New Tires, should the lug nuts have a re-tighening check?

Valkyriebush wrote:
I've never been told to come back over years of tire changes. No issues.

Yep, us too, never been back to a tire service center to "re-torque" the lugs. I've had ours off several times (22.5 Alloys)for whatever service I needed to do and I torque them to 450 ft. lbs. and never, ever re-torqued them. They haven't fallen off yet.
Scott

My dealer uses a torque wrench every time they touch my wheels. That may be because they know me and that I watch what they are doing.

Dale.Traveling wrote:
Wouldn't hurt but difficult to do on a motorhome with 22.5" wheels considering the torque requirement is several hundred pounds.

Obviously, proper torque is best but if you put a lug wrench on them and they don't budge, you are probably fine.

If you put the lug wrench on and it turns...tighten them as best you can and then take it back to the tire shop for proper torque...but then again I've yet to see a tire shop break out the torque wrench.

K Charles wrote:
If you do check them and they are tight, what's the big deal?
If you don't check them and they come loose, that could be a big deal.

Here's the big deal IMO. When the trunk monkeys in the tire shop use pneumatic wrenches to tighten your lug nuts/bolts, often they get lazy and just "run the nuts/bolts down" without concern for tightening pattern or torque. Those pneumatic wrenches are easily capable of generating +300 ft-lbs of torque, and more. If the torque spec. for your lugs is 150 ft-lbs, then, they are way over torqued. Now, let those go through a few heat/cool cycles and a few months time and try to remove the lugs. You may need as much as 500 ft-lbs of torque to break the lugs loose. What if you get a flat (or any other issue) and need to remove the wheel to change to the spare and you cant get the lugs off with the tools you have? (often minimal) Or, maybe you round off a hex on one or more of the lugs, or break one off, or split your only socket? Now you are really screwed and YOU could have avoided the situation if you would have checked the lug torque in a timely manner.

That's why I ALWAYS check the lug nuts/bolts after ANYONE touches the wheels on ANY of my vehicles. (don't ask me how I learned this)

Chum lee

From the Freightliner Recreational Vehicle Chassis Maintenance Manual:


Wheel Nut Checking
IMPORTANT: In addition to the maintenance interval in this manual, check the wheel nut torque the first 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 km) of operation after a wheel has been removed and installed.


Not exactly sure what model and year manual I found, but I bet you'll find it similar to yours.

Wouldn't hurt but difficult to do on a motorhome with 22.5" wheels considering the torque requirement is several hundred pounds.

I wouldn't make a special trip just for that but 5-10min to put a lugwrench on and check that they are tight...sure.

All aluminum wheels require a check after you remove the wheels from the vehicle. In the last 25 years, I can't remember having a shop NOT telling me to retorque the wheels. There is a reason for tightening lug nuts in a specific order and a reason to retorque.
I will continue to carry my torque wrench and sockets with me. On my last trip to the east coast, I was checking my lug nuts and the guy in the next campsite asked if I would check his lug nuts. I showed him how to use the torque wrench and he checked his lugs. After I saw that the first nut was at about 50 ft pounds I helped him get them to the 100 ft pounds that was posted on the front of his camper. I believe that I saved him from having a terrible experience with a wheel falling off. This may have saved someone's life.

I've never been told to come back over years of tire changes. No issues.

StephJohn2010 wrote:
I'm getting new tires for my motorhome. The tire guy said it is not necessary to run motorhome 50 or 100 miles and then come back for a lug nut tightness check. I've thought I've heard that you should. Which is right or which would you do?

My tire dealer had me come back in 50-100 miles so go figure


Pomp's tire has about 25-30 locations in the Midwest so it was no flunky dealer