I always use a torque wrench to tighten wheel nuts, filter, drain plug etc. After my last dealer service I had to use a breaker bar to undo the wheel nuts. I even had to use a wrench on the oil filter to loosen it. Am I being **** or should I have a word with them?

 

i work in the service dept at a nissan dealer in my area and we are told after using the impact socket we are soppose to toque all the wheels!

 

From what I've observed many places use pneumatic drills that adjust so they will only torque the fastener so far. However, many times I've come across dealerships that have their air pressure adjusted too high and I have to stand on the wrench to loosen the lugs. On the other hand I've also heard of lugs being cross-threaded or falling off though if they weren't put on right.

My solution: don't let them touch my car...I have nothing to worry about

 

Don't let ANYONE use a pneumatic/impact socket on anything on your car. I've never seen a cruder tool that was more misused. If you have to STAND RIGHT THERE and make them use a proper tool, do it! Many a friend of mine has come back from the shop with rounded-off corners on their lug nuts and circular scratches on their wheels from some lazy jerk who used the air tool instead of a genuine wrench.

 

It probably is a function of the tech - some will be good about it, others, well, might not even have one in their tool box.

For the impact wrench - there are torque fitting/extension things for these which limit the applied torque to a certain specified range - you can even buy them at places like harbor freight - I have never seen a tire shop use them, though. (I always lift the car and retorque the lugnuts when we get the cars back from any sort of service when they might have removed the wheels)

 

The real problem actually comes from someone not getting the socket of the impact wrench all the way over the nut before they squeeze the trigger. Someone in a hurry might do this, and the result is nasty -- a lugnut with shaved-off edges or worse. I'm going to get a set of McGuard spline drive lugs, just to be certain they can't damage my new wheels.

 

I was told if you dont torque lugs to spec it could warp rotors so I dont let anyone use air tools on my wheels. If I have to have someone remove and replace my wheels I bring my torque wrench and tell them I want to see them use it. I rented a torque wrench to tighten camber bolts after installing springs and it never clicked and I striped the threads. I dont trust other peoples tools because they may not back it off when they are done or it may have been years since they have had it callibrated. When I go to my mechanic I dont have to worry because his mechanics are paid by the hour (not by the job like the dealer) and I know they are not idiots. If I were you I would say something because if you dont and there is a problem with something that was tightend too much and you have someone else service it and they find the problem the dealer may say that the other shop did it. I also agree with meilers about the spline drive lugs. Sorry for the runon sentence. good luck.

 

interesting reading................
so what is the reccomended torque for lugs?

im going out to buy a wrench today.

 

58-72 lbft. I usually go halfway up the range at 65 'cos I don't know if my wrench is low, high or ok.

I just got my car serviced again at 45k. This time, I actually bent a Craftsmen socket wrench handle whilst loosening the nuts. I called the service manager after this and questioned him. He said they have a 'special' wrench set aside just for wheel tighening and it is set for 82 lbft. I think this is BS because I had to use a 4 foot bar on the wrench to budge the nuts - hence the bent wrench. I'm thinking they were closer to 200 lbft.

I guess I should give up worrying, but its kinda irritating to drop $360 on a service when they can't even be bothered to take the time to do the job right.

 

I think the manual said 72 ft lb but I go 80.

 

generally if a manufacturer recommends a certain setting u don't wanna go above that. its kinda like tires... u can go above it but the manufacturer will not "condone" or warrant any guarantee of quality. . .
when i worked at a gas station we torqued wheels simply to make sure that the wheels were properly tightened. to trust the human "touch" was dangerous considering all the legal liabilities that would possibly occur(say if a wheel fell off..)

 

When I set my torque wrench to 72 and then went back and set it to 80 it clicked right away with out tightening anymore so I go to 80 just to make sure they are tight enough. My wrench tops out at 80 so it is not most accurate at top setting and that is why I go to 80. If you want the most accurate readings on a broad spectrum you should have at least 3 torque wrenches since none are accurate from top to bottom they are usually most accurate near the middle from what Ive been told..