Alloy wheel lug nut torque specs

[SWICKEHAM]

I'm a new user with an 'old' Subaru Outback Sedan (2002) who would rather not invest in a shop manual.

I suspect that the dealership used a power lug wrench when last rotating my alloy wheels cause I now feel a slight pulsing on light braking. Before removing the wheels to inspect, I would like to know what the proper (recommended) torque specs are for these wheel lug nuts.

I've contacted Subaru, but so far .. no answer.

Anybody know?

[sid_vicious]

I'm a new user with an 'old' Subaru Outback Sedan (2002) who would rather not invest in a shop manual.

I suspect that the dealership used a power lug wrench when last rotating my alloy wheels cause I now feel a slight pulsing on light braking. Before removing the wheels to inspect, I would like to know what the proper (recommended) torque specs are for these wheel lug nuts.

I've contacted Subaru, but so far .. no answer.

Anybody know?

 

I believe the lug nuts are tightened to somewhere around 75 ft-lbs. I have heard that blasting the lug nuts with an impact wrench, as some shops do (sometimes not even following an alternating sequence) can lead to warped rotors, possibly causing your pulsing. I recently replaced rotors with a friend who suspected this problem. The lug nuts took some serious force on a breaker bar to remove, and once new rotors were installed the pulsing was gone.

[OB99W]

I'm a new user with an 'old' Subaru Outback Sedan (2002) who would rather not invest in a shop manual. [...] Before removing the wheels to inspect, I would like to know what the proper (recommended) torque specs are for these wheel lug nuts.

Well, my '99 Owner's Manual says "58 to 72 ft-lb (78 to 98 N-m, 8 to 10 kg-m)". It may or may not be the same for your '02. Check your owner's manual; in mine, rather than being in the "Specifications" or "Maintenance and service" sections (where I expected to find it), it was given in the "Flat tires" part of "In case of emergency" - I suppose that's logical .

 

--OB99W

[cannonball]

75 ft/lb is the max torque for your car. That's what I torque mine to.

[1 Lucky Texan]

I'm using 65 '/lbs on my cars. '03 OBW with stock wheels/nuts '06 WRXwgn with aftermarket wheels/nuts.

 

 

Be sure to check the torque after a coupla days and then again maybe a few weeks later. (note self, you need to check yours since its been several weeks now)

 

;^)

 

edit, found this link that might help;

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=107

[OB99W]

I'm using 65 '/lbs on my cars.

Seems right -- 65 ft-lb is the middle of the "58 to 72 ft-lb" range my '99 Subaru manual states.

 

By the way, even if the rotors got warped from uneven- or over-tightening, that doesn't alway mean they have to be replaced. First, just remove the wheels and make sure the mounting surfaces are clean. Then replace and retighten correctly (torque and tightening sequence). Check for pulsation; it may already be gone. If not, sometimes some hard braking (down a long hill?), sufficient to get the rotors warm enough, will cause them to "relax" and straighten out. Obviously, don't try this if road or traffic conditions would make it unsafe.

 

--OB99W

[vic/se]

general rule 60

[SWICKEHAM]

Thanx to all who responded to my question about torque specs for alloy wheels. I appreciate your help.

[Andyjo]

not 150? :-\

oops

[crazymjb]

Don't auto shops use these:

That is pretty much the only thing we do consistantly in my class at school, along with following the pattern.

 

As far as overtorquing, I think you wouldnt see to much of a problem as long as they followed the sequencing(as mentioned). I don't have a set at home and when I had to clear the tar out of our minivan tire I put it back on with my gun on the highest setting, no vibration, no brake problems.

 

Then again I think it had drums.

 

Either way the piece of !@#$% is about to be traded for a shiny new 06 OBW VDC!

[forester2002s]

The Factory Service Manual for my 2002 Forester says to tighten wheel nuts to:

 

- 88 N.m (9kgf.m, 65 ft.lb) (same torque for steel and alloy wheels)

[Setright]

Well, I torque to 95Nm and that works very well. The lugs come off six months later with a little bit of force on the Subaru lug wrench. Mind you, I do lubricate the stud threads.

 

I tried torquing up to the 100Nm that my local dealer insists on, and this makes the lugs quite hard to remove after a few months.

 

 

You can probably rectify the judder by removing cleaning and retorqing as suggested above. I run the lugs up in increments. Hand tighten, torque to 40Nm, then 60Nm and finally 95Nm. I find this centers the wheels perfectly and ensures that there is no vibration - even at 100mph.

 

 

(Isn't 1lb ft cirka 1.3Nm ??)

[forester2002s]

Mind you, I do lubricate the stud threads

This could be the subject of a whole new thread: to lubricate, or not to lubricate the threads?

 

Unless otherwise specified, a tightening torque is meant to be applied to clean, undamaged threads.

 

Applying the same torque to lubricated threads, results in a larger (sometimes MUCH larger) bolt-tension.

 

Applying the same torque to dirty or corroded threads, results in a smaller bolt-tension.

 

So, what to do?

 

IMHO: Don't lubricate the threads, unless there is a good reason to do so.

[jman11]

What are these? They look like brightly coloured dumbells with a hex socket on one side.

[98 gt]

the will either twist a bit or break when you have applied too much torque. different color= different torque specs.

[Ratty2Austin]

when I worked at subaru (in the tire shop) the official subaru spec for ALL subarus was 65 ft/lbs

 

or, if you have one of those colorful "torq-stick" sets- use the yellow one

[crazymjb]

They dont break unless you had some wierd impactless wrench that could still put down adequite torque. The rods instead "absorb" the pulses of torsion throw out by the impact wrench.

[Setright]

Forester 2002:

 

I put copper grease on the stud threads to avoid corrosion. Here in Denmark the authorities love to spread lots of salt on the roads during winter, and that damn salty water has a way of creeping in everywhere. The hub is open from the inside.

 

I keep the cone parts of the lug nuts and wheels clean, there should be plenty of friction there to keep the lugs from moving.

 

I also believe that the thick grease I am using will "transmit" torque, it doesn't exactly leave the bolt-threads friction free.

[cannonball]

Correction. Max torque is 72 not 75 like I previously stated for 2000 OBW.