Dollar Tree sells ones just as good as the ones at the drug store.
But that isn’t my point. My point is that for my purposes one that sits in the trunk preset to 78 ft-pounds is fine, even if it does go out of calibration over time. And it’s still much better than guessing.
the same mountain bike
Was Just trying to add a little light humor.
I have a Sears Craftsman 1/2 in drive beam type torque wrench that I’ve had for thirty years at least. Also a 3/8 in drive calibrated in in-lb for lower torques. But I just bought the HF 1/2 drive model for the simple reason that having gotten older, I cannot easily apply the 90 lb-ft of torque required for lug nuts without keeping my arm straight in line with the wrench, which makes it impossible to read the scale accurately. Haven’t even used it yet.
I have always loosened and re-torqued my lug nuts immediately after anybody else has had my wheels off and often find them grossly overtightened. Sometimes I have to jump up and down on an 18 inch breaker bar to loosen them and have broken Craftsman 12pt sockets trying. Now I use a 6pt impact socket with the breaker bar. I trust nobody when it comes to my cars! Especially tire places which rarely seem to inflate my tires properly either. Last place left them with 10 pounds difference between left and right sides. I was going to speak with the owner about it, but never bothered, figuring it was a waste of time.
Len
That’s actually a very good idea. One could calibrate it with a good one and just preset it.
They had those things on sale for $10 a couple of weeks go. Next time I’m snapping a couple up.
Thanks.
I have a full set of various expensive and not so expensive torque wrenches. The only times I use them are for things like heads or tapered seats on suspensions. Lug nuts on steel wheels I use the stubby wrench that came with the car. Alloys I use my breaker bar and calibrated elbow 
In the odd situation some shop has put the wheels on, I do like someone else mentioned. I loosen them and re-tighten in my driveway so I know I can do it if I get a flat somewhere. They’re usually grossly over tightened…
"I do like someone else mentioned. I loosen them and re-tighten in my driveway..."I would not want to loosen any unless I jack up the vehicle enough to take most of the weight off the wheel. Or is one lug nut loosened at-a-time and tightened with torque wrench OK?
It isn’t a problem if you do them one at a time. I just back them off a bit (without completely loosening them) and re-torque to the proper spec.
^ Tried it. Doesn’t work. May also be bad for the ozone layer.
Discount Tire company employee said the cheap torque wrenches can be way off.
Said thathey will check them for free!
@Robert Gift Discount Tire company employees all receive extensive training at the National Bureau of Standards AFAIK.
The Owners Manual for your vehicle will likely explain the proper procedure for safely tightening and loosening lug nuts. (i.e. without the wheel jacked up)
Just give it a good hard tug or kick, and you’ll be fine.
The discount tire store employee would be wrong. If you read the fine print though, you will probably see that the tolerance listed for the cheaper torque wrenches is something like ∓4% where the more expensive ones usually claim ∓2%.
"Just give it a good hard tug or kick, and you'll be fine."For years I hand-tightened. Now everyone says that is wrong and it must be torqued to specs, especially on the new alloy wheels.
What is the procedure for checking lug nut torque? And how does one find the ft.-lbs. value specified?
The procedure is simple. If one is using a beam type torque wrench, simply tighten the nut until the pointer on the beam reaches the desired value. If one is using a click type torque wrench, set the torque wrench to the desired setting and turn the nut until it clicks and releases.
When torquing mutiple nuts or bolts, holding the same part or assembly together, it’s always wise to tighten them in steps and by going back and forth across the assembly. Simply tighten them back & forth a bit at a time in 2 or 3 steps until you get to the desired torque.
The caveat to this is that if you’re doing majot work always follow the torque pattern and steps identified by the manufacturer. Things like engine heads need to be torqued properly or gaskets can fail and parts warp.
The value can be found either in your owner’s manual. in a repair manual, or online.
@donharmon "What is the procedure for checking lug nut torque?
I don’t know of a method for checking lug nut torque since “breakaway” torque is not the same as tightening torque. To be sure of correct torque, it is best to loosen all the lugs/bolts on a wheel until they are merely snug, and then re-torque as TSB described.
It is not necessary, or even safe to have the wheel jacked up while doing this. The required torque can force the vehicle off the jack.
you need
Never seize
breaker bar
good socket
proper sequence
2 arms
For most adults a 4-way lug wrench will be more than adequate to install lug nuts. If the nuts are tightened in a criss-cross pattern in 3 stages ending in maximum exertion they would be reasonably within specification. When customers were concerned about changing a flat without help I used a 4 way to install their wheels and suggested they buy one to carry. The OE dog leg lug wrench is an accident looking for a place to happen.
“For most adults a 4-way lug wrench will be more than adequate to install lug nuts. If the nuts are tightened in a criss-cross pattern in 3 stages ending in maximum exertion they would be reasonably within specification.”
That is what I have been doing for more than 20 years and so far no issues. It is actually been the same 4-way wrench too.
My handicapped friend called, very angry.
Alongside a highway, he was changing a flat himself but discovered someone had put on two different lug nuts which did not fit his vehicle’s lug wrench. Luckily, I had a four-way lug wrench.