Lug Nut Torque Specs: Find Yours and Torque It Right

Where to find your lug nut torque spec

1. Owner's manual. This is the first place to look, along with the maker's official online specs.
2. Service manual. Some makers publish theirs online (Tesla does).
3. Wheel maker. Aftermarket wheels and lug nuts can have their own spec. Check their instructions too.
4. Dealer service department. They can tell you the spec for your exact model.

Trucks, trailers and equipment follow the same rule: use the spec in the operator's or service manual. Don't borrow a car's number.

Lug nut torque spec examples (from maker documents)

These show how much specs differ. They are not your spec unless you own one of these cars. We don't publish a generic torque table: the right number depends on the vehicle, the wheel, the studs and the thread condition. Portland Bolt notes that torque alone can't guarantee proper bolt tension, and lubrication changes how much clamping force a given torque produces. Follow the maker's spec and instructions as written.

How to torque lug nuts

1. Park on level ground, set the parking brake and chock the wheel diagonally opposite.
2. Start every nut by hand. Each one should spin on for several turns. If one binds, stop and check the threads.
3. Snug them in a star pattern while the wheel is still off the ground. Move across the wheel, not around it. On a 5-lug wheel, number the studs 1 to 5 clockwise and go 1, 3, 5, 2, 4.
4. Lower the car until the tire is on the ground so the wheel can't spin.
5. Set your torque wrench to the spec, in the units it's written in, and go around the same star pattern. Pull smoothly until the wrench clicks, then move on.
6. Re-check after 50–100 miles. Wheels can settle against the hub. Go around the star pattern again with the torque wrench.

Pick the right wrench. Choose a torque wrench rated at least 20% above your spec. For a 100 ft-lb spec, that's a wrench that goes to at least 120 ft-lb. Some wrenches read in in-lb, so check the scale.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up N·m and ft-lb. 1 ft-lb = 1.356 N·m. Setting a wrench to 175 ft-lb for a 175 N·m spec puts on about 237 N·m, roughly 35% too much.
• Using a number from a generic chart. Even the two examples above differ by more than 50 ft-lb.
• Tightening with an impact gun. It can over-tighten, damaging studs and threads and making the nuts hard to remove later. Finish by hand with a torque wrench.
• Going around in a circle. One side seats first and the wheel can sit unevenly, causing wobble or vibration.
• Skipping the re-check. Most important after new wheels, a tire rotation or any time a wheel was removed.

Changing a flat? Get the steps for your car

Snap a photo of the wheel, say the job, and Mechy gives you a step-by-step guide with the tools you'll need. A photo can't tell Mechy your exact torque spec, so use the number from your vehicle's manual. Get a flat tire guide.