Do tyre shops realise that the average driver will have trouble undoing the wheel nuts that have been tightened by a pneumatic wrench? Just changed mine and practically had to jump on the tyre wrench to get it to budge. My regular service place specifically instruct their staff to hand tighten the nuts,how considerate of them, but every tyre shop I have been to take the easy way out and use the air gun. Suggest every one carry an extension bar in the boot for added leverage.

 

You should insist they torque them up correctly. Overtightening is not a good idea!

 

My service shop uses a torque wrench, but haven't seen one used in a tyre shop yet. Either too lazy or couldn't be bothered.

 

This is <B> REALLY </B> bad.

Most airguns will torque to 110lb+. The torque on a Subaru wheel nut is 67lb +/- 7lb.

I aim for 75lb, but the chrome in Subaru wheel nuts breaks up if you go higher. This then flakes and cuts all the thread off the wheel stud when you remove the nut next time.

 

Pete, thanks for pointing out the correct torque figure for the Scoob. No wonder the chrome on my wheel nuts are already flaking off at places. Come to think of it, the tyre wrench supplied by Subaru has a shorter handle than those of my other cars, with the resultant decrease in leverage.

 

I had the same problem, with a so called high perfomrmance tyre specialist in Bolton. I had to swing on a 3 foot extension bar to get the nuts loose. Overtightening can cause distortions and hairline cracks in the alloy on the wheels. Next time I will take my own torque wrench with me.

 

Hi all
Does anybody know how much NM is 1 LB as my torque wrench range is in Nm?
JIM