Aluminum Wheel Lug Nut Torque Spec?
 

What foot pounds is recommended for taper seated lug nuts on aluminum wheels?

100 ft/lbs for our 2001 ES. I have found, however, that as the van has gotten older, it will not hold the original setting and I have to go back a couple of days later to retighten. My guess is that the studs have become stretched over time due to grease monkeys hammering them with an impact gun rather than using a torque wrench or torque stick.

Thanks, I think they always recommend a re-check after a short while.

Are you backing off the setting to low/nothing before you put it away? Your instructions likely say to do that. Mine are consistently up to spec when I check a second time.

The lug nut torque is always stated in the Owner Manual. For a 2008, it's 95 ft. lb. for example. I tend to use 100 ft. lb. unless I have used a lubricant. Then I use 90 to 95 ft.lbs.

Yes, I always back it off and never break loose with it. I am an industrial maintenance mechanic/machinist of 30+ years.

I have a CDI model 2503MFRMH. They are a Snap-on company and @ Anheuser-Busch we had calibration testers in the shop comparing it to the Snap-on brands was like identical twins in build, function, and calibration.

We work with lots of precision high speed bearings and more and management wanted us all to have our own to aid in them maintaining their integrity.
When he seen the Snap-on sticker shock across 75 technicians research was done for an alternative. The lead came from the Snap-on vendor. So we all got a set of them and a calibration tester was placed in the instrumentation shop.
We have machines that put out 2,150 cans a minute. :icon_munching:

As a former AB engineer and as someone who worked for a supplier to AB(Heuft inspection equipment), I've been in your plant and it seemed to be very well run, particularly compared to St. Louis.

I don't believe your studs are in the "yield" stage of the steel so can't explain why they would show up neeeding additional tightening. Generally what I find is that if I torqued them up to 95 ft. lbs., a recheck later will actually take near 100 ft. lbs. without movement, meaning some clamping effect has taken place.

I know a local shop here that will consistently use 120 ft. lbs. on those studs using a proper torque wrench in the process. He says he doesn't have to worry about nuts loosening that way. I guess he isn't worried about about the studs stretching and yielding either. To explain my point, here's a Chart showing proof load versus yield strength versus tensile strenth for various fasteners: http://www.americanfastener.com/tech...ings_steel.asp
Once in the yield stage, things can happen during tightening, including stretching and breakage.

Note: The Owner Manual doesn't distinguish between rim material types (normal steel or cast) for the torque spec.

Heh! I hope you guys made a profit. I was the day shift can line mechanical tech. I remember the early setup. And the nice little flashlights you gave us!

I was the one who finally got us on track to getting the cans out of the closer with relative consistent spacing. Sure made your life easier.