Bugout4x4

See... You were on the ball man. A good tech knows these things and pays attention like you did. But to do it to everyone of them as a policy is unproductive. If there is reason to be concerned absolutely take the extra time to make sure it is right.

See, now your boss sends conflicting messages on this. Wants you to take it for a drive and then check it again, yet he will get mad if you spend extra time to try and make sure it is right in the first place. It doesn't make sense.

Sometimes you get a problem child and it takes longer to double check it before it even goes out for a test run.

What is the policy for torque specs, what are they having you torque them to?

5-Speed

Hopefully he doesnt come back and say they use those torque stick socket things that you use with an impact. Back when I was mounting and balancing tires, thats what they had us use. Pure garbage.

EEVEE

We have a chart with every vehicle torque spec up to december 2017 cars only. Typically american cars use 100 pounds and foreign cars 75 to 80 pounds but if im unsure ill look at the chart. Kia souls and hyundai elantras are melted into my brain by now. And i dont use the torque sticks anymore for the fact they are a waste off time and seems to damage the lugnuts imo as theyre old. So i put them on finger tight half way then slip the rest of the way with the impact gun. Im used to our guns because i know how to judge 70 to 100 pounds on the trigger i always go 5 pounds down so the rest i can torque with the clicky stick. I hate german cars because alot of them dont use even numbers theyre all odd like some vw and bmw use 93 pounds or the lowest i ever seen was a frickin car i woulda thought to never see before took 60 pounds like that even gonna stay on?

Bugout4x4

That's the way I do it too, I call it the "feel" of the air wrench. Well it sounds like you are getting them plenty tight, in fact too tight. They all only need about 55 pounds. Sometimes I will torque them close to 90 or so to make sure they are pulled up and seated good then back them off and do 55.

I'm going to tell you why that is too much and I don't give a crap what the chart or walmart says. Someone will have to get those loose by hand if they have a flat tire. And they will be using the tools that came with the car. Ever try that at 100 lbs of torque? Try it sometime, put them on at a 100 and then use the tool that came with that car from the factory. Most "wheel manufacturers" recommend a torque of 45 to 55 lbs as plenty. And they are right, much more than that and you are stretching threads and studs.

EEVEE

never knew this I feel very bad for some cars like the new equinox and enclaves the chat pus those at 140 to 160 pounds

Bugout4x4

Now I know where all those tight *** lugs are coming from! Walmart! lol

Just messing man, but they truly need to reconsider that. Now when you get into some of the light trucks, medium trucks and big rigs it of course gets higher.

I have actually had customers drive 50 miles into my shop after changing their own spare and will swear that they only torqued them about 10 lbs if that and they were all still tight. lol

EEVEE

Really? had a customer change his on the side of the road and im shocked the wheel didnt come off because once i got it int he air i could loosen them by hand whats even scarier is he came off the highways like that

Bugout4x4

I have been shocked like that myself LOTS of times. "How the hell did that stay on there?" lol

But it goes to show you that if there is no debris behind them and they are sucked up good it doesn't really take that much to keep them on.

I have a curious thought. Could that chart be messed up I wonder? Could it actually be Metric ratings wrongly listed as foot pounds? I don't have my calculator handy to check right now because I am just now using linux for the first time and don't even know if it has one in it or not yet. lol

But I wonder if you treat that 140-160 as Kilograms what it would convert to in foot pounds?

EEVEE

no theyre in foot pounds

Bugout4x4

What I'm saying is whoever made the chart may have used metric torque values but mislabeled them as foot pounds instead of metric as they should be. Because the difference sounds about right if you converted those numbers from metric to foot pounds. I think the values are right if you were using a metric torque wrench and would be closer to the torque values in foot pounds I was sharing before.

I think the chart is wrong and mislabeled. But don't feel bad man, you have to do what they say and go by the chart, But it doesn't mean the chart is correct.

Let me do some home work on that. Wish Martlore was here... Bet he has a chart with both on it for comparison.

RocketMouse

It's not difficult to get one stuck like that.... in all the times I've seen that happen with anyone's car, it was due to it being put on too tight to begin with.
Best method that's always worked for me is before I put the new one on, I clean the oil filter adapter mating surface good. Then get a little bit of the new oil on my finger and put a thin layer of it all the way around on the seal of the new one, then put it on.
then put it on and once the seal makes contact with the adapter surface, only tighten it until it is snug, If done properly, you should never have a need to use an oil filter wrench when taking it off the next time.

EEVEE

Lol like this basically, Factory or dealer done oil changes these bastards aren't coming off without a fight. When I saw this I'm like oh damn *brings out the entire arsenal* what finally got it was a filter cup with a giant breaker bar

Bugout4x4

Overkill, I think this is what might be happening with the wheel torque ratings too. I think they had a few filters vibrate off and kill engines so they are taking no chances and grossly over tightening to prevent direct liabilities and don't care what happens later as long as their own *** is covered.

I did some homework on those torque ratings this morning and found that not just the car manufacturers and walmart are requiring these very extreme ratings. Something has changed that made them increase these ratings from what they used to be for years and years.

But they make no sense and are overkill, there are even inconsistencies for the same size fasteners, like 14mm being rated at 85 Foot pounds and a 9/16ths being rated at 160 foot pounds, they are virtually the same size stud so something is wrong with these new industry standards.

I think they went overkill and much more than is needed just to prevent liability suits. In the meantime they have almost made it impossible for a car owner to change their own tire with the inferior factory supplied lug wrenches.

Nothing like being on auto pilot for so many years to not notice the whole industry has changed ratings and it slipped right by. (me) lol But I am going to stand by my statement that these ratings are absolutely overkill and unnecessary, especially with hub centric wheels where the hub takes the weight rather than the stud and fastener.

I think because of lawsuits they had to go get stupid with these ratings.

EEVEE

im gonna be the unpopular opinion and say they do this so you have to take it in to get fixed or a tire done to prevent you from doing it yourself. Alot of cars now have fix a flat and an air pump now

Bugout4x4

Would they be this devious? absolutely... Engineers design cars with this priority in mind. I would even go so far as to suspect AAA and other tow companies being involved somehow so that they can get more roadside business. Companies make "arrangements" like this all the time if they think they can get away with it.