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New Tires Tip: De-Torque your lugs.

pipeline010

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
618
So I've got a leaky axle seal. Get all the diagnostic equipment together so I can see whether it's the axle out of shape or just the seal that needs replacement.

Jack up the truck, then remember that I didn't loosen the lugs yet (every damn time). Drop her down, and grab the crow bar....

Then I grab the breaker bar.....

Then I shoot PB Blaster.....

3 hours later, more breaker bar.....

Then I add a pipe extension to the breaker bar....

Then I use the jack trick.....

[this involves lining the breaker horizontal to the ground, lining up the jack, and hoisting it up until the breaker has the vertical force needed to open the lug nut]

The truck....jacks off the ground....rather than the lug giving up.

I try 2 other lugs and it's the same story.

Tomorrow I am now taking off work to bring it to a shop to hit it with an impact hammer. I pray this shakes them loose.

90 foot pounds, 100 max is spec. I have no idea how much is on these 2 month old tires but I'm fairly certain my seal is open due to the massive pressure set upon the hub by these lugs.

So tip: new tires installed by a tire monkey? get them off immediately and torque to spec.

I'm pissed.

And here's a link:

http://www.crashforensics.com/wheelandhubfailures.cfm
 

bmc69

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Messages
11,851
My little Ingersoll Titanium 1/2" drive gun will throw over 500 ft-lbs in the tightening direction. The fools that use guns like that without training can really screw chit up.

The good news for you...same gun is over 700 ft-lbs in the "off" direction. So hopefully you'll find a shop that has one like that.
 

fordguy

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
5,497
when my Dad was alive he would make them hand tighten lugs. no impact wrench for him. that was a long time ago, sometimes things dont change much.
 

Rustytruck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
Most tire shops are good these days about proper torquing the lugs. Any time I had problems was when they were done by offroad shops. After the last go around with problems I imediately retorque them myself. The last time the put antisieze on the studs and drove them home. Crimped a ring in the nuts compressing the threads to the studs. Had to chase hardened threads in the nuts what a pain in the arse.
 

Apogee

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
6,033
Any tire shop that isn't using a calibrated torque wrench is asking to be sued and put out of business. Many will even sequentially torque them in 2 or 3 steps...you know, like you're supposed to.
 

JWMcCrary

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
Messages
5,001
but I'm fairly certain my seal is open due to the massive pressure set upon the hub by these lugs.

Understand the frustration but I don't see how the torque on the lugs could have anything to do with the seal.
 

needsmoarturbo

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2015
Messages
278
Understand the frustration but I don't see how the torque on the lugs could have anything to do with the seal.

I agree. The seal is on the shaft of the axle, not against the hub. Still a problem though with the lugs, seems like aluminum wheels some times get some corrosion that sticks to the lugsnuts that makes removal harder even when torqued properly so I try to put some anti seize if it looks at all suspicious.
 

Apogee

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
6,033
FWIW, most torque spec recommendations for wheel studs are for dry threads, so if you do lubricate the threads with grease or anti-seize, it always good to then reduce your final torque by a percentage...I do 10% less.
 

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
I've actually seen guys in the tire shop over tighten the wheels with the impact first, then check them with a torque wrench.
The whole idea of the torque wrench is to avoid over tightening.

Another thing to look out for is the left hand threaded lugs. They will be marked with an "L" on the end of the threaded part of the lug. Not a common problem with Domestic Fords, but I have seen left handed lugs put on Broncos in a pinch. They were once common on the left side of Ford Couriers and Chrysler products.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Apogee

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
6,033
...Another thing to look out for is the left hand threaded lugs. They will be marked with an "L" on the end of the threaded part of the lug. Not a common problem with Domestic Fords, but I have seen left handed lugs put on Broncos in a pinch. They were once common on the left side of Ford Rangers and Chrysler products.

Interestingly the Dana 70U under my mom's 1984 F250 had left had studs on the driver side of the rear end...baffled many a tire guy in its time, even after telling them it had left had threads on that side. It's always fun to find out some tire jockey with an uber-impact wrench just broke off all 8 studs, only then to explain that it must have been the previous guy who over-torqued them and that they'll need to charge you for new studs and installation.

New studs plus installation...$100.
The look on his face when informed they were left-hand studs and that that fact was noted on the work order when dropped off...priceless.
 

savage

Contributor
Bronco Nut
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
2,482
Loc.
Renton
My Dad had his 97 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 lugs so tight that the tire shop ,he went to get new tire's ,broke the first two studs. Then they told him he had to figure out how to get the rest out, because they would not try any more. So guess who my Dad came to ;D,to get them out. Out of 32 lug nuts and studs, 20 were so screw up , we ended up replacing all 32 studs:eek:.
 
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