wheel nuts

mezza56 · Senior Member

wheel nuts

Brownie2 · Senior Member

Hi Mezza56,
Can only give you a rough guide. Our van has been fitted with alloy wheels and the manufacturer's recommendation was 132nm. That BTW, is the recommended torque for tightening the wheels on a Landcruiser.
I used to regularly check the wheel nuts, but have now fitted plastic wheel nut indicators that show at a glance if nuts have loosened. (I'll send a picture if you don't know what they are).
Cheers, Bob

ballast2 · Guru

G'day Bob. Please post a pic as I admit I don't know what they look like.

Cheers.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I think these are them -

Wheel Indicators 01.jpg

Cheers - John

Brownie2 · Senior Member

Heres a photo of the wheel nut indicators. Cheers Bob

ballast2 · Guru

Thank you both. John and Bob.
Cheers.

Greg 1 · Guru

Wheel nuts should not be done up with large levers or lumps of pipe on the end of the brace. This is a really good way to get a failure of the wheel studs by stretching them past the point of return. If a torque wrench is not available, a rough rule of thumb is that someone of average strength should be able to undo the nuts with the provided wheel brace. Your wife for example. The proper torque settings are usually available from a search on Google if you know what hubs have been used, and if you have access to a torque wrench then this is the best way of doing them up. Many people would be suprised how little torque is actually required. You do not need to be a gorilla. My other hobby is motorsport and we are religious with torqueing wheel nuts up correctly as you can imagine. Never lost a wheel or snapped a stud yet.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yes a lot depends on stud size dia Large trucks have much higher settings than 2 ton vehicles . The nut tapper assists in keeping them tight, locking them as well as centering wheel .. be aware of left hand threads . I carry a torque multiplier . 50 to 1 turns . Use torque to yield in this case . Tight then 3/4 turn etc

mezza56 · Senior Member

Thanks guys those indicators look like a good idea saves getting a T wrench out every so often , would most auto places stock them or any particular place.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Here ya go Mezz - try these

Cheers - John

Brownie2 · Senior Member

or these.....
www.ebay.com.au/itm/Extended-Type-Wheel-Nut-Indicator-21mm-x-25-pce-Australian-Made/162542203692

markf · Senior Member

And this is the result of over tightening. I was told that the bar I was using enable me to apply far too much torque and to get a cheap torque wrench and to use it...

-- Edited by markf on Wednesday 22nd of August 2018 11:00:26 AM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

There has been a flood of cheap wheel hubs , studs imported . Yes these studs should be tightened at a guess to around 80lb . Bigger 16mm or so would require bars, long 1â torque wrench to go the higher torque settings . 120lb+ . A torque multiplyer or longer wrench is required. Compression air guns donât help either . Checking nuts after a short drive is best rather than taking extra tight to be sure !! Itâs trenching stud beyond it yield point !!

swamp · Senior Member

HI
Noth`n wrong with rattle guns . Either over or under tighten is easily done , its the inexperienced operator.

oldbloke · Guru

I believe incorrectly set rattle guns are the main cause. I just had my Triton serviced an wheels rotated. They use a torque wrench to tighten them. One just Snapped at about half the required torque. First one in 45 yrs.

Greg 1 · Guru

If the studs have been previously stretched, then it would not be a suprise that one broke before the recommended torque was reached.

swamp · Senior Member

HI
What I have found is

Nuts distort --
2 ways Mainly because of poor quality and overtightening .
....poor quality nuts stretch
overtightening can cause nuts to bottom out causing the nut to pinch the thread/stud
.. no lube eg neverseize
Replace nuts all fixed

Studs break 2 ways
.over use of a very strong rattle gun 98% rattle guns donot tighten that much
....poor quality studs break often ,typically in cheap after market replacement
. no lube eg never seize