I know I saw a thread recently that referenced this , but couldn't find it. I was really shocked at how loose mine where tonight when I went to rotate the tires for the first time. Yes, after 9,200 mi. of driving the front tires are starting to show some signs of wear!

I put a torque wrench on a few as I was taking them off and they were less than 60 foot/lbs. I would advise anyone who hasn't checked theirs yet to do so. With the speed that these rockets are capable of doing, I would hate to have someone have one come loose and cause a crash!

I torqued mine down to 100 '/lbs as I rotated them, making sure to clean the rotor mounting surfaces and well. I plan on checking them again after I clock another 500 mi. or so on them. Happy trails!

 

I smell a lawsuit coming!

I'm going driving! lol

Thanks for the heads up. I'll check mine next chance I get.

 

Yes, absolutely a good idea to verify torque every so often, always been true especially for aluminum wheels due to relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion and resulting movement over temperature. Best way to retorque is to back off nut a half turn and then go to full torque in one smooth movement. When installing for the first time, bring each nut to full torque gradually in a cross pattern maybe 30 lbs, 70 lbs, 100 lbs. Or at least that's what I do.

 

actually i wouldnt gradually torque that way. IF you want know what they are currently at then set it low say around 30-40 and increase since the claims of having only 60lbs if it clicks its fine until the lug moves then you know what it is torqued at. If you unbolt your assembly always bolt on with the star-circle procedure and then follow the same star-circle when you torque and set torque to 100lbs for this vehicle dont gradually increase. Remember all GM and Ford 19mm lugs get torqued at 100lbs and all GM and Ford 21mm lugs get torqued at 150 for Ford and 140 for GM.

I work for Discount Tire Co. i think i would kno

 

Which explains why I always retorque my wheels when somebody else rotates my tires

 

Good shops should be using torque wrenches at least. In our shop we insist that every lug nut gets installed with Torq-Stiks......a torque limiting impact extension. They are pretty idiot-proof, you can not over-torque with these things. These prevent rotor and hub warpage as well.

 

torq-stiks rule! haha we had those in my high school auto shop, and i really want to buy a set. i think any shop that deals with wheels should be required to have a set of them, and the application chart for them as well, so they always make sure to use the right one.

 

yeah its almost impossible to over or under torque at my work since our sticks are reated for 65lbs and we also have regulators in the airlines that control it.

 

Yeah, its funny how things are from the factory. A few years ago alot of Corvette guys were having trouble with warping rotors, which the factory blamed on improper torquing of wheel lugnuts, actually coming out with a bulletin about not warrenty covering rotor warping if the wheels had ever been rotated or off the car by someone other than the dealer because of improper torqueing by others. SO, when I got my new Corvette, I checked the wheel torque that the factory had done:guess what? I had torques everywhere from 140 down to 55. They want to question OUR wheel torque abilities?

 

you have to be aware that the Corvette factory does torque the wheels correctly, as I have seen first hand at Bowling Green. What you may not know is that the center caps are not installed at the factory, (at least on my 97 C5 they weren't). The dealer then installs the caps and therefore your incorrect torque readings. At the factory they have a machine that holds all 5 lugs at one time, and the operator brings it to the wheel and installs the lugs all at once at the correct torque, it is already preset. Your incorrect reading issues are with the dealer not the factory.