TIRE CARE & RECOMMENDATIONS
Lug Nut Care | Tire Pressure | Tire Rotation
FREE Advice From the Experts in Tire Care
July 2025
Lug Nut Care
Proper Torque is Crucial
Proper lug nut torque is crucial for wheel safety, as under-torqued nuts can loosen and over-torqued nuts can damage components. In hot weather, the combination of high temperatures and potential heavy loads can exacerbate these issues, making proper torque even more important. Consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the correct torque specifications and always use a torque wrench for accurate tightening
“At Barlows Tire we follow strict guidelines and procedures to ensure that we tighten your lug nuts to the Manufacturer required specifications. We hand torque every lug nut to ensure that they are correct every time.”
Here’s why proper torque matters:
Secure Wheel Attachment: Lug nuts are designed to clamp the wheel to the hub, and incorrect torque can compromise this connection.
Preventing Wheel Detachment: Under-tightening can allow lug nuts to loosen over time, especially on rough roads, potentially leading to wheel separation.
Avoiding Damage: Over-tightening can strip threads, warp the wheel, or even break studs.
Ensuring even pressure: Using a torque wrench in a star pattern ensures even distribution of pressure, preventing warping and misalignment.
How to ensure proper torque:
- Consult your vehicle’s manual: Find the manufacturer’s recommended torque specification for your specific vehicle and wheel type, according to Les Schwab Tires.
- Use a torque wrench: A torque wrench is calibrated to apply a specific amount of force, ensuring accurate tightening.
- Tighten in a star pattern: This distributes the pressure evenly across all lug nuts, according to RNR Tire Express.
- Retorque after initial use: After driving a short distance (e.g., 50-100 miles) after installation, it’s recommended to re-torque the lug nuts to ensure they remain properly tightened.
Additional Tips:
Clean the wheel and hub: Remove any dirt, rust, or debris that could interfere with the proper seating of the wheel and lug nuts.
Lubricate if necessary: In some cases, a light lubricant may be used on the threads of the lug nuts, but avoid over-lubricating.
Consider retorquing: Retorquing is recommended after any work that involves removing the wheels, such as brake work or tire rotations
Tire Rotation Service
To feel comfortable on the road, it’s important to have good traction. Due to various factors, including improper alignment, tires may wear unevenly across the tread pattern. Regular tire rotations can help evenly distribute wear and improve the life of your tires.
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