Community Forums

Tcloud7 · 11-23-2008, 05:15 AM

Anyone know what the torque is on the rims???( Lug nuts) 1999 freightliner XC??????????????????
I have a spare and thinking about getting an impact wrench so I can change the tire if I need to. Planing a trip down into Mexico.

Tcloud7 · 11-23-2008, 05:15 AM

Anyone know what the torque is on the rims???( Lug nuts) 1999 freightliner XC??????????????????
I have a spare and thinking about getting an impact wrench so I can change the tire if I need to. Planing a trip down into Mexico.

Mike Canter · 11-23-2008, 06:18 AM

It is 450 to 500 ft/lbs. It will take a 3/4 drive impact to do that much. I have tried 1/2 drive and they don't work even with 120 psi of air. The big problem is breaking them loose. I had to go to a truck tire dealer and use his monster impact to loosen all the lugs then I tightened them up mayself to 500 ft/lbs. I use anti-sieze compound on the threads so they don't lock up. I gave up trying to use an impact driver because you need enough air. I bought a 3/4 drive breaker bar from Sears and I have a 6ft pipe I carry with me. I weigh 160 lbs so I divided that into 500 and then painted a mark on the pipe at the 3ft mark. To tighten them I stand on the pipe at the 3ft mark and let it tighten until it stops turning then jump a little to make sure it has stopped. You need to check the tightness of the lugs after a couple of hundred miles. Remember the lugnuts on the drivers side ARE REVERSE THREAD. Also you need a special socket to take off the inner rear tires because they are square. I have changed a tire on the road and rotate the tires myself.

Tcloud7 · 11-23-2008, 08:45 AM

Hi Mike. Thanks for the help. I was thinking on buying an impact wrench and letting the air recover after each nut was removed
Do you have the size of the nuts and the socket needed??

Thanks Don and Barb.

Real Navy CS1

Mike Canter · 11-23-2008, 11:29 AM

I use just a standard 1 5/8" socket to remove the lock nut to free the hubcap then 1 1/2" impact socket for the lugnuts. Then you need a 13/16" square socket to remove the back inner rim studs. I bought all three from Graingers. They are all 3/4 drive.

Real Navy Wars Brown Shoes.

DAN L · 11-23-2008, 10:29 PM

I bought a 3/4 drive 600ft lb 42 inch long torque wr from harbor freight for about $160. they also have a 3/4 drive socket set for about $50. my lug nuts are 33mm or 1 5/16", wheel cover nuts 30mm or 1 3/16".
they both are working well for me. works well for torquing the lug nuts to 475 ft lbs. incidentally, i found my lug nuts were only torqued to 300 ft lbs. moho had 8k miles on it.
the long torque wr was necessary when i installed my koni shocks recently. i could not break the nuts loose with a 1/2 inch drive wr or an impact gun.

Tcloud7 · 11-24-2008, 06:39 AM

Thank You Dan and Mike. It good to be able to change tire if I need to in Mexico.
For the last 2 trips coast to coast and down into Mexico I have never used the spare tire and it became dry rotted. Now I have another spare mounted this time and I hope I never have to use it but its good to have. A 150.00 spare could cost a 1000.00 in Mexico.

thanks Don and Barb

Mike Canter · 11-24-2008, 06:58 AM

Well Don, it looks like you will have to measure your lugnuts to find out which size you have. I tried the big torque wrench but I find the 6ft pipe easier because I just stand on it at the paint mark and let it go until it stops. You also need the long pipe to lossen the nuts past that first pop. What Dan said about his lugnuts being onlt torqued to 300 ft/lbs is why you always retorque them after a couple of hundred miles just to make sure the rim seated.

Good luck in Mexico. Remember that size tire you have is used a lot on emergency equipment such as the large abulances and rescue equipment.