Lugs to Tight Brake Light is now on... over 140lbs to much?

[toast018]

So I was forced to buy a new set of tires when I had a flat a few weeks ago... The tire shop I took my truck to tightened the lugs to over 140lbs. I thought it called for around 90lbs.

The next day my brake light started coming on. I assumed the brakes were wore... and they are...

Long story short I decided to double check the torque on them... My wrench only went to 140lbs and it just clicked... never moved the nut....

My helper went to remove the other rear tire when the lock socket snapped into... The rear was on so tight the socket broke trying to get them off... I realise those key sockets are thin but I don't believe they should have been that tight...

What is everyones opinion on this? I am about to drive to the tire dealer and have a word with them.
(One more thing 1 week after I bought the tires I had a flat and the tow truck driver could not get them off and I had to ride in the tow truck for nearly 60 miles. The hole was big enough to stick a bic pen in and they would not give me a new one just patched the tire.)

[MSHardeman]

HOLY COW!! That's what happens when you give a lazy/ under-qualified mechanic an air gun. I would definitely have a talk with your mechanic and let them know if something like that happens again you, and your business, will be going else-where. I usually don't use a torque wrench when putting my lug nuts on (I just crank them down), but I sure don't tighten them down so much that I can't get them off again. Just make sure that they lower the air pressure in the gun before they put your wheels back on.....because they should take them off and put them back on for you free of charge.

[tom4bren]

.....because they should take them off and put them back on for you free of charge.

& replace your broken key.

As far as patching rather than replacing, that's within their rights under the warranty ... as long as it was in the tread and not the sidewall. Do yourself a favor though and keep an eye on the pressure in that tire for a while. Right now I'd have some concern on quality control with that shop. Patching a tire is not rocket science but it can be done wrong.

I do use a torque wrench when installing my lugs. Not to make sure I put them on tight enough but to make sure I don't put them on too tight. I'm kinda anal retentive about it nowadays. When I get new tires, I carry my torque wrench with me to the shop. When they are done, I break each lug free and re-tighten to 100 foot pounds. The reason for that is two fold: I experienced the exact same thing you did & once when my daughter's car was worked on, they didn't torque the nuts at all & she almost lost the wheel. Luckily she heard noise from the wobble before it failed catastrophically.

One final note: have the shop get their master mechanic to inspect the studs before they re-install the wheels. With that much torque, they could potentially have over stressed them.

[toast018]

& replace your broken key.

One final note: have the shop get their master mechanic to inspect the studs before they re-install the wheels. With that much torque, they could potentially have over stressed them.

I am going to have them retorque all the wheels and replace the key. As far as them inspecting them after this I really dont think they know what they are doing.

Thanks for input guys!!!

[vt_maverick]

Sounds like you've already had more than enough bad experiences there, even though patching vs. replacing is their right as Tom said. IMHO, get them to fix whatever they've broken then don't ever go back. (But don't tell them that's your plan until they fix it.)

[toast018]

Thats the plan... lol

Im about to call and get the owner on the phone and see if I can get an appointment. If I just drive there (20 min) I may not even get on a lift.

Glad I didnt get them to do my alignment now... lol... Truck would be going toward both ditch's at the same time..

[Chopper]

actual specs are either 75lbs or 90....100 won't hurt but 140 is way too much. I'd make them fix it....when they snap a stud trying to loosen them, you won't have trouble getting them to press the new ones in

[Y33TREKker]

I don't know why over-torque'd lugnuts would cause your "Brake" warning light to come on, but who knows. Coincidence? Or, maybe they set your parking brake when doing the work, and now the switch is sticking a little? Maybe try working it a few times then make sure the lever is fully released?

And yeah...140 ft. lbs....waaaaay too much.

[toast018]

I called and got an appointment at 430... Ill let everyone know how it goes when I get back.

I had heard that if you tighten the lug nuts to tight on any car it could warp the rotor causing the light to come on... but I dont know if there is any truth to that...

[tom4bren]

I had heard that if you tighten the lug nuts to tight on any car it could warp the rotor causing the light to come on... but I dont know if there is any truth to that...

Nah - start saving your ching for a brake job. In the mean time check the level of your brake fluid - once breaks get worn down the fluid level goes down.

Word of advice - don't wait too long. You DON'T want those rotors to get scored (voice of experience ... but not on the VX).

[toast018]

Already got the pads... gonna see how bad the rotors are may have to get more... Hope not money is a weeeeee bit tight... bout to start brewing beers... <--- $$ to get started but cheaps to keep at it.. lol

[toast018]

GOOOD NEEEWS...

They gave me a new lug nut key and retorqued the lugs to 100lbs. I wont be back either... They tried to tell me that the lugs get tighter over time, because of heat... Not over 40lbs tighter... lol... o well... they just lost a customer all because they are to lazy to use a torque wrench... I just hate it for all the other people that go there for new tires...

[etlsport]

yea they are full of it.. if anything the opposite is true. most chrome wheels need to be re-tightened after 20-30 miles of driving!

i use an impact gun on my wheels for speed.. but have a "torque stick" which is an extension that gives at 75 ft lbs so i cant tighten much past that, then i hand torque to 90 (manuf. suggests 87, i like round numbers)

[nfpgasmask]

80 foot pounds is what I tighten my nuts to. 140 sounds extreme. I hope they didn't damage anything.

Bart