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New Tires, should the lug nuts have a re-tighening check?

StephJohn2010
Explorer
Explorer
I'm getting new tires for my motorhome. The tire guy said it is not necessary to run motorhome 50 or 100 miles and then come back for a lug nut tightness check. I've thought I've heard that you should. Which is right or which would you do?
John & Steph
2012 Fleetwood Discovery 40x (35,000 miles)
380 HP Cummins with an Allison Transmission - Freightliner Chassis
2015 Jeep Cherokee Limited Active Drive II
16 REPLIES 16

FIRE_UP
Explorer
Explorer
Valkyriebush wrote:
I've never been told to come back over years of tire changes. No issues.


Yep, us too, never been back to a tire service center to "re-torque" the lugs. I've had ours off several times (22.5 Alloys)for whatever service I needed to do and I torque them to 450 ft. lbs. and never, ever re-torqued them. They haven't fallen off yet.
Scott
Scott and Karla
SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Ext Cab 4x4 Toad
2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing
KI60ND

BarabooBob
Explorer III
Explorer III
My dealer uses a torque wrench every time they touch my wheels. That may be because they know me and that I watch what they are doing.
Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

valhalla360
Nomad
Nomad
Dale.Traveling wrote:
Wouldn't hurt but difficult to do on a motorhome with 22.5" wheels considering the torque requirement is several hundred pounds.


Obviously, proper torque is best but if you put a lug wrench on them and they don't budge, you are probably fine.

If you put the lug wrench on and it turns...tighten them as best you can and then take it back to the tire shop for proper torque...but then again I've yet to see a tire shop break out the torque wrench.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

Chum_lee
Explorer
Explorer
K Charles wrote:
If you do check them and they are tight, what's the big deal?
If you don't check them and they come loose, that could be a big deal.


Here's the big deal IMO. When the trunk monkeys in the tire shop use pneumatic wrenches to tighten your lug nuts/bolts, often they get lazy and just "run the nuts/bolts down" without concern for tightening pattern or torque. Those pneumatic wrenches are easily capable of generating +300 ft-lbs of torque, and more. If the torque spec. for your lugs is 150 ft-lbs, then, they are way over torqued. Now, let those go through a few heat/cool cycles and a few months time and try to remove the lugs. You may need as much as 500 ft-lbs of torque to break the lugs loose. What if you get a flat (or any other issue) and need to remove the wheel to change to the spare and you cant get the lugs off with the tools you have? (often minimal) Or, maybe you round off a hex on one or more of the lugs, or break one off, or split your only socket? Now you are really screwed and YOU could have avoided the situation if you would have checked the lug torque in a timely manner.

That's why I ALWAYS check the lug nuts/bolts after ANYONE touches the wheels on ANY of my vehicles. (don't ask me how I learned this)

Chum lee

tderonne
Explorer
Explorer
From the Freightliner Recreational Vehicle Chassis Maintenance Manual:


Wheel Nut Checking
IMPORTANT: In addition to the maintenance interval in this manual, check the wheel nut torque the first 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 km) of operation after a wheel has been removed and installed.


Not exactly sure what model and year manual I found, but I bet you'll find it similar to yours.
Tim

2004 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y
Ford chassis

Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Explorer II
Wouldn't hurt but difficult to do on a motorhome with 22.5" wheels considering the torque requirement is several hundred pounds.
2006 Hurricane 31D built on a 2006 Ford F53

valhalla360
Nomad
Nomad
I wouldn't make a special trip just for that but 5-10min to put a lugwrench on and check that they are tight...sure.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

BarabooBob
Explorer III
Explorer III
All aluminum wheels require a check after you remove the wheels from the vehicle. In the last 25 years, I can't remember having a shop NOT telling me to retorque the wheels. There is a reason for tightening lug nuts in a specific order and a reason to retorque.
I will continue to carry my torque wrench and sockets with me. On my last trip to the east coast, I was checking my lug nuts and the guy in the next campsite asked if I would check his lug nuts. I showed him how to use the torque wrench and he checked his lugs. After I saw that the first nut was at about 50 ft pounds I helped him get them to the 100 ft pounds that was posted on the front of his camper. I believe that I saved him from having a terrible experience with a wheel falling off. This may have saved someone's life.
Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

Valkyriebush
Explorer
Explorer
I've never been told to come back over years of tire changes. No issues.
Command Master Chief (AW) USN, (ret)
2003 Fleetwood Excursion 330 Turbo Cat 39D
2000 Jeep GC
2005 Big Ruckus (Rides Behind Jeep)
2003 VTX 1800

rr2254545
Explorer
Explorer
StephJohn2010 wrote:
I'm getting new tires for my motorhome. The tire guy said it is not necessary to run motorhome 50 or 100 miles and then come back for a lug nut tightness check. I've thought I've heard that you should. Which is right or which would you do?


My tire dealer had me come back in 50-100 miles so go figure


Pomp's tire has about 25-30 locations in the Midwest so it was no flunky dealer
2012 Winnebago Journey 36M Cummins 360
2014 Jeep Cherokee
492 Campgrounds,107K miles driven in our Winnebago motor homes and 2360 nights camping since we retired in July 2009, 41 National Parks

Krusty
Nomad
Nomad
I always double check mine after I've had the wheels off. Always check before a trip too
Krusty
92 F-250 4x4 460 5spd 4.10LS Prodigy
97 Rustler RT190
EU2000i
Garmin

K_Charles
Explorer
Explorer
It you do check them and they are tight, what's the big deal ?
If you don't check them and they come loose, that could be a big deal.

LanceRKeys
Explorer
Explorer
I check mine every time I take a trip. Cheap insurance.

Trumpet_Player
Explorer
Explorer
So, when you purchase a car, truck or motorhome new, who rechecks the torque after it leaves the factory? No one. Now, the real issue is, did the tire installer at the local tire shop or roadside service actually use a torque wrench? Was it set to the proper torque? That should be the real question. I have been in the truck business for 30+ years. The real issue is making sure the job is done correctly each time a wheel is removed.
2012 American Coach Revolution