Wheel torque settings

[SavVYute]

The sequence you tighten them in could be important.
I was taught to do the first nut up (only lightly) then do diagonally opposite up.
Continue on around the wheel going diagonally opposite and going tighter with each round until they're all good and tight.
That way the wheel should sit nice and centre with the nuts evenly torqued.

 

[TinSnips]

The torque ratings are there, with a tolerance, mainly so you don't over-tighten and strip the stud. Too loose, and obviously the wheel could come off.

As above, don't tighten the nuts in sequence - on a 5 stud wheel, do every second one, getting progressively tighter each time around. Stops any chance of warping the rotor with uneven pressure.

 

[bigjim92]

Correct method to tightening wheel nuts is to do them in a cross/star pattern, http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/therock500/2010-12-30_200914_156809.gif
I will also put the nuts on as tight as I can by hand before going near a rattle gun/breaker bar.
And VE wheel nuts are 170Nm, I was shocked when I learnt that!

 

[bonners]

better start doing mine up a bit....lol

I was using 90ft-lbs which is about 122Nm on the SS. Will make sure the new ones are up tighter. Will see if the HSV is highr (or lower)

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

My last car was 52-68ft/lbs. I've been torquing the VE to 90ft/lbs when it needs to be 125. Thanks for the info guys

 

[oztech007]

Hey quick question, what are the front wheel bolts of sv6 torqued to?

I torqued my wheel nuts to 170nm and after a week, found that my wheel bearings were getting noisy.
Dropped the torque to 150nm and the noise went away. Maybe too much pressure on the bearings.

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

I torqued mine up last night. I will keep an ear out for the wheel bearing noise and back them off a little if they need it. Obviously my way lower torque setting was not letting the wheels fall off and it's been at 200kph on a closed road last year without issue

 

[pablo]

Thats a new one on me!...wheel nuts effecting the wheel bearings.

AND nobody has touched on the subject of a little grease on the studs before tensioning the nuts.

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

If the studs and nuts are clean there should be zero reason to grease them. Using 90% of greases people would have in their garage will cause an issue. I never have, never will use copper grease on my studs

 

[pablo]

...well there you are!
I have always used a smear of chassis grease on the studs. Never had an issue doing bit, I mean, what could go wrong, it is a benefit to the threads keeping them lubricated,. Remember, the nut locks on the taper, not the thread, the thread only does the tensioning.
I seem to remember reading in the missus jap buzz-box hand book to apply a little grease to the threads to prevent galling when doing a wheel change.