wheel nuts

[Steve]

How tight should these be? I came to undo mine today in order to check my brakes. I have one locking nut on each wheel. I eventually got the normal nuts undone, but wrecked the head of one of the locking nuts, and didnt dare to proceed to the others. If this had been a puncture, I would have had to call the AA and felt a div 'cos thats what women do.

I know who tightened the nuts last, it was during a free brake check at a national chain. I shall go back there and hope to get a replacement nut fitted free of charge. And will tell them not to apply so much force to the locking nuts. (they have good customer service, and I know the brakes are nearly metal on metal so I dont mind taking it there soon)

Do garages generally stick to the rules with pneumatic nut drivers? Should they apply less torque to the locking nuts? How do they tighten them? Surely if they used the key I have, they would have ruined them with this force, like I ruined one trying to take it off?

 

[^neo^]

Generally speaking the wheel brace supplied with the car is of the right length so that the 'average' person doing it up as tight as they can is about the right torque.
As for whizzy guns in the garage, then they will hideously overtorque!
They should do mthem up tight, the torque up to the right spec, but no one ever does

 

[xerxes]

I think standards of care vary a lot among tyre fitters. Some whack the nuts on with impact wrenches, including locking nuts (despite the symbol on the key telling them not to). I've seen others conscientiously changing to a torque wrench for final tightening. I've even experienced nuts left loose, and a rattling wheel!

If I'm not sure the fitter's done a proper job I always check when I get home: undo the nuts (with a breaker bar if necessary), put a smear of anti-seize grease on the threads, and retighten as Neo suggests.

If you can get the tyre fitters to replace your locking nut, you'll need a set, and a new key. And please don't drive much further if your brakes really are worn out.

 

[andyandy2]

I think a lot of the national chain type companies use a torque wrench nowadays for final tightening. Personally i always finally tighten with torque wrench or breaker bar, and normally go easy on the locking nut especially if it looks worn
BUT
I suppose technically the locking nut should also be tightened to its correct torque, in this day and age of "sueing" culture if something was to go wrong ( I would rather you not be able to get the wheel off than it fall off !!! )

 

[EddieM]

Would be stupid to tighten a locking nut with an impact driver, as the locking socket will not be an impact socket.

 

[str]

I've just been through this when the locking key for the locking wheels sheared off and I was left with just the outer section.

this was caused by myself just using the hand tool supplied with the car and the locking key had only used, say 6 times since new.

local tyre chain managed to get two of the wheels off and I managed to get a new set of locking wheel nuts from the dealer, under warranty.

You won't be able to replace just one of the locking wheel nuts, if you want to have just one key, as they are sold in sets of 4

 

[EddieM]

You can get a special impact bit designed to spin off locking wheel nusts, but it completely knackers them.