The Hyundai dealer sets the wheel torque for my. Elantra 17" wheels at 95 lbs.

 

I have read the owners manual and it say between 79 - 94 Ft Lbs.

You just answered your own question!
I set my torque wrench to 80 ft lb.
I re-check torque after a couple hundred miles.

 

How is that answering my own question? That is almost a 15 ft lbs difference. That is between almost breaking a bolt and not.

Thanks for the 80 FT Lbs reply

 

I've never measured the torque on lug nuts. Never had a problem. I'd like to think I have a pretty good feel for things mechanical. And I don't think this is all that critical.

 

I never have either but on a brand new vehicle I thought I would start

 

If you are worried about warping the wheels and brake rotors, then the most conservative method to torque your wheels.

1). Get your torque wrench out to break the wheel nuts loose. This will give you an idea of how tight it was put on. Harbor Freight have a digital torque meter 100 ft-lbs for $30 which will fit 3/4 inch wrench. It can be set to hold highest torque reading.

To install the wheel.

2). Hand thread the nuts 2-3 threads to prevent cross-threading.

3) Tighten nut in a cross pattern, with wheel wrench, until the wheel is seated flat. This is approximately 5-10 ft-lbs or the weight of gallon milk jug on one finger.

Hint and Tips: Rock the wheel back and forth as you tighten the nuts to seat the wheel. When all the nuts are on and the wheel is properly seated, the wheel will no longer rock.

Two step torque

4). Set your torque wrench to 40 lbs and torque the nuts in a cross pattern.

5). Set your torque wrench to final torque spec..

6). Interpret the wheel torque spec. as 86.5 lbs +- 7.5 lbs. (The difference is only the weight of 1 gallon of milk held on two fingers.). I don’t think that will break your wheel lugs and you’re right in the middle of the torque spec.. Don’t forget to torque in a cross-pattern.

7). Inspection, after all the nuts are torqued, go over each nut again at the final torque setting.

Hint and Tip. This final inspection torque can be done in a circular pattern. Use your air valve as #1 and go around one last time to ensure everything is tight.

Best Wishes

 

65 - 79.5 lb.ft is usually quoted



That seems high as my handbook (UK) quotes 65 - 79.5 lb.ft and is the usual figure quoted to the question on forums both UK and US. Although metric Newton metre is more common in Europe so 88-107 Nm and I use a nice round 100Nm as the mean.

 

It all good information. Taking the mean or average is a good practice. (107-88)/2 = 19/2 = 9.5 Nm, (107+88)/2 = 195/2 = 97.5 Nm,

Round to easy to remember 100 Nm +- 5 Nm and well within the spec..

In pounds, (79.5+65) / 2 = 144.5 / 2 = 72.25 rounding 75 lbs-ft, (79.5 - 65) / 2 = 14.5 / 2 = 7.25 or 5 lbs-ft.

Therefore interpret the spec as 75 lbs-ft +- 5 lbs-ft is wall within the specification and easy to remember.

Best Wishes

 

79-94.... anywhere in between if fine

Use what is in your owners manual

 

You're really overthinking it and overanalyzing. Just snug them down pretty hard with a breaker bar or send them in with an impact (just don't hold down the trigger for TOO long) unless you have absolutely no ability to do something by feel there's really no reason to worry about torque specs on wheels. I've taken off and put back on hundreds of wheels on various cars and have never once had an issue using an impact or breaker bar. FYI I've never seen a shop once ever use a torque wrench on wheels.

 

Used to be the case. I suppose a number of shops still do that. But customers has been demanding better work. I see tire shops like discount tires and even Costco or sams club uses torque wrench when tightening lug nuts. I do my own repair and maintenance 30+ years. Last time I was in the dealer was for a warranty work. I usually retorque my lugs when i get my car back. But that was many moons ago. Tightening your lugs to proper toque is the only way to go. Just like most of the fasteners in your car. There is a torque specs for it. Ignoring it is not only unprofessional and lazy but causes issues. Many people that rely on shops for their cars upkeep has no tools and are dependent to that shops practices. So choose wisely and ask questions. There are better shops.

 

I also torque mine to 80 ft-lbs , it not only meets Hyundai/KIA requirements
but it falls in line with the torque values recommended by my previous vehicle brands.
Although torquing isn't required, I always torque because it gives me confidence
that I'll be able to remove the lug nuts if I ever have to change a tire on the road.
On a few of my past new cars those lug nuts where socked down extremely tight,
1st wheel removal on those brand new cars was a bugger.

 

Not being a hack and doing the job correctly isn't over analyzing or overthinking.

Enough threads already concerning stripped or broken studs.
And, alloy wheel damage and rotor runout can be caused by overtorqued lug nuts.

Do the job correctly or don't do it at all. Whatever happened to taking pride in one's work and having a work ethnic?

 

Not being a hack and doing the job correctly isn't over analyzing or overthinking.

Enough threads already concerning stripped or broken studs.
And, alloy wheel damage and rotor runout can be caused by overtorqued lug nuts.

Do the job correctly or don't do it at all. Whatever happened to taking pride in one's work and having a work ethnic?

Not being a hack and doing the job correctly isn't over analyzing or overthinking.

Enough threads already concerning stripped or broken studs.
And, alloy wheel damage and rotor runout can be caused by overtorqued lug nuts.

Do the job correctly or don't do it at all. Whatever happened to taking pride in one's work and having a work ethnic?

Has nothing to do with being a "hack" or not taking "pride" in your work. It's one of those parts that unless you're a complete gorilla with a breaker bar there's really no need for a torque wrench. you have to be a complete idiot or beginner to torque down your lugs hard enough to break or strip one. I'm not saying it's an impossibility but most of the time you need to be pretty careless with an impact gun or breaker bar.

Damaging an alloy wheel would require a tremendous amount of excess force put on a lug.

Also if you honestly think most professional flat rate techs at your local dealerships take the time to use a torque wrench on lugs you're even more stupid than you are pretentious.

 

For many years I didn't use a torque wrench.
I'm okay with that if the person doing it has the feel for it and some care.
Then I was gifted a torque wrench, so why not?
However I don't trust putting them on with an impact wrench. There's nothing to feel.
When I use an impact wrench to put on a nut I use the lowest setting just to get snug,
then tighten by hand, with or without a torque wrench.
When I have to get the wheels removed at a shop I re-tighten at home, so no surprises if I have to change a flat.

 

Here's the torque wrench I was given, and a close up of its scale:

 

Make sure you’re wheel is off the ground when you tighten the nuts down.

You should always use a torque wrench over just an impact wrench. Over torquing the nuts and cause the rotors to warp while they are warm/hot. And yes, I’ve had it happen to me and know it’s happened to a lot of my friends and coworkers.

Also, impact wrenches can strip the lug splines or even over tension the lugs which can cause them to snap under use.

 

Great first hand experienced comments regarding torquing wheels and on steel and alloy wheels.