260 ft lbs of torque? Really?

jfkmk wrote:

majorgator wrote:
5 pages for this? I think it was answered thoroughly in the first page ;-) The rest is just filler, so I might as well weigh in too.

A standard 1/2" DeWalt electric impact is rated for 345 ft/lbs. My air impact is rated for 425 ft/lbs (I think). The proper torque is important, so I recommend that you do it the same way 99.9% of people and mechanics do it when they install lug nuts: tighten the goober mess out of it with an impact! I've never seen anyone check torque on lug nuts, yet that's just as important as the issue at hand. And remember, that 260 ft/lb torque spec is required for max load and engineers almost always include a safety factor of "2", so just tighten it with an impact and move on.

True mechanics, who understand the importance for proper torque, use a torque wrench to tighten lug nuts, high school drop outs changing oil or tires for a living tighten the "goober mess" out of them with an impact wrench.

I for one do not allow them tire guys to tighten a "goober mess" out of the legs nuts on my wheels. If they don't want to use a torque wrench on my wheels they don't get my tire business, I go to the .1% of guys that want to do the job right and I still stay to watch. Fifty miles down the road I find a spot to get check the torque on my wheels.

I rotate my own tires and torque the lug nuts in progressive steps, in the proper sequence.

One wheel screwed up by these goobers was enough for me.