<VV> Proper torque

[Mark Corbin]

My buddy Mike always likes to crank the lug nuts down as tight as he can.
Once, after he did my car, I had to take my breaker bar and literally jump
up and down on it to break them loose. When I complained to him about it,
he said that he "didn't want the wheels to fall off." Seems he had that
happen once, and has been cranking 'em down that tight ever since. And that
despite me telling him about that one guy's son who had his wheel fall off,
after the lug studs broke off from being overstressed by some
impact-wrench-wielding tire shop jockey had zapped 'em down. I always said
Mike could have made a good wrestler, because he has an incredible
strength-to-weight ratio. I sometimes think he doesn't realize just how
hard he can crank a bolt down.

-Mark (never had a wheel fall off)


> [Original Message]
> From: <FrankCB at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Proper torque
>   
>     Everytime I get a tire replaced I bring the car  home, jack up that 
> wheel, loosen the tire nuts and retorque them in gradual  sequence
skipping every 
> other as I go around twice - first at 20 ft-lbs, then  40, then 60, then
80 and 
> finally 100.  The tire shops usually use an air  powered torque wrench 
> putting each bolt at full torque in one  shot.  A number of times I've
had to use a 
> breaker bar with a long pipe  extension to break the nuts loose since
they 
> probably had them up at 200  ft-lbs.  Imagine having to change a tire
with nuts 
> that tight late at night  in the rain on a busy road!!!
>     Frank "fanatic about some things"  Burkhard