Lug nut report

[rlwhit]

There have been several threads and postings about rusting lug nuts. I had removed mine several times to clean and polish. The rust would come right back. Off to the good guys at Les Schwab tire. Got new nuts @ 2 bucks each. With the old nuts every time I would check the torque 2-3 each wheel would need a small addition of torque.
with the new nuts after over 3000 mi every check is no additional torque. Maybe just luck.

[ronnilu]

I have a little over 2500 miles on our current trip and have had proper torque on the lug nuts since we started so haven't had to tighten any at all. I do notice however the rust is beginning to spread & be more & more noticeable as time goes by. When you replaced your lugs did you get something off the shelf or something special that will resist rusting more than these originals? mike

[OntMont]

Mine are McGard lug nuts purchased from Summit Racing. They are guaranteed not to rust, but they are not cheap, about $35 for a set of eight.

[bosan]

Reading with interest about lug nut torquing, I have to ask; do you check the torque with full weight on the wheel assembly?

[bncinwv]

The proper way to torque (re-torque) is to loosen the nuts first (some say with a breaker bar, not the torque wrench), then tighten the nuts to the proper setting (I use 120#). I torque mine regularly and do it as it sits with the weight on the tires.
Bingo

[virgil47]

I'm curious as to what loosening the lug nuts first accomplishes? 120#'s of torque is 120#'s of torque isn't it?

[bncinwv]

Virgil,
If you loosen them initially, then you never have to worry about them being over-torqued (I don't do this every time, but do at the beginning of each towing season). If you are replacing the tire itself, the proper torque sequence states that you gradually increase the torque levels with the appropriate star pattern depending on the number of lugs. Here is the location for the Keystone guidelines. Note the big bold letters about over-torque.
http://keystonerv.com/media/pdf/Lug_Nut_Torque.pdf
Bingo