afidel wrote:
It's obviously NOT that easy as I'm pretty sure I've never seen a torque wrench used to put tires on in any mechanics shop or tire place I've ever been to. They all just use the air guns or electric equivalent. There's not some plague of wheels flying off of vehicles from overtightened lugnuts due to using simple air guns.
They might have been using torque sticks and you didn't know it, or you shop for tires at incompetent shops. Yes, I have replaced studs and found loose lug nuts as well because of idiots at Pa State Inspection stations. Of course I always check torque after anyone fooled with my wheels. YMMV