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How much impact for 108 ft-lbs ?

Wamsutta

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Lug nuts that are factory speced to 108 ft-lbs. Do I need one of those behemoth 1400 ft-lbs breakaway torque impacts for that? Would one of those mid torque impacts be enough? Granted, I don't know what I actually have them tightened to because I'm tightening them by hand with an 18 inch long flex ratchet. They might actually be tighter than 108 ft-lbs for all I know.
 
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Wrench97

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Mid torque should be able to do any properly tightened automotive lug nuts.
But if overtightened or rusted on all bets are off.
 

510ebl

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If you torque to 108 with a torque wrench, and rotate tires on a reasonable schedule (which reduces risk of excessive corrosion), your existing 18 inch flex ratchet ought to be plenty to break them. A light duty 1/2” drive impact will make it easier of course.
 

M635_Guy

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Heck - my M12 Stubby works fine on my wheels (though torqued lower than that). The M18 Mid-torque makes short work of anything else. I have the M18 High also (long and stupid story - net: I'm an idiot airhead, but hey, I've got great tools!) and it sits waiting for the day something needs serious grump.
 

Showkey

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I wouldn't put anti-seize on the lug studs/bots.


It does change the torque so the factory spec would have to be changed (up) ........so then the clamping force is dramatically changed by the lube on the threads. Clean dry threads is common spec.........for a reason.

I am sure this “stuff on threads” issue will derail this thread...........

YouTube on breakaway vs original torque witha side order of lube on the threads. Rust and corrosion ( aka nature lock tight not in play in this demo)


https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cu...s-torque-to-loosen-a-bolt-than-to-tighten-it/
 
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mike93lx

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Mid torque should be plenty, but I like having a high torque and do use it for lugs. It is effortless and the extra size of the impact doesn't matter with lugs
 
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mark#3

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I'd use the old 4/way lug wrench with a cheater if necessary
 

lakeroadster

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I am sure this “stuff on threads” issue will derail this thread...........

Hmm :headscrat

If the OP is using anti-seize... and torquing to 108 ft-lbs, then he is over-torquing the lug nuts.

If helping a guy to not damage something is de-railing.... please, by all means... derail away.

I don't know what I actually have them tightened to because I'm tightening them by hand with an 18 inch long flex ratchet. They might actually be tighter than 108 ft-lbs for all I know.

The best way to torque lug nuts, is the old fashioned way... Forget the impact wrench right now and invest now in a torque wrench.
 

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Wakefield

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It does change the torque so the factory spec would have to be changed (up) ........so then the clamping force is dramatically changed by the lube on the threads. Clean dry threads is common spec.........for a reason.

I am sure this “stuff on threads” issue will derail this thread...........

YouTube on breakaway vs original torque witha side order of lube on the threads. Rust and corrosion ( aka nature lock tight not in play in this demo)


https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cu...s-torque-to-loosen-a-bolt-than-to-tighten-it/

If the range specified is 80 - 100 ft. lb.s and he only goes to 80 is the anti seize unlikely to cause a problem?
I also wonder whether breaking studs are more caused by tension/stretch or by torque (the twist transmitted by thread adhesion as when the threads are locked together as by rust (or thread locker:shocking:) I guess too much tension warps rotors if the stud didn't break

I think most lug nuts or lug bolts that are ridiculously hard to remove have been hammered on by an impact air gun
that horrible squawk/screech noise when the lug starts to move as you pull the 24" handle with both hands?
 
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mfewtrail

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100 ft-lbs is the spec for your Lesabre*, studs clean and dry. Buy a torque wrench.


* I'm making an assumption that this is about that vehicle that you've mentioned a few times on here. Disregard if you have another that you drive with an actual 108 ft-lb torque spec...
 

RKA

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Smaller impact guns rated for 200-240 ft lbs like an M12 stubby can remove those studs if clean and properly torqued. But you get into “if’s” like what size battery, anvil size, socket size and type (mass), how clean, how long between the last time you removed it and how much rattling you find acceptable before that nut moves. It works, I use it from time to time,but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone without understanding the variables at play.

Something like a Mid torque model rated for 600 ft lbs removes the “if’s” from the equation and just spins the nuts loose with barely a whiff. That’s why you will see that almost universally recommended for wheel nuts. I have only had an issue when a shop severely overtorqued the bolt. I needed a 24” wrench with a 3 ft cheater to crack that bolt.

As for the anti seize, common practice is to lower the torque value for lubricated threads in order to achieve the same result. You’ll have to link it up but I think you lower by a factor of 20-30%. The factory spec is for clean dry threads as pointed out. Will you do any damage by not adjusting the torque, most likely no. The damage usually results in overtorquing by 75% or more. I’ve found once you reach that point the threads on the nut stretch and you can’t get the torque wrench to cleanly get to the desired torque. Instead the bolt squeaks as you reach the limit and the friction doesn’t increases linearly. Further, the bolt doesn’t stay put, it will eventually back out. You can retorque it, but I have found it will back out repeatedly. The bolt just needs to be replaced, but usually the bolt is softer than the stud on the hub and replacing the bolt will fix the issues. Usually. Anyway, that wasn’t part of your question, it was an off shoot of the conversation, but I wanted to add a little clarity based on my own experience with overtorqued wheel bolts.
 

sberry

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Clean the anti-seize off ASAP. That is a no-no on lugs and nuts. They are specified dry and clean for a reason.

There is a reason. They can't get all the chimps to do It the correct way which is clean and lightly lunged, about lime co.mon penetrating oil. When threads are dry there is no way to tell if it quits turning cause it's tonight or because it is dry seizing, if it's friction. Torque is rather crude anyway, dry makes it worse. Anti snot isn't the right thing either.
Old Snap manual says,,, all values are for clean lightly lubed threads, engineers of old understood this well.
There was a forum started on this by engineers about 20 yrs ago, was so narrow it didn't go far. John Deere has a tech manual devoted to it
. We lube every bolt we install, has eliminated seized and loose bolts.
 

sberry

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We were called to a company to consult on why lugs and wheels were coming loose on concrete trucks. So dry and almost rusty. We said,, it's no mystery, they quit turning but they being tight. We hand them a spray can,, they say,, we don't want to oil cause they might come loose. The logic was totally lost,, they are loose now,, duh. We talked to the owners and they had the half are adopt a spray policy,, quests what?
 

Fly YX

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We use molykote 50 when we do the wheels in the shop. Never had one just come loose. I have the M12 at home for stuff like this. But using it at work it was not Powerful enough.
 
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