Wheel Torque Specs

Lug nut torque is how tightly the nuts or bolts holding a wheel to the hub should be tightened. It is measured in foot-pounds (ft-lbs) or newton-meters (N·m); 1 ft-lb is about 1.356 N·m, so 100 ft-lbs is about 136 N·m. The vehicle maker sets the value so the wheel is clamped evenly and securely.

Most cars, SUVs and light trucks in our database fall between 80 and 140 ft-lbs (108–190 N·m), and the most common value is 80 ft-lbs. Heavy-duty trucks run higher, up to 630 ft-lbs. Similar-looking vehicles can still differ, so look up your exact one.

Too loose and the wheel can shift on the hub, wear the studs and wheel holes, and in the worst case come off. Too tight and you can stretch or break studs, damage the wheel's seats, and make the nuts very hard to remove at the roadside. Uneven tightening can also pull the brake rotor out of true, which shows up as vibration when braking.

Use it to spin nuts on and snug them, but not for the final tightening. An impact wrench can easily go well past the spec. Finish each nut with a torque wrench set to your vehicle's value, working in a star pattern.

Yes. Re-check the torque after the first 50–100 miles any time a wheel has been removed. Wheels can seat slightly as they settle, which lowers the clamping force. It matters most with new wheels, aluminum wheels and trucks.

They can. The specs on this site are for factory wheels and lug hardware. If you run aftermarket wheels, wheel spacers or different lug nuts, use the torque value from the wheel or hardware maker when they give one.

Not unless your vehicle's manufacturer says to. Torque specs generally assume clean, dry threads. Oil or anti-seize lowers friction, so the same wrench setting clamps much harder and can over-stretch the studs. Clean dirty or rusty threads with a wire brush instead.