Torque Wrench Setting Should Be ?

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Paulie1138

True, TitanMike, that is why i called out a clicker type wrench. As I recall, the beam and split beam wrenches do not use a torsion type spring kept under tension. However, there may be a variant of a beam wrench that has a cliker, but i am not aware of them.

Lastly, beam wrenches are typically more accurate, and keep that accuracy far longer. That said, it does behave one to get their wrenches calibrated as often as needed. Or....replaced.

When you look at lug nut torque specs that often have a +/- spread of 15-20 ft/lbs, how accurate do you think a torque wrench needs to be?

Beam types are difficult to use for lug nuts. Clicker types are the best as you don't need to be in position to read a scale. The Split beam types are really great as you can just "set and forget". They will last forever. I have one that's well over 25 years old. Only thing that fails on them is the ratchet head and a repair kit for less than $10 fixes that.

BTW, springs under tension don't change much anymore with modern metal alloys. Look at car/truck springs. They are constantly under compression and don't sag like the ones from the 40's and 50's.

Manufacturing facilities use many torque wrenches that have been set and get used for hours, days, weeks, months, on end without having the springs released. Someone will just drop by periodically and check them with a torque meter.

[babock]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

When you look at lug nut torque specs that often have a +/- spread of 15-20 ft/lbs, how accurate do you think a torque wrench needs to be?

Beam types are difficult to use for lug nuts. Clicker types are the best as you don't need to be in position to read a scale. The Split beam types are really great as you can just "set and forget". They will last forever. I have one that's well over 25 years old. Only thing that fails on them is the ratchet head and a repair kit for less than $10 fixes that.

BTW, springs under tension don't change much anymore with modern metal alloys. Look at car/truck springs. They are constantly under compression and don't sag like the ones from the 40's and 50's.

Manufacturing facilities use many torque wrenches that have been set and get used for hours, days, weeks, months, on end without having the springs released. Someone will just drop by periodically and check them with a torque meter.

Show me a torque spec that is plus minus 20 please.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by aircommuter

Things have probably changed since your gas station days as it has since mine. Today with disc brakes, and so many wheel types, lug nut types and sizes the torque wrench is now the norm for wheels.

It sure as heck has. Im still pumping my own fuel and washing my own windows, things I used to do for every car that drove into the station.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by babock

Show me a torque spec that is plus minus 20 please.

For years the RMA Tire Guide listed torque specs for many vehicles that were 85 to 110 lbs. Only mfr for years that listed specific torques was GM and all their passenger cars were 100#.

The main issue has been since the introduction of disc brakes in the mid 60's on "american cars". The manufacturers want to see even torque rather than exact measurements. The idea is to achieve a minimum amount of tension in the stud while not exceeding the max and fracturing the metal.

Lug nuts are not like headbolts or other assembly fasteners as a tapered or conical seat is involved.

Take a look at Dodge P/U torque specs for late '90's and early 2000's. A full 30# spread on nearly all.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

It sure as heck has. Im still pumping my own fuel and washing my own windows, things I used to do for every car that drove into the station.

I remember those days too. Was single and I tried to get the phone # of every good looking single gal that I washed windows for.

[Paulie1138]

Ditto on the phone#’s....lol. Sometimes it actually worked!

I will agree, despite the differences in wrenches and specifications, the biggest reason that i have been able to research and find, use the wrench and get the torque even between the lugnuts. Especially on non-steel wheeels.

[aircommuter]

I think someone asked for torque spread that was 20 each way, this is a chart from my shop, it is a compilation from all data pro for most vehicles. Just one page of course. I do always torque lugs and other items when at all possible. But many years ago wheels were just tightened to arm torque. That was then and now it is different.
I have several different torque wrenches in the shop from 10 inch pounds all the way to 600 foot pounds. One even reads rotation after a given torque when both are specified.

[boatman22]

Most aluminum wheels that are on RV's are made by HiSpec Wheel. After the first torque is made it is not necessary to retorque. Have used these wheels on all my boat trailers and now they are on my Toy Hauler from the factory. Not trying to pi** on anybody's Wheaties but watch the video and learn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmsi5MygHGs

[BriaBeck]

I use the old school German method to tighten my lug nuts. Been using it for years, never had one fail yet.


It's called the "Güütentite" if you've never heard of it before

[Paulie1138]

[Paulie1138]

Just went out and looked at my sticker....it says to retorque at certain intervals when removing/replacing rim. i am not paranoid, but i take an ounce of prevention with my unsalted nuts....lol. Only takes a few minutes to avoid what might have been a lapse in whatever the shop may have forgotten

[aircommuter]

The video is cute but never really tells you what exactly the system is. Although I do know. But not everyone has those wheels.

[Lighting546]

The sticker on my wildcat 5er says 90 ftlbs. Some people may not know that when you are finished using a torque wrench you need to put the torque setting to zero before you put it back in the tool box until you need to use it again.

If you don't do this, over time as it gets older, the wrench will get more and more inaccurate, because the internal components are kept in a permanent state of stretch (for lack of a better word) and they can't relax to their normal unloaded state.

[Lighting546]

Originally Posted by Paulie1138

Just went out and looked at my sticker....it says to retorque at certain intervals when removing/replacing rim. i am not paranoid, but i take an ounce of prevention with my unsalted nuts....lol. Only takes a few minutes to avoid what might have been a lapse in whatever the shop may have forgotten

As a general rule of thumb, the lug nuts should be re-torqued about 50 miles after the tire shop torques them (if they even did it), I've had to tell them to torque the lug nuts in the proper sequence and watch them do it, otherwise it wouldn't have been done. And when you're hauling a 53' trailer loaded with 45,000 lbs in it like I used to do, proper lug nut torque is critically important.