Does Anyone Use A Torque Wrench ?

[Tony Prodigy]

Hi Gents,

I was wondering what wheel nut torque is required for the Aurion wheels. I usually hand tighten but feel it's not good enough.

Does the torque vary between make and models of passenger cars ?

This kind of information is handy if one has a service manual, which I don't have as yet. 

Thanks guys.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Tony Prodigy
typo

[campbeam]

76 ft lbs = 103 Nm [internet search result Toyota with 21mm nuts]

Personally, I use a wheel brace; gradually tighten the nuts firmly in a criss-cross pattern. Once car is back on the ground, then I hand tighten again.

Learnt a valuable lesson about not overtightening the wheel nuts on the Aurion. I saw the workshop person arrive at the el cheapo tyre shop and increase the setting on the rattle gun. When I drove my Aurion off the ramp, there was a squealing noise and they ignored my protests at the time. Ended up having to jump on my wheel brace to loosen the wheel nuts and noise went away. Wondered why at the time and found out later that overtightening wheel nuts can distort the cap of the disc rotor causing noise.

https://autoexpert.com.au/owning-a-car/2010/11/5/how-to-tighten-wheel-nuts-its-not-as-simple-as-you-think.html

[Tony Prodigy]

Thanks Ash.

Great info. 

[trentmeyer23]

I always use a torque wrench.

I have seen and replaced too many stretched/snapped studs(and bolts) from people overtightening.

[Sebzeneo]

About 3 ugga duggas.

[campbeam]

33 minutes ago, Sebzeneo said:

About 3 ugga duggas.

That sounds very much what I used to do for the wheel nuts.

Now getting lazy or more health concious and use an electric rattle gun. Certainly a lot easier.

However, I did use a 1/4" torque wrench for tightening the bolts to specification on the water pump.

[Sebzeneo]

Yes don't use a rattle gun.

I was joking.

Edited March 11, 2021 by Sebzeneo
Grammer mistake

[Sebzeneo]

I use a torque wrench everyday and 103nm sounds low. Not saying it isn't correct.

I just use the tyre iron and tighten as tight as I can. They make the length of the tyre iron proportional to the required torque. That's why they're not very long. You'd probably only be able to get between 100-150nm from the provided tyre iron. Probably more importantly is using a torque sequence. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Sebzeneo
Missing detail

[Tony Prodigy]

4 hours ago, Sebzeneo said:

I use a torque wrench everyday and 103nm sounds low. Not saying it isn't correct.

I just use the tyre iron and tighten as tight as I can. They make the length of the tyre iron proportional to the required torque. That's why they're not very long. You'd probably only be able to get between 100-150nm from the provided tyre iron.

You run the risk of warping the rotor by over tightening. Have you ever heard a squeak coming from a wheel that's been over tightened ? It's not good for the rotor or the wheel studs. Torquing wheel nuts to correct spec is the best way to do this. 

[Sebzeneo]

No I've never heard a squeak coming from the wheel with an over tightened nut. I'll take your word for it.

If it was essential cars would come with a torque wrench for changing wheels.

In an ideal world a torque wrench would be most accurate  but like I said the length of the tyre iron is proportional to the torque requirement.

Low torque, short tyre iron.

Higher torque longer tyre iron. 

Telling people they need a Torque wrench to change a tyre is incorrect.

[campbeam]

😁😁😁

3 hours ago, Sebzeneo said:

No I've never heard a squeak coming from the wheel with an over tightened nut. I'll take your word for it.

I have had this experience caused by a Discount Used Tyre place. So called mechanic arrived late and checked the other fellow's work. I saw him get the air rattle gun, adjust the setting  and retighten the wheel nuts. He must have set the torque setting to MAX. Wheels squealing when the car drove down off the ramps. Something was obviously not right. My protests were ignored and I did not know what I know now to stand my ground and totally INSIST that the wheel nuts be re-torqued to the correct specification before leaving their premises.

Drove home for about 30+kms with the wheels/brakes squealing. Wheel nuts were so over-tightened that I had to jump up and down on my wheel brace to loosen them. One time being a short fat fellow worked to my benefit.  Also had a brick standing upright on the other end of the wheel brace. Fortunately no broken studs.

Afterwards, I did a Google search and discovered that over tightening the wheel nuts can distort the hat of the rotor causing that squealing noise.

[Hiro]

What's worse is when they use the rattle-gun AND don't tighten them up in a star pattern......

 

Whilst not everyone will carry a torque wrench around with them (nor is it an "essential" tool for most processes), changing a tyre by the side of the road should always be seen as a temporary/emergency fix and the nuts checked properly when you return home (or take it to a garage to get the flat fixed/replaced).  Lots of specs in workshop manuals can be ignored, or treated as "good enough", but there are listed torque specs for EVERY bolt/nut on the car, and often for a very good reason.

[ZZT86]

Above figure is correct  . . . .

 

103 N*m{ 1049 kgf*cm , 76 ft.*lbf }

 

straight from the Toyota Repair Manual.

[Tony Prodigy]

20 hours ago, Sebzeneo said:

I just use the tyre iron and tighten as tight as I can. They make the length of the tyre iron proportional to the required torque. That's why they're not very long. You'd probably only be able to get between 100-150nm from the provided tyre iron

I get what your saying. As the factory will never provide us with a torque wrench, the proportionally lengthed tyre iron will provide an adequate amount of torque. Just don't go Ape with it lol.

It would be interesting to test how close one could get to the torque spec using a tyre iron though. If you do enough of this, I think it would be an even match.

[campbeam]

I have previously greased the threads on the wheel studs more for rust prevention and to make undoing the wheel nuts a bit easier. Later I then read that the torque setting needed to be reduced for lubricated/greased threads. Since then, I have removed any surplus grease from the threads.

Following video by John C  sheds some light on this issue. Might go and put this "Lockdown Therapy" on the To Do List when next checking the brake pads.

 

[Tony Prodigy]

8 hours ago, campbeam said:

I have previously greased the threads on the wheel studs more for rust prevention and to make undoing the wheel nuts a bit easier. Later I then read that the torque setting needed to be reduced for lubricated/greased threads. Since then, I have removed any surplus grease from the threads.

Following video by John C  sheds some light on this issue. Might go and put this "Lockdown Therapy" on the To Do List when next checking the brake pads.

 

I apply a light smearing of moly grease to my studs. Seems to work just fine Ash.

[L4WL3SS]

Don't put any grease on the studs, this will cause too much torque. 

110nm is what I do them up, and even then it doesn't feel enough. It seems cars made for spririted driving require more torque such as 86's

[nzzr6]

7 hours ago, Metal_Head said:

Don't put any grease on the studs, this will cause too much torque. 

110nm is what I do them up, and even then it doesn't feel enough. It seems cars made for spririted driving require more torque such as 86's

Torque spec for the TRD is the same as it is for a regular Aurion, that sort of surprised me

[rubin]

I always use a torque wrench only cause I'm old fashioned, the TRD rims are expensive to replace and rattle guns hammer the nut home...Very important on aftermarket alloys as they can distort easily...

Also I would recommend is a dab of copper based never seize grease on the thread as fine threads can seize (thread lock)