I recently had my A1 service performed which includes rotating the tires. I'm aware of the critical torque specs for the wheel lugs and when I questioned the service manager as to whether or not they torque them to specs his reply was that the impact wrenches they use are calibrated to the correct values.

I'm a little skeptical of this statement. Impact wrenches are far from precision instuments, unless the technology has significantly advanced since the day I used them. Overtightening the wheel lugs ranks highest among the reasons for warped rotors.
I worked at a Midas and wheel vibration was the biggest complaint people would return for after brake work was done. I started using a torque wrench on all my jobs and the problem almost disappeared.

So, can a impact gun be calibrated to precise torque values or is this just a load of crap?

 

if the tech used an Accu-torque on his gun, it should be good (not perfect, but ok)
if he used a black (impact) socket, then it's def wrong.

something i find a little weird is that, Acura Canada has sent written notices to all canadian dealerships to use torque wrenches to tighten wheel nuts and nothing else this last november. thought it was for all america. we now all use it (at my dealership), our boss made us sign papers that stated that we've read the notice and that using a torque wrench for wheel nuts is a necessity to keep our job...

 

I don't trust it... chances are the techs could care less about the torque spec.

I recommend bring a torque wrench when you pick up your car and see the service manager if they are over torqued.

 

Hmm...never seen a torque wrench work in reverse? If he sets it at proper settting and checks torque and it is over-tightened...all its gonna do is click. If its at proper spec...all its gonna do is click. So whats the difference? Its too damn late then anyway....

 

my harbor freight does it in reverse.

all you need to do is set it around 90lb/ft (ours should be torqued to 80lb/ft) and if it clicks it means they over-torque it.

It might be a little late this time.. but nothing will be done if the service manager does not know about it.

 

ive heard of guns being able to b set to around a certain foot lbs.but they arent to accurate...only way ur goin to get a good torque u need a torque wrench

 

With my impact wrench, I use a torque-stick. Mine are a bit generous, in that my 80 pound stick, actually tightens to about 75 pounds or so. Then I go back with a torque wrench, and torque it to spec.

I don't trust anybody to torque my wheels correctly... (Or be careful enough to not mess up my work wheels)...

So I'm the clown that will dismount the wheels myself, and roll them by hand into the tireshop when I need new tires. Then I roll em' back out, and install them myself.

 

i dunno how they screw on the tires at my local dealership, but the first time i took the wheels off to do some work i was unscrewing the lugnuts and i was like WTF? one semi tight lug here, one loose lug there, one really tight lug over there. i bought a 20-75 lb-ft torque wrench at sears for like 50 bones (and use it for other stuff besides putting the wheels).

 

If it only goes to 75 its too low.

 

I have learned a long time ago to specify to the tire shop what I expect when they mount the wheels and it includes "snugging" up the lugs then a pass at 70/lbft and a pass at 80/lbft and that I have a good torque wrench at home and I will be checking it.

Even after expressing this one set of tires I had installed the $8/hr assh*le know it all used a torgue stick which was the wrong color and it was well over 100/lbft.

I called the tire chain office and followed it up with a letter indicating the service writers name.

Now I request that "I" get to torque them .. if they refuse I go elsewhere.

 

You can test the actual torque applied to the bolts by turning up your torque wrench 5 lbs at a time and see when it stops clicking
Probably about 100 with most air guns used today

Torque Sticks HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH no thanks

I put my wheels on 20 lbs at a time in the star pattern until at 80 ft lbs, so as to protect the very expensive and critical brake rotors from any possible warpage

Thats doing it right!

 

so something like this

Digital 12v Impact Wrench

is probably a scam?

 

It doesn't show its +/- accuracy so I wouldn't trust it.