Yes we
said tourquing and not twerking! Have you ever had an entire wheel fall off
while driving? Hopefully not – however without proper and accurate torquing and
retorquing you, you and whoever is riding with you as well as other motorists
could possibly be looking at a very dangerous situation. And it happens
more than you think! That’s why at Metric Wrench Billings we encourage you to
bring your vehicle to a professional when removing the wheels.
What is torquing?
Torquing
is the process of specifically tightening your lug nuts at the proper pressure.
Each vehicle has different manufacturer specifications for how the lug nuts
should be torqued. Problems that can occur:
·
Under and overtorquing-The studs your wheel is secured to are actually
designed to have a specific amount of “stretch”. The proper torque stretches
the stud JUST enough for it to securely lock with the bolts. An under-torqued
lug nut will not lock correctly and an over-torqued lug nut will over stretch
the stud, both cause stress.
· Broken studs-
The extra movement caused by a loose nut can stress the stud and cause it to
fail. The overly tightened lugnuts can over stretcha nd stress the lugnut,
causing failure as well. Replacement will be needed immediately and this can
also cause the wheel to fall off while traveling.
· Expensive Brake Problems- The biggest issue with over torquing is warped brake rotors. This
is often caused by mechanics who tighten lugs improperly using a pneumatic gun.
This can cause uneven tightening accross the hub surface of the rotor.
Because one or more wheel nuts is not as tight as the other the rotor pressure
is unbalance when you apply the brakes. Once a rotor warps it can be difficult
and costly to undo.
· Stressed bolts- Without proper torquing to stretch the wheel stud, you are putting extra
stress on the bolt and the hole the stud passed through. This is seen while
driving, as it stresses the wheel assembly. This can also lead to a wheel
falling off.
·
Extra
stress on steering system- Under torquing can cause the wheel/tire to slightly “wobble” while
driving and can cause the car to pull to one side while driving. All in all,
this puts extra stress on the steering system.
