Eric L. said:As a general rule of thumb, 80lb/ft is fine, easily achievable with a strong tug from a normal socket wrench. If you have a torque wrench, all the better. Make sure regardless of what you do, to retighten all the lugs after driving on it a few days. I always cringe when I see the tire shops use airwrenches to tighten the wheel lugs, I usually leap out onto the shop floor and ask them to use a hand torque wrench. It annoys them, but it saves from damaging my wheels and brakes.
Dido here. I bought a Husky torque wrench at Home Depot for about $60. I just rotated my tires on my car and torqued them to about 85-90.hfelknor said:I've seen lug nuts that the air gun forced on when they were cross threaded.
I've seen lug nuts just twisted off.
I've seen rotors warped by air guns.
NOBODY puts lugs on my car with an airgun in my presence, and I try very hard to be present, because ALL of the above have happened to ME.
I DO allow them to use an airgun to remove lugs.
Homer