procedure when I bought my tires there, but it is a great process and pretty much guarantees that there will be no loose nuts.

I keep a cheater bar in my truck because it is the only way to loosen the nuts a lot of the time. I managed to bend my tire iron and the nuts still wouldn't budge. The extra leverage of a 5 foot pipe over the handle of the tire iron will break it free, plus the tire iron doesn't bend with the pipe over it.

 

[Deere Dude]

I keep a cheater bar in my truck because it is the only way to loosen the nuts a lot of the time. I managed to bend my tire iron and the nuts still wouldn't budge. The extra leverage of a 5 foot pipe over the handle of the tire iron will break it free, plus the tire iron doesn't bend with the pipe over it.

Just had my dually tires rotated at a new garage. Just for the fun of it when I got home, I loosened one lug nut to see how tight they were. Holy crappola, were they on tight. They just popped when they loosened up. Never saw them that tight. I put a breaker bar in my truck in case of a flat. On a positive note, they won't vibrate loose.

 

[mrmikey]

On a positive note, they won't vibrate loose.

Not really true, if the threads are stretched and deformed they lose their clamping force, not to mention if the wheels are damaged also.....Mike