Daily Slideshow: Proper Torquing Techniques (as Suggested by Forum Members)

Matters of Scale

Our recent piece on Tools You are Using Wrong, prompted forum members to get involved and add even more valuable information to the heady well of knowledge here at Club Lexus. First up was member Johnhav430 who sagely stated: "One tool that imho is often misunderstood, is the torque wrench." He echoed our suggestion that wrenches be kept calibrated in order to ensure they are trustworthy—after all, what good is a measuring stick that reads incorrectly. He also stated the importance of using the right tool for the right job, and not using a high-capacity 1/2" drive torque wrench for low-torque applications. "They are not accurate below 20% of their upper end of the range," He asserted, continuing: "For example, if I wanted to torque something to 17 ft. lbs., it can be accomplished with one that has a range of 5-75 ft. lbs. Such a wrench is inaccurate below 15 ft. lbs. So if I needed to torque something to 14 ft. lbs, this wrench cannot accurately do it."

>>Join the conversation about Proper Torquing Technique right here in the Club Lexus forum.

Buyer Beware

Johnhav430 also shared the grapevine's fruit, saying: "I've heard people compare an HFT [Harbor Freight Tools] wrench to a calibrated one, and they have found them to be close. So it's like buying a dog without papers if you will." Our local Snap-On dealer felt that his company's best analog dial Torque-O-Meters outperformed their digital cousins... though he was silent on how Harbor Freight's inexpensive versions compared. Caveat emptor.

>>Join the conversation about Proper Torquing Technique right here in the Club Lexus forum.

Wheels Up

Forum member mmarshall correctly identified one of the most over-torqued items on any car: wheel lugs. The culprit he states, and mmarshall's on the money here too, is the incorrect use of impact wrenches, specifically the pneumatic, high-torque variety. His suggestion: "NEVER use an air/impact wrench to tighten lug nuts. It's OK to use one to loosen them since you are not putting stress on them, but impact wrenches are notorious for over-tightening the lugs and possibly stripping the threads and/or warping the brake rotors." Forum member 05ls430518 concurs, saying, "Yupp, had some clowns at [name redacted] do that to my mom's car and 3 studs broke off at the same time on the highway while they were taking my little brother to college, It's super dangerous."

>>Join the conversation about Proper Torquing Technique right here in the Club Lexus forum.

Lugging It

Mmarshall's excellent suggestion is first to start them by hand, tightening them evenly until they are all hand-tight, then turning to a torque wrench to tighten them the rest of the way—to manufacturers' specifications. He also shares a little automotive history: "Years ago, some alloy wheels, because lugs could work loose, required an immediate re-checking of the lugs within about 50 miles or so of first putting the wheels on, but I haven't seen that since the 1980s." We'd add to make sure all seating areas are free from dirt and corrosion, and add the fine print that any anti-corrosion thread treatments/lubricants can alter torque readings slightly.

>>Join the conversation about Proper Torquing Technique right here in the Club Lexus forum.

High Impact

Talk of impact tools spurred Johnhav430 to join the conversation, saying: "Technically, not everyone even understands why it's called an impact wrench. Impact wrenches have a hammering effect--ever see what the socket looks like after a single use?" We'd tend to agree. Tool manufacturers produce special impact sockets, made from a less brittle, more resilient alloy, for use with impact tools. Member Johnhav430 suggests hand-tool wheel lug removal on the high-dollar rim but feels impacts are acceptable for lug removal in more pedestrian applications.

>>Join the conversation about Proper Torquing Technique right here in the Club Lexus forum.

That’s not all Folks!

Forum moderator GSteg lightened the mood by offering Honda maintenance advice: "I use an adjustable wrench on my car, particularly on threaded Honda oil caps that won't come off easily. Not a problem there!" We trust he's applying the correct torque. If you have any suggestions, Honda oil cap or otherwise, share them here to take advantage of the collected wisdom of Club Lexus members!

>>Join the conversation about Proper Torquing Technique right here in the Club Lexus forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.