stewbertso

I have a 2004 LS 430 and am trying to find the correct lug nut torque. I found 76 Ft. Lbs. but not sure if that is correct. Thanks.

nDrew

iTrader: (1)

75-80LBs ~

HiloDB1

iTrader: (3)

Manual for my 01 says 76lb/ft. I dont think the years make a difference so it should be the same for yours.

jayclapp

Manual for my 04 says 76 ft-lbs.

tradosauru

I am resurrecting this thread because after removing all 4 wheels I found that the lug nut torque was most likely about 120 ft-lbs.

I understand the manual states 76 ft-lbs but I find it that value odd since most larger cars that I have had in the past and own now use 100 ft-lbs for the torque. Even my son's Mustang calls for 100 ft-lbs.

Just a precaution that if you had your tires removed by anyone other than Discount Tire I would check all your lug nut torque by loosening every one, jacking up the car, backing the tire out a bit, and then after snugging the nuts back in and lowering the car, retorquing the nuts to 80 ft-lbs.

jpv7774

So let me ask......What is the risk of having the wheels on too tight or 100plus foot pounds? I recently did a brake job for my sisters car.....i do have a torque wrench....it called for 90lbs....I gave it 90 plus a lil somethin ......I had to remove them the next day to ad outer shims and I found them easy to remove with a lug nut star wrench. I think I would rather too tight then possibility of them coming off. I have heard rumors of warping rotors but not sure thats true....

JffGRY706

with the wrench provided, I do not think you could remove nuts @ 100lbs. if you have a better tool, I bet you could tighten them up some more. it was suggested to add a breaker bar and a socket to the trunk for tire changing purposes. I am 60 yrs. old and it took me 2 hours to change the tire in my driveway without the breaker bar and socket. thanks to Jabberwock I believe. I was only able to get a 15" bar and if you can get the 16" bar every inch will help. I do not think I would want to change a tire on the side of a busy road in the dark or rain anymore.

jpv7774

Is that my wheel shippin buddy? I tried to contact u 3 times then finally gave up. Thank u very very much.

As for the tire wheel install.......I get quite a bit of leverage with my large star wrench. But when I did tighten as hard as I could without stepping on the wrench I estimate I was around 90lbs. I had to grunt to get them off but they came off easily I would say.......again this is a star wrench not a shorty from the trunk....maybe i will enclose a pic. When I used my large torque wrench directly to a large socket I was able to get to 90lbs easy then ad a hair more...fairly easy...then I left it there thinking I was at 95lbs. But other then them being hard to remove later is there anything wrong w having them on too tight?

tradosauru

I buy a torque wrench for the trunk of all my cars. You can get them for under $20 at Harbor Freight.
I'm wonder if the shape of the lug nut has a better clamping force at 80 ft-lbs for the Lexus?

Personally I believe there should be a range for torque (min and max.)

http://www.tirereview.com/its-really...bout-lug-nuts/

From a master mechanic:

oldkystude

The previous post recommended using anti seize on lug nuts. I’ve also been tempted to do this but there is a danger of over-torque when using an extreme pressure lubricant. It’s true that nut torque is only a convenient way to measure the stretch of a bolt to a specific dimension.

On main shafts in jet engines it’s common to torque the main nut until the shaft has stretched a specific amount. On aircraft wheels, which are two piece, the tie bolts that hold the halves together are to be lubricated. It has a placard on the wheel specifying the military specification of the lube and the torque value. The goal is to eliminate variables of thread friction as much as possible. A rusty thread will cause the torque wrench to click sooner and result in lower bolt stretch.

Since Lexus does not specify the use of any lubricant the value given is is for a dry torque. Use of any lubricant will therefore over-stretch the bolts. Here is a chart that shows the effect of various lubricants on bolt toque and how much you should reduce the torque value for each:
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/t...ts-d_1693.html

The other question is how much over the specified torque can you go without causing problems. My experience has shown that the car will take a lot of abuse. The average guy at the tire store is still likely to tighten lug nuts with an impact gun. Some people do a good job by just getting the nuts snug with the gun and doing a final with a torque wrench. Yesterday my car got a balance job and only an impact gun was used. I retorqued them at home and they varied greatly when loosening.

My procedure is to lightly wire brush the lug bolt threads if rusty. I then spray a bit of wd-40 on them and the center of the hub where the wheel seats. This certainly results in an overtorque but the lubricant is so light that I don’t think it’s significant. I’d rather have the torque uniformity and rust protection.

Johnhav430

I alway went with 76 lbs. tighter than what was engineered is not beneficial.

I would never, ever, put anti seize on lug nuts. I would, depending, put them on the center hub area. We have discussed this on other forums and it's the wrong thing to do. Some folks even put them on spark plugs, no!

I do put them on brake rotors ie hub faces when doing new rotors.

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

I have been doing 100 ftlbs for over 2 years with never seize on the studs and hub with 0 issues just go with 100 ftlbs.

RWDV8

Torque your lugs to factory spec. You don't need to over tighten your lugs to keep the wheels from falling off! Literally all five lugs would have to back out at the same time for there to be an issue. Even if one completely fell off you would be fine with four until you replace it.

I have never had a tire shop torque my lugs correctly even when specifically requested. They just blast them on there. I always retorque my lugs to spec. Don't even need to jack up the car. Just loosen two lugs across from each other then torque to spec. Loosen two others across from each other than retorque. Then do the last one.

Over tightening your lugs will only put additional stress on the studs, wheels, and rotors, as well as make them difficult to remove in roadside situations.

I have been tightening my lugs to factory spec and taking my cars to the track for many years. Never had a single lug nut come loose under any condition.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Toyota manual is 76ft/lbs. There is a given reason why this is the spec due to bolt stretch and tinsel strength for the given application. Fatiguing a bolt by over torquing can induce failure and warpage of the surface. Newer cars may have different torque specs so check the manual to verify.

jayclapp

Why do so many people think they know more than the designers and engineers that result in the car? Replacing facts and/or data with intuition is not necessarily a good thing. A smart person knows what he does not know.