Retorquing the Lugnuts

Thanks, well it's hard to tell what the recommended torque is above 500 anyway, because the operator manual I looked at listed different wheel types as possible components, with different torque ratings or ranges (mostly 450-500 ft-lb, maybe 750-900). I'll just have to go with the typical maximum there, which appears to fit by description (with measurements I might also take), and leave bigger tasks for the service pros. This should be enough to keep 'em on otherwise (or better than nothing), I probably can't be sure, beyond a few specs in the manual, or carry around the high range shop equipment either (a line to draw somewhere between safe and sorry).

I was reading that Ontario may hold drivers accountable for ignoring this type of maintenance, when wheels fly off, as if they were equipped to do much about it (what, run around and try to make everyone else do their thing, so much for driving). Not that I'd want wheels to get away from me, personally, it's simpler to equip myself for a double check routine than to whine and cry wolf about the flawless engineering that most anyone (who I could track down and talk to, especially after hours) considers a non issue, versus a roadside emergency, until they get around to changing another tire, without following up on it, like leaving a note about their policy was an afterthought, on me, well if I had a wrench maybe... or I wouldn't know if they did that retorque (apart from forwarding their note to whoever might have called them, and they should have discussed this already, so I doubt it gets back to me, wherever those wheels happen to be), until it's too late. Tedious after all, is a death toll never the moral of a story? Then choose your own adventure (that would be going "nuts").

Other things I've seen lately are socket extensions of different thicknesses that flex at preset torques for impact wrenches, so they can't overtorque a nut, and torque adapters that plug into non measuring wrenches at the socket, but those don't seem to go high enough in range for this, and you'd have to try reading from one end of the wrench while standing back at the other, not too practical (maybe with a lighted telescoping inspection mirror, and both arms shaking).

 

As long as I'm not overtorquing it, should work out either way.

 

You say that as if I made all of this up.

 

We shall see (all yer bolts are belong to me).

 

I'd say if they're repeatedly undertorqued on me, then at least putting a wrench on them would be a diagnostic exercise, and I could write it up. That's all I'm really looking to do, basic diagnostics on what is said to be a high maintenance system in books (et ceteræ), and no I didn't make this up, but it's fine with me if all I find are fully torqued wheels too (not a long process, would only take few).



Truck wheels will revolve around five million times in ten thousand miles, so checking the torque on those each week would be approximately once per million revolutions (doesn't sound all that excessive to me).