torque maintenance-proper technique

[bluedog225]

I just got new tires and had discount tire torque all nuts to 140 ft/lbs by hand.

It's been about 100 miles and I want to check the torque on the lug nuts. In performing torque maintenance, what is the proper procedure?

Specifically, should I loosen then retorque or just make sure they are at least at 140 ft/lbs?

I know they will rotate, balance, and retorque for free, but I don't particularly trust their crew or the accuracy of their torque wrenches.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

[jage]

I always thought the proper procedure was to set your torque wrench to 140 ft/lbs and go over all the nuts in the same 8-lug pattern to ensure none of them had backed off, loosened, or whatever.

I go over them all twice *after* one moves (because something changed). If nothing moves at 140 ft/lbs, you're golden.

Loosening them defeats the purpose because you're back at before the rim went on, which means you have to re-retorque. The idea situation is that none of them move at 140 ft/lbs and that means nothing has worked it's way loose.

(As far as the 8-lug pattern I just try to cross the center of the rim as much as possible, I'm not sure what is proper as I come from 5-bolt Jeep land...)

[Ford_6L_E350]

I also don't know what the 'proper' sequence is to torque the lugs on an 8 bolt wheel. But, I will tell you what I do:

First, tighten them all hand tight with a socket and my hand. Then, start adjacent to the locking lugnut (you do have locks on those expensive wheels, don't you?) and tighten it to ~50 lb-ft. Then, directly across the wheel to 50. Skip a lug and tighten to 50, directly across the wheel to 50. Now tighten the locking lug to 140, directly across the wheel to 140, skip a lug and tighted to 140, directly across the wheel to 140. Jump to the next lug and 140, across to 140, skip a lug and 140, across the wheel to 140. Then I go around the wheel in a circle double checking all.

It may seem like overkill, but my engineering background tells me not to go too tight until I'm certain the wheel is flush to the hub. The handtight and 4 lugs at 50 do that. Then I tighten all the way, making sure I never tighten two adjacent nuts until I'm done.

Mike