I just had my winter wheels put on my 8 and I was told by the service manager that after 50+ miles on the new wheels I should bring the car back in to have the torque re-checked because they are new wheels. Well I just went into a different tire place (because I work 2 hours from where I had the wheels put on) and the service manager looked at me like I had two heads. They didn't have the time, so what I would like to know - should I bother?

dag

No, don't waste your time.

Well I just got my answer from Tire Rack:

NOTE: When installing new wheels you should re-torque them after traveling the first 50 to 100 miles. This is necessary because as the wheels are “breaking in” they may compress slightly allowing their lugs to lose some of their torque. Simply repeat the same torque procedure listed above. For more information, read our Wheel Tech article, "Bolt Pattern."


I should have checked there first.

Koala Joe - thanks for the quick response and although I am sure you are right, I am going to chalk this on up to me being ultra conservative.

dag

Originally posted by dag
I just had my winter wheels put on my 8 and I was told by the service manager that after 50+ miles on the new wheels I should bring the car back in to have the torque re-checked because they are new wheels. Well I just went into a different tire place (because I work 2 hours from where I had the wheels put on) and the service manager looked at me like I had two heads. They didn't have the time, so what I would like to know - should I bother?
Just buy yourself a torque wrench and do it yourself. It'll come in handy when/if you change/rotate your tires anyway.

Good idea - I am going to do that tonight. Thanks.

dag

I'm in absolute agreement about the need to re-torque after 50 miles or so. Also about buying your own torque wrench!

Regards,
Gordon

Originally posted by dag
Good idea - I am going to do that tonight. Thanks.

dag

If you don't have one already, you'll need a 21 mm socket for the stock wheel nuts/lock.

50 miles -- pflllt! If they weren't tightened evenly, then they might benefit from re-torquing after a trip up the driveway and back. For that matter, the'y gain as much from tightening them correctly before making the trip.

I always check mine after the first drive, no matter how far, just to be sure that I didn't miss something. I suspect that a shop asking you to come in to have them re-tightened after x miles is trolling for other work.

{{{{

I appreciate everyone's diligence in responding to this. My trips have been very long (120 miles & 65 miles) so I won't be able meet the 50-100 miles. I am going to a place that is listed on the tirerack website first thing in the morning. I still haven't gotten to pick up the torque wrench, but I will soon and thanks for the socket size.

dag

Not sure if this is an issue for the 8, but one of my other cars, an SVT from Mazda's parent company, was very sensitive about lug torque. If the lugs were not torqued evenly, the brake rotors would warp in under 3k miles.

Speaking of torque, what's the exact torque to be applied on the stock 18" wheels. The owner manuals give a range from somewhere between 65 to 88 lb/ft. So, what should we set our torque wrench to??

I torque the nuts to the middle of the spec'd range: 108 N-m or 76 ft-lb.

On a related subject, something to keep in mind from the McGard website (http://www.mcgard.com/custserv/tech_support.asp):
"Note: When servicing your vehicle, the lock should always be the first fastener removed from the wheel and the last fastener installed onto the wheel."

I recall reading on the forum that someone broke they wheel lock key - ouch!

regards,
rx8cited

Originally posted by rx8cited
IOn a related subject, something to keep in mind from the McGard website (http://www.mcgard.com/custserv/tech_support.asp):
"Note: When servicing your vehicle, the lock should always be the first fastener removed from the wheel and the last fastener installed onto the wheel.

I recall reading on the forum that someone broke they wheel lock key - ouch!
"

Exactly why I drive to the tire shop with my torque wrench and sockets. I remove the locks by hand before they ever touch my car and put them back on myself before driving off.

Every tire place that I have ever dealt with makes you sign or initial a block that states you will return the car within "X" amount of miles for re-checking the lug nut torque or doing it yourself. It's a liability issue due to the characteristics of the situation.

Aluminum rims NEED to be torque checked after putting the rim back on. Aluminum expands and contracts a lot more than steel does. I.E. Aluminum rim/Steel Brake rotors.

And as for 108 ftlbs that Mazda recommends? Ack. Scares me. I've never seen an aluminum rim get torqued more than 100 ftlbs. I have 15x10 alum rims running 35" Xterrain tires on my 4Runner and I only torque them to 85 ftlbs.

that was 108 Newton-meters, not 108 foot-pounds...

translates to roughly 76 foot-pounds.

i work in a tire shop and i can tell you that we hand torque EVERY wheel. infact, we torque the wheels before the wheel is loaded by the entire weight of the vehicle. this ensures that the mating surface of the wheel is true to the hub and prevents bent rim disease :-)

yes, we re-torque brand new rims any time we sell them - at least we re-torque the ones that decide to come back. i keep my wheels torqued to 80lb-ft. i just feel more comfortable at the higher end of the scale.

Ray

that was 108 Newton-meters, not 108 foot-pounds...
translates to roughly 76 foot-pounds.


This TSB says 147Nm (108 ft/lbs)

http://finishlineperformance.com/rx8/docs/02-002-04.html

I'm confused!! I'm getting new wheels in a few days and need to know how to install them properly.

This TSB says 147Nm (108 ft/lbs)

http://finishlineperformance.com/rx8/docs/02-002-04.html

I'm confused!! I'm getting new wheels in a few days and need to know how to install them properly.

The TSB including the higher wheel torque of 147Nm / 108 ft-lbs is for people who hear the snapping noise as described in the TSB.

I'm not hearing it on my car, so I'm sticking with the original torque spec of 88-118 Nm or 65-87 ft-lb. I personally set mine at mid-range: 108 Nm or 76 ft-lbs.

Hope that clears it up a bit.

rx8cited