I'm leaning toward buying a torque wrench tomorrow and tightening my lugs from 80 to 100 ft.lbs., since the tire shop undertorqued them, instead of taking it back to them and trusting them to get it right. I've never used a torque wrench before. Are there any tricks? I guess I will get a 3/8" drive one to match my socket set; will that be sufficient?

Most sources have said to tighten in a star pattern. I guess I just start the star anywhere, with the truck on the ground. Do I need to loosen anything first, or can I just tighten from where it is now? Will it be difficult to get it tight enough, and will I need a "cheater" pipe for extra leverage? (I have changed tires before on smaller cars, but never worried about the torque, just tried not to overtighten.)

Hanr3 mentioned that after setting the correct torque, he put the truck back in the air to screw on the little black caps. Why? I have no way of putting the truck in the air........ And I'm missing half of those little black caps, anyway...... thought they were just for looks. Can't they just be screwed on by hand? And if I want more of those, do I go to the dealer, or is there anywhere else?

Thanks for your help.

Anne
'91 2dr 4WD S-10 Blazer

 

For a torque of 80 to 100 ft lbs you're better off with a 1/2 inch drive wrench. You can buy a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter so your sockets will work with the wrench. With a 1/2 inch drive wrench, you won't need a cheater pipe.
Start anywhere and work in a star pattern.
If the nuts are not as tight as the torque you need, you don't need to loosen them. If the nuts are already over tightened, then you need to loosen them a little and then re-torque them.
You don't need to lift the wheel off the ground to put on the plastic caps. The caps help to keep dirt off the inside of the nut and threads.

 

Hey, Chevy Lover, thanks for answering my questions. What you say about the 1/2" drive makes a lot of sense....... I would buy the adapter and maybe a 1/2" drive socket in the size I need for the lugs. It doesn't sound like it will be very difficult, as I'm pretty sure the shop did not overtighten them, but undertightened them.

I'm thinking maybe the reason Hanr3 put his truck back in the air to put on the black plastic caps is that he had a lift right there anyway and that way he could do it faster by turning the wheel as he screwed them in and perhaps could get them a little more snug. From what the tire shop guy told me, it sounds like I have to go to the dealer to get those caps, or I suppose maybe to a junkyard.

Thanks again,
Anne