How Much Torque On Wheel Lug Nuts

[Kujo]

The manual states that the wheel lug nuts on my 18” steel wheels should be torqued to 118 ft lbs (160 Nm ). Mine are torqued to 130 ft lbs.
Is that dangerously high, or within a safe range.

 

[Zimm]

How do you know they are 130?

 

[Kujo]

A mechanic told me that he checked my lugs and set the wrench at 118 ft lbs

 

[Kujo]

Excuse me. 130 ft lbs.

 

[Zimm]

Excuse me. 130 ft lbs.

ok. just checking because breaking nuts free will be higher than the click when put on.

AL wheels can crack. I had a tire shop ruin a set of Birddogs like that.

When you over tq a bolt/nut on plate it can cause some deflection in the material and and it doesn't sit flat or as designed on the surface. I don't see 12ft lbs as an emergency on a steel rim, but, I'd stop by and have him redo it tomorrow if I couldn't do it myself. Why drive around knowing it's wrong when it can be easily remedied. I'm sure I've overdone plenty of nuts in the field without incident.

 

[Kujo]

Thank you Zimm.

 

[TheDocAUS]

There is a thread on torque settings here. Relevant parts states (US last line):

 

[Tazzieman]

Do we know what tensile strength the bolts are?

 

[TheDocAUS]

Do we know what tensile strength the bolts are?

I have not seen it.

 

[Zimm]

Do we know what tensile strength the bolts are?

Aren't they always a grade 8/10.9 150Kpsi?

 

[Tazzieman]

Aren't they always a grade 8/10.9 150Kpsi?

I would assume so, but I don't always believe assumptions!
The torque figure for 10.9s allows a fair margin of user error.

 

[Kujo]

Keep this in mind. I called the dealer in Atlanta and their service manager told me “52 ft. Lbs.” beware of these dealers. I called Holman Motor cars in St. Louis to take a reading on my check engine light. They gave me a quote of $ 350.00 just to take a reading.
I off course said no and had a friend do it for free. This is the same company that has an Ineos dealership in Florida that charged $2000.00 for an oil change to one of our forum members. I just changed my oil and filter at 1600 miles at a local BMW dealer and was charged $150.00. The dealer in Chicago will not answer their phone, and you cannot leave a message. Sketchy, sketchy, sketchy.

 

[NQ94]

Tensioning a bolt with a torque wrench can have up to ±25% difference on final torque. Most torques are at around 60% of yield on a bolt so there is a fair margin before permanent damage or failure. The key is to retorque the wheel after 50 to 100km especially on heavily loaded vehicles because it will generally be the left hand rear wheel that will loosen and break the wheel's right hand threaded studs/lugs on corrugated roads.

 

[Kujo]

NQ94, your response is why this forum is so high quality. Thank you.