Using an impact wrench to tighten lug nuts

[Howard]

Good idea or bad idea?

 

[thedarkwolf]

bad idea but I do it anyway.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: Howard
Good idea or bad idea?

Is this a trick question?

 

[Howard]

No, why would it be?

 

[jagec]

bad idea.

Really they should be torqued with a torque wrench, but no one does that. Except for me.

At the very least, you should finger tighten all the way around, and then tighten a little bit at a time in a star pattern until they are tight.

If you hammer down on one with an impact wrench, and then hammer down on another all the way around, you risk weakening the studs and causing them to shear under stress. I've seen it happen. It's less of a risk if you use the star pattern, but I'd still worry.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Been using an impact gun for 25 years and it's never caused a problem.

I'm willing to bet that I get all the nuts within a very few lb/ft with it, too.

If you know what you're doing with power tools, it's no problem. If you don't use them every day, you probably should use a torque wrench or get a torque stick for your impact.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: Howard
No, why would it be?

Have you ever been to a tire shop?

 

[drnickriviera]

Originally posted by: jagec
bad idea.

Really they should be torqued with a torque wrench, but no one does that. Except for me and Costco.

At the very least, you should finger tighten all the way around, and then tighten a little bit at a time in a star pattern until they are tight.

If you hammer down on one with an impact wrench, and then hammer down on another all the way around, you risk weakening the studs and causing them to shear under stress. I've seen it happen. It's less of a risk if you use the star pattern, but I'd still worry.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: jagec
bad idea.

Really they should be torqued with a torque wrench, but no one does that. Except for me.

At the very least, you should finger tighten all the way around, and then tighten a little bit at a time in a star pattern until they are tight.

If you hammer down on one with an impact wrench, and then hammer down on another all the way around, you risk weakening the studs and causing them to shear under stress. I've seen it happen. It's less of a risk if you use the star pattern, but I'd still worry.

I do it also, and I use an impact with a torque stick to put them on then the torque wrench for the final torque.

 

[thirdeye]

I do it. I turn the tq down on the wrench but it gets them very close to spec. I'll then double check them w/ a torque-wrench, but generally most only need another 1/4 turn if that.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: Howard
No, why would it be?

Have you ever been to a tire shop?

The tire shop I take my car to always uses a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts after the wheels are on the car. They use an impact wrench to install and loosely tighten the lug nuts but finish it off with a torque wrench.

 

[T2urtle]

torque sticks or nothing. But then again i did this stuff for a year and never had a issue about wheels and lugs

 

[iamwiz82]

Impact wrench to take them off, hand tightened and then a torque wrench to put them on.

 

[Mxylplyx]

I think an impact wrench is fine so long as you thread the nut by hand first. I was mighty pissed when I go to take my tire off, and I break a lug bolt off cause a numbnut mechanic cross threaded the nut with an impact wrench. Oh well, I got to learn how to replace a broken lug bolt for a few bucks.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: Howard
No, why would it be?

Have you ever been to a tire shop?

The tire shop I take my car to always uses a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts after the wheels are on the car. They use an impact wrench to install and loosely tighten the lug nuts but finish it off with a torque wrench.

That's the way it should be done, if they were to tighten all the lugs by hand your wait would be substantially longer.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Impact wrench to take them off, hand tightened and then a torque wrench to put them on.

You'll never cut it in thetire business