Torquing tire stud by hand

I'm just amazed you saw a tire guy actually using a torque wrench. Closest I've seen are some mechanics using torque sockets. Usually they just use the air wrench that "someone set" years before.

If I have someone else put wheels on, I try to loosen and re-tighten them myself. I'm the one that will be having to to change a tire on the side of the road.

In answer to your questions, Yes they can easily over tighten the lug nuts.

3 consequences that can happen, among others, are: 1. Make the lug nuts so tight you simply can't get them off without large breaker bars or a powerful air wrench. 2. Weaken or even break off the lugs. 3. Warp the wheel, which is why the criss-cross pattern of tightening is important.

From what you describe, though, your wheels and lug nuts are probably fine. Sounds like a good shop you went to.

Durb wrote:
I dealt with a large chain of tire shops with over 400 locations. They tested their people and found their techs were over torquing lug nuts up to 200 ft-lbs over spec. If they are hammering the wrench or adding some more after the wrench clicks then your nuts are over torqued. If so, go home, loosen, and re-torque properly.

Make sure you loosen them rather than just clicking on an already over torqued nut; a placebo.

Thanks, I wondered about that.

I dealt with a large chain of tire shops with over 400 locations. They tested their people and found their techs were over torquing lug nuts up to 200 ft-lbs over spec. If they are hammering the wrench or adding some more after the wrench clicks then your nuts are over torqued. If so, go home, loosen, and re-torque properly.

Make sure you loosen them rather than just clicking on an already over torqued nut; a placebo.

I do have a torque wrench..I should recheck all my lugs. Manual I found has pattern and says to torque to 140.

Get a torque wrench and make it right. Good to keep an eye on your equipment. Of course you probably did not see the setting either. May have been set low for the previous vehicle and so a small amount was added. Maybe close enough. Nothing wrong with making it right.

To me the order is not critical as long as some sort of cross pattern is used and not just going zero to full torque in a circle.

Retorque after 50 and 150 miles. You do not want to know how we learned that.
8 bolt patterns snug any method, then 12-6- 3-9 1-7-2-8 torque in order, typical 9/16 or 14mm torque dry ( no lube) is 130 lb/ft. Then again 1-8 More is not better.

IMO, I think he used the pneumatic for speed, then hand tightened the proper torque. Overtightening by hand using a hand powered TW ? I would not be concerned about that.