Lug Nut Torque

The manual says 95-105 ft-lbs but it feels like that's too much torque when I am tightening them. It feels like there is deformation or stripping going on. Then when I take the wheel off half the nuts are a bear to get off cause the threads are deformed. I have to run a tap through them and clean up the threads so they go back on easily. Anyone else have this issue? Maybe my torque wrench is off?

 

I found this chart at etrailer.com - I think of them as an authoritative source.

https://www.etrailer.com/question-75604.html

 

I torque mine to 75 ft-lbs. For such a light vehicle, unpowered steel wheels, I think that's plenty. I do the same with my other trailer, lots of miles and never a problem.

 

Tom, grease the threads and nut cone to get an accurate torque reading.

 

I always tighten until the threads strip, then back of 1/4 turn

Thanks for the chart. I've been over torquing -- which is something I am prone to do --- my tendency is ham-fisted.

JOKING! DON"T TAKE MY ADVISE!!!

Kind of sad I feel the need to say that -- some of the 'humor' that has passed as reality such as "Tide pod challenge" and or a recent 'how to super clean your toilet' that is viral that starts with water balloons and ends with mixing of all kinds of cleaning agents (Ugh) have made me realize too many people lack the ability determine what is humor.

 

Some folks really do tighten until threads deform, then go 120 degrees past that. I've changed tires that were mounted using that method.

 

Seriously --- would think that would strip completely...

 

The Dexter service manual says torque to 100-120 ft-lbs for 14-16" steel wheels. Spec is 60-75 ft-lbs for 12-13" wheels. Their torque chart is on page 70 in their manual. Link to the manual is below. The manual goes into pretty good detail on brake and hub maintenance, and is a good reference. I am going to cut back to 75, like rotus.

https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area/content_media/raw/600-8k_complete_service_manual.pdf

 

Sweeny, I was being facetious

 

Good to know. I had a guy that worked for me that was actually following that method. Never had a stripped fastener but there were time I had to drill out his screws….

this was assembling PC cases. Seriously…no idea how he got things as tight as he did and never stripped a drive mount or enclosure screw

I HATED doing warranty work on this guy….

 

As a followup, the lug nuts tongued to 75 psi spun off easily once loosened up.

 

Forgot to mention I am trying out a new (to me) thread locker on the lug nuts. It is called Vibra-tight VC-3. Link to it below.

You apply it to the threads and let it set for 30min before putting the nuts on. It is different than locktight. It is air-setting and stays plastic. Supposedly reusable, that is, you can take the nuts off and back on with out reapplying.

Only thing is the nuts probably won't spin off easily with Vibe-tight on them, haha.

vibra-tite-vc-3-threadmate

 

LOL --- find anything I hear to be reasonable today Last I heard was Iger was fired today and Chapek was hired. Not bob, but his brother paul....who is a cattle rancher from Iowa. His thought was to redo "Mr Toads wild ride" as "Mrs and Mrs Toad relaxing drive..." or something like that

 

It's possible that your torque wrench is off, as you suggested. Have you tried calibrating it to make sure it's accurate? It's also possible that you're using the wrong type of wrench or not using it correctly, which can lead to over-tightening and deformation of the threads. Make sure you're using the correct size and type of wrench for the nuts you're working with, and that you're following the correct tightening sequence as specified in the manual.

 

Watching a number of youtube mechanics (Rainman Ray, south main auto), I find it funny how there seem to be two observations:

1] Never weld -- the comments have to be brutal
2] always "Torque to spec" when the camera is off