MarkDFW

I know to torque to 100 foot pounds and use a star pattern. As I read threads on this, I see a bit of variance in the procedure. Some people torque to 80 with the tires still jacked off the ground, then put them in the ground and torque to 100. Others leave the tires off the ground when torquing, the drive around the block, come back, and torque again to get another 1/10th turn. Some people avoid an air impact at all costs while others say it is fine and use a torque bar so they don't over tighten.

Curious what process you guys following when you throw on your track wheels? Do you let everything cool for 30 minutes and check torque between track sessions?

71corv

In the garage ,on stands, I tighten to 50#. Lower car and go 75# and 100#. Check the next day. At the track for HPDE's, I wait till the first call to stage and then check the pressure and torque.



Gene

davidfarmer

I personally spin them snug with an electric impact, lower just enough to hold the wheels steady, torque once and never look back. You never want to overtorque...period. Whether it's an impact, or torque wrench, DON'T overtorque or you'll be replacing studs very soon.

Another think I strongly believe,is to never re-torque once the wheels have been heat cycled. I might hit them at 75 ft-lbs the 2nd day of an event, but NEVER re-torque at full torque. Again, you'll end up over-torquing.

As I've said before, I've never seen a properly torqued wheel come loose, but I've seen lots of broken studs due to over-torque!

GettReal

I use an 18v cordless impact gun while the wheels are off the ground.. that seems to get them to about 80lbs or so... then I lower the car and torque them all to 100lbs and thats pretty much it for the day.

Dirk Miller

Man I hate to replace studs when they brake off. Mine had lasted 4 yrs before they started snappen. 1 yr ago I replaced the front w/ GM studs on myoriginal '08 C6 hubs that came with the car. But I am now replacing the rear with ARP studs. These ARPs are going on SKF hubs. Since I only track my car a half a dozen times a year the front hubs hadn't shown any wear yet. But wondering, which hubs usually go first? My guess are the front?

Last C5

That's what I do and I've never had a problem.

VetteDrmr

+1. The only place I've actually seen multiple pass torque instructions is during an engine build. I'm pretty certain that it doesn't do any good and certainly increases the chance of overtorquing as David points out.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

Gordy M

[QUOTE=davidfarmer;1582586982]I personally spin them snug with an electric impact, lower just enough to hold the wheels steady, torque once and never look back. You never want to overtorque...period. Whether it's an impact, or torque wrench, DON'T overtorque or you'll be replacing studs very soon.[ QUOTE]

I do the same and every year I also replace the lugnuts--treat them as a disposable item. I bring the old lugnuts to autocrosses and track events the following year and usually have to give 5-7 lugnuts a year to individuals who has spun their threads torqueing them on the wheels.

AU N EGL

Same here

waddisme

Same here. I bought a Goodyear 18v rechargeable impact gun 5 yrs ago at Pep Boys for $79 and it still works. Never thought it would last that long. I always thread my lugs on by hand before hitting them with impact gun though.

YYZ06

Me too except mine is an 18v Harbor Freight.

RDnomorecobra

craftsman cordless impact gun and a 100 ft lb torquestick.

Charley Hoyt

One of the most important things to remember is that wheel torque is one of the few torques that is a DRY torque. If you lubricate the stud or lugnut you WILL over torque them.

froggy47

I slowly spin them on with my air gun set to lowest setting, probably gets them up to 50 ft-lb. Drop the car & torque to 90 ft-lb (light lube). If you don't lube you will eventually gall between the lug nut & the wheel. The steel nut starts eating away at the "seat" on the wheel. I have done it & that's why I starrted lubing. The reduced torque spec compensates for the lube. You can check this by looking up the ARP white paper on lubed vs dry. Sometimes I go 88 ft-lb for an autox event.

If you only do 3 or 4 events a year it probably won't happen but once you start going every month it will.



Here are a couple od videos I did on my process, some overlap but a couple of different points in each. Some will disagree, that's fine, do it your way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOJIrjfPmTk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpeP0zPoFO4

MarkDFW

Great videos Froggy!

I've seen other threads where people break lugs loose with a breaker bar out of concern they will round off their lug nuts. Looks like none of you have had that happen or have any concerns about it? I used a breaker bar to loosen mine before using the air impact but maybe that isn't really necessary.

sperkins

Are we seriously having this conversation?

froggy47

If you have the fancy stock nuts, yes, the gun will mark them up, a breaker bar is easier on them & there are also deep sockets with a "plastic" lining. If you have replaced the originals with open nuts & do a lot of wheel swaps they should be replaced yearly anyway so it would be a waste of effort. I've never had an open nut round off, even if I put a wrong size socket on, they are tough.

crimlwC6

waddisme

Tracking season is over so you might as well get used to these type of threads. I will be starting one on the proper order of attaching 5 point harness vs 6 point once I wrap up the wing painting thread.

Z06cool

How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to worry at all about even torquing them down if you get the best safety mod in the world - the much sought after titanium lugnuts.