How tight are your nuts.....?
How tight are your nuts.....?
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
Very simple and probably very dumb question, but do you guys torque your wheel nuts to a prescribed level??
Been helping UKKID35 a couple of times on his re-build and he mentioned he torques his nuts up to 130lbs/ft.

I did that to mine last night after taking a couple of wheels off to adjust suspension settings, but 130 really didn't seem very tight, so went up to 144. Do I risk snapping the threads at 144, or do you just do them up as tight as possible?

Thanks
S

.Mark

11,104 posts

305 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
When I was doing my apprenticeship the wise old mechanic would say to me "Tights tight, too tights broke". Really useful rolleyes

With the wheel off the ground I do mine up finger tight to start, drop drop it to the ground, then pinch up. Never lost a wheel yet.

Well, except for the time I was overtaken by the NSR that came off my old BMW - but that was sabotaged.

Tanguero

4,535 posts

230 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
The official TVR figure for the original wheels (probably Oz Saturns??) is 55-60ftlb as per the Torque settings sticky thread. More than double that seems a lot.

Gazzab

21,638 posts

311 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
I do mine to 75.

BCA

8,651 posts

286 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
80 MAX.

The studs/ nuts set up never feel 'tight'. I would not go anywhere near the figures mentioned... I've seen a wheel come off another car due to this (non TVR), at 70 - he was lucky to get away with as much damage as he did... eek

BCA

8,651 posts

286 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
.Mark said:
When I was doing my apprenticeship the wise old mechanic would say to me "Tights tight, too tights broke".
I was told this by someone too. A very old chap at a hillclimb once. He set up someones carbs by ear in a couple of minutes. They later turned out to be set pretty much perfectly, the owner couldn't believe it was done so well, nor could the specialist he used at the time. I asked why he was so surprised - I've never played with Carbs, I am relatively young - he said "its tricky enough to get them that close normally, let alone quickly by ear, but the thing that really gets me, is that the guy is deaf as a post." hehe

Wise old mechanics, I have alot of time for them. thumbup

pmessling

2,318 posts

232 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
Always torqued up to the settings mentions on the sticky, when i was rebuilding and rebushing my suspension i found a Tuscan site that had some of the missing settings and used them as most of the parts are carried across,

I have a grand cherokee with the same wheel flange and stud set up and 90-120 ft lbs is recommended.

Gazzab

21,638 posts

311 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
My land rover is 125lbs ft for the wheel nuts but it is slightly heavier than the cerb and built for more robust motoring needs.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
BCA said:
80 MAX.

The studs/ nuts set up never feel 'tight'. I would not go anywhere near the figures mentioned... I've seen a wheel come off another car due to this (non TVR), at 70 - he was lucky to get away with as much damage as he did... eek
80? Really? Wow. Time to loosen my nuts asap....and there's no chance of them coming off at 80?

Robscim

840 posts

285 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
I checked with the garage when I needed to do mine - I can't find the figure now, but it was something like 90lbs/ft, way more than the sticky on here. I questioned them about it and they were sure.

Still, six years later and I've not lost one yet, nor damaged the threads.

If in doubt, check with the guys who maintain it.

Sorry to have no clear answer!

Rob

BCA

8,651 posts

286 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
djstevec said:
80? Really? Wow. Time to loosen my nuts asap....and there's no chance of them coming off at 80?
I can't guarantee anything, we only tested them at 80 for about 90k miles... wink 80 is fine as long as the studs/ nuts are fine, I'd recommend checking them over occasionally, but I'd do that on any car and at any torque. I'd keep sub 100 personally, I would be very wary of any damage caused by overtightening beyond that.

scotty_d

6,795 posts

223 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
I find 75ft/lb or 5 white nuckles with the braker bar is plenty. wink

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
BCA said:
I can't guarantee anything, we only tested them at 80 for about 90k miles... wink 80 is fine as long as the studs/ nuts are fine, I'd recommend checking them over occasionally, but I'd do that on any car and at any torque. I'd keep sub 100 personally, I would be very wary of any damage caused by overtightening beyond that.
It didn't feel like much effort to get to 130....either 6 months out of the gym hasn't affected me very much or my torque wrench is utterly knacked....I'll de-torque to 90 and take it from there.

No difference between front and back....all same torque?

BCA

8,651 posts

286 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
djstevec said:
It didn't feel like much effort to get to 130....either 6 months out of the gym hasn't affected me very much or my torque wrench is utterly knacked....I'll de-torque to 90 and take it from there.

No difference between front and back....all same torque?
Same front and back, the point about the torque wrench may actually be worth looking at though I guess??

Brummmie

5,284 posts

250 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
85lbs is where i'm at, they are jeep studs, and the jeeps are around 100 iirc?

ukkid35

6,411 posts

202 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
djstevec said:
Been helping UKKID35 a couple of times on his re-build and he mentioned he torques his nuts up to 130lbs/ft.
I certainly do use 130ft/lbs for my other car, but it has alloy wheel nuts unlike the steel nuts on the Cerb.

The Cerb Service Manual says 50-55ft/lbs, which is lower than anyone else has mentioned on this thread. I think I'll be checking them regularly if I ever get to drive it again!

.Mark

11,104 posts

305 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
BCA said:
.Mark said:
When I was doing my apprenticeship the wise old mechanic would say to me "Tights tight, too tights broke".
I was told this by someone too. A very old chap at a hillclimb once. He set up someones carbs by ear in a couple of minutes. They later turned out to be set pretty much perfectly, the owner couldn't believe it was done so well, nor could the specialist he used at the time. I asked why he was so surprised - I've never played with Carbs, I am relatively young - he said "its tricky enough to get them that close normally, let alone quickly by ear, but the thing that really gets me, is that the guy is deaf as a post." hehe

Wise old mechanics, I have alot of time for them. thumbup
They know their onions for sure. Bloke I know, also absolutely deaf (and mute) used to keep my Triumph with twin webbers balanced perfectly by feel, was a sight to behold watching him work. Car always went like a train after.

That's the trouble these days, plug em in to a bloody computer and have it all done, no skill involved, mutter mutter wink

skidoo

400 posts

219 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
i set mine to 120 nm (88.5)lbs and ive not been overtaken by any of my wheels yet biggrin

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 31st August 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for everything guys.

My nuts are now much looser!

I've never been shy to ask what others would perceive as numpty questions.

ears

M3John

5,974 posts

248 months

Thursday 1st September 2011
quotequote all
Not that i know the official figure but, i'd be pretty sure that the 75ft/lb or 101Nm is more than plenty for the car mate - I've never lost a wheel as yet. In fact i'd even go so far as to say that you could, if you wish, go lower on this setting.

For a more accurate reading see here : http://www.futek.com/boltcalc.aspx?mode=metric