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[DARK_M3]

It's 90 lbs correct? I cannot find it in the manual. 90 lbs is pretty common.

The reason I ask is because I am trying to loosen up the nuts to get the wheels off the car and I have the torque wrench set to 100 lbs and nothing is budging. I had the car serviced at BMW recently and I'm wondering if they just put the wheels on the car and used an impact wrench to tighten all my lugs????

I mean... WTF. Can't people just use a goddamn torque wrench anymore???? Frustrated because I really don't want to snap a bolt here.

Ffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[M3SQRD]

88 lb-ft

Yep, techs tend to use impact guns and the torque ends up being >> 88 lb-ft

[paradocs98]

Yep--it's 88.5 ft-lbs or 120 N-m of torque. Unfortunately, a very common occurrence for techs to just gorilla the lugs back on using the air gun. Not only is it a pain to get them back off when needed, but overtorquing can also strip the lugs and warp your rotors.

[DARK_M3]

Seriously these things aren't budging!!! I really really really really don't want to end up snapping anything. I've got the wrench set to 110 lbs now and I'm literally moving the whole car now...

Ugh!

[paradocs98]

I generally don't use a torque wrench to remove the lugs--just use a breaker bar.

[DARK_M3]

South Bay BMW is going to hear about this.

I'm totally F*@#ing beside myself right now.

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by paradocs98

I generally don't use a torque wrench to remove the lugs--just use a breaker bar.

I do too but for some reason I can't find mine...

[DARK_M3]

Oh hey.. 500 posts btw woohoo

[mlhj83]

It is in the manual. Anyway, I would use a breaker bar. It's not ideal to use a torque wrench for unbolting, you could easily damage the mechanisms inside.

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by mlhj83

It is in the manual. Anyway, I would use a breaker bar. It's not ideal to use a torque wrench for unbolting, you could easily damage the mechanisms inside.

+1..you are NEVER suppose to use a torque wrench to break bolts loose

Originally Posted by DARK_M3

It's 90 lbs correct? I cannot find it in the manual. 90 lbs is pretty common.

The reason I ask is because I am trying to loosen up the nuts to get the wheels off the car and I have the torque wrench set to 100 lbs and nothing is budging. I had the car serviced at BMW recently and I'm wondering if they just put the wheels on the car and used an impact wrench to tighten all my lugs????

A torque wrench doesnt register torque figures in reverse like that....unless I am mis-reading this...

Either way torquing and re-torquing should be just like checking tire pressure..oil or any other routine car maintanance.

90 ftlbs,,, your good.

[mlhj83]

Originally Posted by tibra1

+1..you are NEVER suppose to use a torque wrench to break bolts loose



A torque wrench doesnt register torque figures in reverse like that....unless I am mis-reading this...

Either way torquing and re-torquing should be just like checking tire pressure..oil or any other routine car maintanance.

90 ftlbs,,, your good.

He may have a torque wrench where you can swap the drive head around, thus the torque wrench is still being levered in the correct direction when unbolting, but it is not ideal.

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by mlhj83

He may have a torque wrench where you can swap the drive head around, thus the torque wrench is still being levered in the correct direction when unbolting, but it is not ideal.

Correct... the drive head is adjustable.

Anyway... I just went and bought a breaker bar as I didn't want to screw up my torque wrench. The front wheels came off without problem... the rears are a different story..

[mlhj83]

Originally Posted by DARK_M3

Correct... the drive head is adjustable.

Anyway... I just went and bought a breaker bar as I didn't want to screw up my torque wrench. The front wheels came off without problem... the rears are a different story..

I've got a breaker bar that is nearly a metre long, no bolt I can't un-torque.

[signes]

When you do get them off, you should get a new set of lugs. Also even if your t-wrench is reversible, torque settings don't work (and wouldn't benefit you anyway) loosening a bolt.

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by signes

When you do get them off, you should get a new set of lugs. Also even if your t-wrench is reversible, torque settings don't work (and wouldn't benefit you anyway) loosening a bolt.

Exactly..

And I would also add that when you re-torque your bolts every so often.. that you break them all loose first and then torque them to spec..this will give the most correct reading

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by tibra1

Exactly..

And I would also add that when you re-torque your bolts every so often.. that you break them all loose first and then torque them to spec..this will give the most correct reading

Copy that.

[Drifty//]

Originally Posted by tibra1

Exactly..

And I would also add that when you re-torque your bolts every so often.. that you break them all loose first and then torque them to spec..this will give the most correct reading

Do you lift the wheel for that, or just leave it on the ground?

Whenever I or anyone else removes one of my wheels, I drive a bit, then tighten up to 72 foot-pounds*. The next day, I bump them up to 75 foot-pounds. A week later, I might check it to see if any have loosened substantially.

* The dealer always torques to factory spec, which is like 50 foot-pounds on my A4. Since I'm lowered & on spacers half the year, I usually run 75 or 80.

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by Drifty//

Do you lift the wheel for that, or just leave it on the ground?

Whenever I or anyone else removes one of my wheels, I drive a bit, then tighten up to 72 foot-pounds*. The next day, I bump them up to 75 foot-pounds. A week later, I might check it to see if any have loosened substantially.

* The dealer always torques to factory spec, which is like 50 foot-pounds on my A4. Since I'm lowered & on spacers half the year, I usually run 75 or 80.

Always torque on the ground..I check mine religiously since I also run spacers.

The torque settings will be affected when the wheel hub heats and expands then cools and contracts this is why the need to check them

I would set torque higher since you are lowered and spacered..85ft-lbs is good..

[808MGuy]

Originally Posted by Drifty//

Do you lift the wheel for that, or just leave it on the ground?

Whenever I or anyone else removes one of my wheels, I drive a bit, then tighten up to 72 foot-pounds*. The next day, I bump them up to 75 foot-pounds. A week later, I might check it to see if any have loosened substantially.

* The dealer always torques to factory spec, which is like 50 foot-pounds on my A4. Since I'm lowered & on spacers half the year, I usually run 75 or 80.

Even A4s torque specs are 89 ft lbs. M3s are 90 ft lbs. I would be scared to drive torqued to only 72 ft lbs.

[DARK_M3]

I re-torqued to 90lbs. The bolts all look good. I'm used to lug nuts. These are like P car style bolts. I wonder if one has advantages over the other?

[signes]

You could always convert to studs...

[DARK_M3]

Nah, I like the current setup. Maybe if I go with an aftermarket Brembo setup or something.

I got all the bolts out without issue. All torqued up correctly now.