You're supposed to re-torque wheels after 100 miles, right?

Lotus99 · 05-10-2010, 01:37 PM

After swapping wheels (like going from winters to summers), I'm pretty sure I've read you should ideally re-torque them, as the bolts might have loosened a bit.

1 - Is that true and do most people do that?

2 - I've got a nice fancy torque wrench. If I was going to re-torque them, should I first use the breaker bar to loosen them completely, and then torque to the correct number (88 ft. lbs)

or

are you supposed to just put on the torque wrench and see if you can tighten them some more from their current position (in case for example they've loosened to 80 ft. lbs, then you'll be able to tighten them a bit more to get to 88, before the wrench clicks).

Topless 335i · 05-10-2010, 01:40 PM

1. True...but I don't think anybody does it (unless they're really anal about that kind of thing.

2. If you're going to retorque, just set the correct setting on the wrench and tighten until it clicks.

riot · 05-10-2010, 01:51 PM

Don't release them, just tighten them to spec. I doubt most people do, on a previous car I forgot to torque mine down and found 2 that were loose to the hand.

Lotus99 · 05-10-2010, 04:23 PM

Thanks for the tips Trackrat. Makes sense. So then I take it it's not just 100 miles of driving on freshly torqued bolts that requires re-tightening? The reason I doubted at first whether I should loosen the bolts first was if I was to do that, and then tighten them, once 100 more miles pass, wouldn't I be in the same position and need to redo it?

Or is it something special about the first 100 miles on new wheels and torqued bolts that requires them to be tightened once, and then if you loosen them again and re-tighten them, you're ok going forward?

05-10-2010, 01:37 PM	#1
Lotus99 Colonel 628 Rep 2,808 Posts Drives: 19 M2C & 18 X3 M40i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	You're supposed to re-torque wheels after 100 miles, right? After swapping wheels (like going from winters to summers), I'm pretty sure I've read you should ideally re-torque them, as the bolts might have loosened a bit. 1 - Is that true and do most people do that? 2 - I've got a nice fancy torque wrench. If I was going to re-torque them, should I first use the breaker bar to loosen them completely, and then torque to the correct number (88 ft. lbs) or are you supposed to just put on the torque wrench and see if you can tighten them some more from their current position (in case for example they've loosened to 80 ft. lbs, then you'll be able to tighten them a bit more to get to 88, before the wrench clicks).
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05-10-2010, 01:40 PM	#2
Topless 335i Captain 39 Rep 984 Posts Drives: AW E93 335i Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (2)	1. True...but I don't think anybody does it (unless they're really anal about that kind of thing. 2. If you're going to retorque, just set the correct setting on the wrench and tighten until it clicks.
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05-10-2010, 01:51 PM	#3
riot ... 7 Rep 64 Posts Drives: '07 335i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (2)	Don't release them, just tighten them to spec. I doubt most people do, on a previous car I forgot to torque mine down and found 2 that were loose to the hand.
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05-10-2010, 04:23 PM	#4
Lotus99 Colonel 628 Rep 2,808 Posts Drives: 19 M2C & 18 X3 M40i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the tips Trackrat. Makes sense. So then I take it it's not just 100 miles of driving on freshly torqued bolts that requires re-tightening? The reason I doubted at first whether I should loosen the bolts first was if I was to do that, and then tighten them, once 100 more miles pass, wouldn't I be in the same position and need to redo it? Or is it something special about the first 100 miles on new wheels and torqued bolts that requires them to be tightened once, and then if you loosen them again and re-tighten them, you're ok going forward?
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