Over torqueing wheel nuts.

The problem is the wheels are over torqued, so you go back and get them re-torqued and the wrench "clicks", good to go right? Nope, the nut should move before the wrench clicks. If the nut doesn't nut doesn't move it should be loosened and then torqued again. And get a receipt showing you got it done.

 

This baby, 1" drive, 100-700 ft-lbs: 1 in. dr Heavy Duty Click Type Torque Wrench | Princess Auto

 

There is a much better chance that a wheel stud/ nut fracture occurs due to improper assembly or undertorqueing. Dirty wheel surfaces, corroded threads, rusty nuts with stuck washers or not oiling the flanged washers all fit into this category. These studs and nuts on unimount assemblies are pretty resilient to overtorqueing without damage or fatigue to the fastener. That being said there is no excuse for not torqueing wheel ends with a calibrated wrench. There will always be someone out there trying to save time and skipping steps. It's your equipment, have them checked again after a short trip with any wheel service.

 

I'm not sure how you can tighten 800 tq to nut.
Zip it down until stops than a few more quick zips with impact and you should be at 450 tq area.

You would have to be a real idiot to go to 800 tq on a nut.

 

Went pawn shopping for a 1" drive torque wrench in London. Got a MAC for $200. We saw 3 different brands that day so not uncommon in the pawn shops. I saw one locally on Friday, forget brand but it was around $250

 

Don't buy a oilless compressor. That's my only opinion on compressors.
I have a RK, 5hp 3 cylinder 18CFM @90psi. made in Canada. Maybe overkill for your purpose but you get what you pay for.

 

The professionals zip them down in stages with a gun, until around 200 ft lbs or so, then finish with a torque wrench.
Problem is most tire shop employees nowadays are NOT professionals.

 

this. I am a total nazi when it comes to overseeing the minimum wage idiots repairing my tires.

at the start, I make them clean the threads before putting a wrench on, they always moan. then I stay away until they are putting the nuts back on. I watch them spin them on with the gun, always too tight, and tell them so. they usually come back with "the gun is set to the proper torque..."

I always hold the end with the socket and extension, and put the socket on the nuts while the tire monkey works the torque wrench, if more than two nuts are tightened too much where the wrench doesn't move them before it clicks, I make them back all of them off and do it over again. it's not rocket fukkin surgery.