I took my '91 2dr 4WD S-10 Blazer in for a tire rotation at Discount Tires, where I bought the tires 8,000 miles ago. They torqued the wheel nuts to 80 ft. lbs. because they said that's what their computer said it should be. My owners manual says 80 ft. lbs. for 2WD and 100 ft. lbs for 4WD. My Haynes manual says from 90-100 ft. lbs. without distinguishing between 2WD or 4WD.

I discussed all this with the manager who said if I decide I want it torqued to 100 ft. lbs. I can bring it back in and they will do it. I decided to ask you guys first. I didn't want to do anything that might warp the rotors, and didn't know if the specs might have been revised over the years.

Well, I did a search and found 2 posts from Kyle, one which said 100 ft. lbs. for our trucks, and another which said from 90-100 ft. lbs. So, I guess that answers it, but I'd still like input from Kyle or anyone else, if you have any ideas on why there are discrepancies in this information.

What would happen if I left it at 80 ft. lbs.? Not that I plan to, just a hypothetical question so I'll understand better. Granted, I have been driving it for 8,000 miles since they originally torqued it that way, but other people have had the wheels off and may have re-torqued it differently or more correctly.

Also, the guy at the shop told me that I have aluminum wheels, which I didn't know, if that makes any difference either way.

Thanks for your help!

Anne

 

i think it should be fine at 80ft lbs. as long as they are torqued in the right sequence. with aluminum wheels, they have to be re torqued after 50 miles. thats to make sure the lugs didn't come loose. but after they are re torqued after 50 miles, it shouldn't have to be done till the wheels are taken off again.

 

Thanks for your reply..... I'm leaving on a 300 mi. round trip on Tuesday the 26th, so I guess I should go in there on Monday, as I will have just put a little over 50 miles on it by then. But shouldn't I then just go ahead and have them do it to 100 ft. lbs. if that's the correct torque? (And I can only assume they are torquing in the correct sequence.)

Anne

 

Anything between 90ftlbs & 100ftlbs for pretty much any application (2wd or 4wd) is were you want to be. 80ftlbs won't make your wheel fall off or anything during highway use, but it isn't ideal.

I would recommend you buy yourself a cheap torque wrench that reads to atleast 150ftlbs for tightening you lugs. Whenever I have tires put on, I carry my torque wrench with me and retorque them in the parking lot. Those stupid torque stop extensions that they use are a joke. It all depends on how long the operator hammers on them. I usually request that they loosen and do a final tightening by hand, but they rarely do it.

Correct sequence for a disc brake setup is to start out at around 60ftlbs and go in a circle. Work your way up to full torque in ~20ftlb increments. If your full torque is only 80ftlbs, split it and torque them down in a total of 3 steps (60ftlbs, 70ftlbs, 80ftlbs). This will give you the most even torquing and keep your rotors running true. Overtorquing or uneven torquing of your lug nuts can cause uneven stress in your rotors and can cause brake pulsation like warped rotors. If you get brake pulsation right after a tire rotation/change, check your lug nut torque.

 

I used to work in one of those crappy tires shops.

100 ft pounds.
Aluminum only means you can bend them easier, and as pointed out they need to be retorqued. We recommended after 150 miles, but I suppose 50 miles will work.

I always started the lug nut by hand, then seated them in the star pattern using the proper torque stick, then dropped the truck to the ground and finished torqueing to 100ft pounds via a torque wrench. Then put her back up in the air, and screwed on the little black caps.

Almost all GM's are 90-100ft pounds, except 6-8 lugs axles. And those are either 120 or 140ft pounds.

About the only thing that is 80 pounds is Toyota's, VW, and a few other small cars.

 

Thanks for all your replies. I've always wanted a torque wrench, sounds like a good time to get one. But since I'm in a hurry, if I take it to the shop to have them increase the torque to 100 ft. lbs., is there any way they could easily screw it up, like accidentally overtighten them because of the limitations of their tools?

I'm curious why I can't find anything in the owner's manual or Haynes about retorquing at some interval after the initial torquing. And why would the owners manual for my '91, in two places, specify 80 ft. lbs. on 2WD Blazers, contrary to what you say here? (Yes, mine is 4WD.) Maybe you can't answer those, but any speculations are welcome.


Anne