<VV> torque of the town

[Sethracer at aol.com]

Someone (Bob?) wrote
Bryan, I live in the rustier east, 200 mile north  of you.  Here in my 
cave, not only do I not use a torque wrench on lug  nuts, I don't use 
anti-sieze on them either.  I just tighten them,  umph, good enough, and 
the wheels stay on but come off when I want them  to.

You engineers think too much. :-)
 
 
Well that is probably correct. My take: I change a lot of wheels. Since I  
flat tow my race car, I have a set of tow tires (They are also rain tires, 
if  needed) which are mounted on aluminum wheels retained by tapered seat lug 
nuts.  My current race tires are mounted on modular wheels with 
shank/washer style lug  nuts. I also use long studs with a tapered tip for easy lug nut 
installation.  When I install my tow wheels, I slide the wheel over the 
studs, start one lug  nut by hand and I use a small 3/8in Cordless drill, my 
current one is a Black  & Decker with a 3/8" square drive and a tall socket, 
to run the lug  nuts down "tight" (Note - tight is not torqued). The drill 
has a slip clutch  built into it. After all five lug nuts are down, I move on 
to another wheel,  etc. After all four wheels are installed I let the second 
side down, pull out my  "65lb" torque wrench (no, it has not been 
re-calibrated in 10 years). and  star-pattern torque the wheels.
When I get to the races, I park the car and "un-torque" (loosen a bit)  all 
the lug nuts, jack up one side and remove the wheels and tires with the  
cordless drill. I hang a race wheel on the studs and start one shank/washer  
lug nut on, screwing it down until the washer is in place on the shank, and 
the  shank is in the wheel hole. I spin the one lug nut down almost tight, 
and use  that stud to pivot the wheel and align the other four lug nuts and 
spin them  down tight. I move on to the next wheel. Again, when all four 
wheels are on the  ground, I go back and torque each wheel. I haven't lost a 
wheel  yet!
Am I really thinking too much? It's a habit!
 
Speaking of losing a wheel - Have you seen this video?
 
 
_http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120711/CARNEWS01/120719974?utm_source=Dai
lyDrive20120712&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_term=missedarticle4more&utm_conte
nt=20120711-Wheel-comes-off-in-driver%27s-hand-while-racing&utm_campaign=awd
ailydrive_ 
(http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120711/CARNEWS01/120719974?utm_source=DailyDrive20120712&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_term=missedarticle4mor
e&utm_content=20120711-Wheel-comes-off-in-driver's-hand-while-racing&utm_cam
paign=awdailydrive) 


Now, there is one calm individual!
 
Seth Emerson