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Wheel Lug Nut Torque Specs?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by ibmoses, Aug 9, 2014.

  1. ibmoses

    ibmoses Junior Member

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    Thanks in advance for any info.
    What is the Torque Spec for wheel lug nuts on a GenIII Prius?
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Says 76 foot pounds, on page 535 of my Owners Manual. It's a 22 mm socket I believe. I've been using 13/16". Works ok with the lug nuts, but just a leetle too tight with the locking nut gizmo, had to file it slightly.
     
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  3. Grren4ever

    Grren4ever Active Member

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    I've tightened mine to 80 ft.lbs just for convenience sake. Also retightened them after a week of driving just cause I don't trust myself the first time :)
     
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  4. ibmoses

    ibmoses Junior Member

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    Cool man
    I looked in the OM to find where to place the floorjack....should have looked for th torque specs also:)
    I was trying some cheapo Brembo caliper covers, doubt they work though...
    thanks again
     
  5. NutzAboutBolts

    NutzAboutBolts Senior Member

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    its 80 ft. lbs for the Prius, the socket for the lug nuts are 21 mm. Make sure to torque down the lug nuts in a star pattern or you will cause the rotors to be warp.

    Check this video out to find the jack points and where to put the jack stands.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Oh woops, that sounds better :oops:
     
  7. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    As mentioned, the correct torque spec is 76 ft/lb. I get free rotations at Mavis, and I always make sure they use their 80 ft/lb torque stick (since they don't have one for 76 ft/lb.)

    The biggest problem with excessive over torquing is not so much that it would be difficult to loosen the lug nuts if you have to change a flat on the side of the road, but that you run the risk of breaking one of the studs, which is a much bigger problem.
     
  8. Stratman

    Stratman Member

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    80 ft/lbs is fairly standard across the board for all passenger vehicles. There is an extension made specifically for impact drivers to prevent tightening over 80 ft/lbs. most tire stores use them.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    80 lbs is all I've ever seen with our Hondas over the years. Bigger SUV's, trucks, etc have higher values, Honda Pilot for one. It's maybe 95?

    I go with 76 per the book with our Prius, but it seems a very slight difference.
     
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  10. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    The extensions that was mentioned are imo not reliable for long term usage. If you want accurate torque to be applied, it is best to use a real torque wrench. Click type are the best. Followed by the dial type and lastly by the beam type. The problem with the torque extensions is that over time they tend to weaken and therefore do not apply the correct amount of torque.

    According to the book, 76 ft/lbs. is the specified torque for the wheel nuts. It is best to snug all nuts by hand and then continue to tighten them in a star pattern as mentioned above. This will help to keep from warping rotors and damaging your wheels. Quite a few Pri being sold today are being delivered with expensive alloy wheels on them. Because of that it is imperative to snug all the nuts down BEFORE you torque to spec. as the nuts are made to form to the openings of the wheels and also sit flat on the machined surface of the wheels. The standard wheel still has the old style nuts with the taper. Those wheels are less likely to be damaged, but it still is a good idea to snug all the nuts first, then torque to spec.

    Also as mentioned, it is not a good idea to over torque the nuts, as the studs will get stressed over time. Replacing a stud is not a easy job imo.
     
  11. Stratman

    Stratman Member

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    Not gonna make a hoots bit of difference if there all +-15lbs of one another. As far as warping goes, that happens when the rotors are red hot and you happen to run through a puddle of water. My old mustang II did that a few times (lucky I could turn them myself when I worked at Goodyear) and 90's Fords were terrible about that, especially the Taurus. The secret to replacing broken/stripped lugs is to knock the old one out, stick the new one in, put on the nut and spin it on. They pull in like butter. If you try and pound them in, you're screwed. I'm 53 years old and have probably done at least one for each year of my life. Takes less than a minute if you do it this way. I've used both a 3/8" drill and an impact driver. Easy peasy.
     
  12. ibmoses

    ibmoses Junior Member

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    Thanks guys.
    The brake caliper covers would not fit(plastic Brembo type) and Im not gonna pay the money for the MGP covers...

    But now I know where to jack the car and the lug nut specs.
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I have other preferences for jack stand positioning. The designated points, especially at front are way too fragile, not to mention skittish. Front and back, my locations are in a bit, on reinforced body zones.
     
  14. Bmr4life

    Bmr4life Member

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    Wow that is low. My last sedan was 140 ft lbs.
     
  15. unigeezer

    unigeezer Member

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    Here's a BIG exception. 20200716_070853.jpg
     

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  16. ttou68

    ttou68 Active Member

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    76ft/lb is factory spec, and 80ft/lb is what you get when go to a tire shop... Not a whole lot of difference...
    And 21mm socket for lug nuts.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  17. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    walfart would put 130 on my town & country and strip out the nut and stud. EVERYTIME!
    I even showed them in the owners manual. They didn't care. Until they had to pay to replace the studs.
    They did 80 on my Prius, but even before they finished the paperwork I showed they from the manual
    that is was 76, NOT 80. That low of torque, 4#'s makes a difference.
    On both cars I would write on there copy before I signed it the correct torque. They didn't like that.
    But most of them don't use the wrench correctly, they bounce on it, which increases the torque.

    I do have few guys that will torque it correctly, but write walfarts torque numbers.
    Then when I get home and the car has cooled, I loosen all of them, and torque them correctly.