So, I'm relatively certain that the Chevy dealer did not do a proper multi-point inspection, cause I'm certain they would have mentioned this, and that they would not have over torqued the front lug nuts on my 2010 LS..... 99.999% positive it was the repair shop that "rebuilt" the front end, put two new tires on it, and did one of the worst paint jobs ever.

I'm not talking a little bit over either. I usually use my Kobalt torque wrench set to 200 ft lbs to remove the lug nuts when I'm rotating tires, checking brakes, changing headlights, etc.... and my Icon torque wrench at 100 ft lbs when I put them back on. All 10 front lug nuts clicked on the Kobalt while trying to remove them. I then set it to 250 ft lbs(max real setting), and still had 3 of them click, I finally turned it up as far as I could go (about 1/4" past max setting) & was finally able to remove the last 3 lugnuts. I know the Kobalt can be off by as much as 10% - 20% on the high side (depending on age / usage / abuse / etc...), but that's still over 200ft lbs torque on some of these lugnuts. Last time a service shop did this to me was with my 2004 Hyundai Accent. I ended up breaking 2 studs off one of the wheels to correct it as the lug nuts had galled to the studs, so I'm fortunate I was able to loosen them all without any breakage.

I know that this much over-torque can warp the hubs as well as stretch or break the studs. Makes me wonder if that's the source of the CV Axle problem, (which the Chevy dealer mentioned in the service) on a supposedly new CV Axle. So now I'm looking at 2 new hubs and 2 new CV Axles. I think I might have been better off going with the Scion XB instead.....

 

Most shops don't know what a torque wrench is. They just use their impact gun. The lugs should not be more than 100 ft lb.
I am amused by the show tire stores put on, checking the torque AFTER the nuts have been tightened with the uncalibrated torque stick.

 

I have taken vehicles back after having tires installed because I couldn't get lug nuts off. I gave them the wimpy tire wrench included with the car and told them to take the tire off with it. As for 'calibrated air guns', yeah right! a change in shop air affects them. Can't do better than the old standard torque wrench and tightening by hand.

 

Amen Jim!

 

I've seen plenty of shops use these: They ARE calibrated, just not to as high a standard as torque wrenches. Usually +/- 5% to 10% depending on brand quality....


Not ideal, but they work, and will break if too much over-torque is applied. Ideally, the 90ft lb extension would be used on the HHR while it's off the ground, then a proper torque wrench is used to bring the lugs up to the final 100ft lb torque spec, after it is back on the ground.

 

Those torque sticks need to be re-calibrated weekly, according to the intructions.

 

Depends on brand & quality, cheap / low quality ones might need weekly recalibration if used daily... I know a mechanic that has used the same ones for more than a decade without recalibration, and they're still working as intended according to him. He's my best friends older brother & also the guy that told me what they were used for.

​​​​​​​Some of the premium ones (like American Forge & Foundry) claim to never need calibration for the life of the tool, but most of the better quality ones suggest recalibration every 12 months, or after 5,000 to 6,000 uses, or every 3 to 6 months if used daily. When used with a proper air impact setup, they will not over tighten, but can greatly overtighten if using a battery powered impact - see the link I posted previously....

 

There are three ways to properly torque lug nuts, a torque wrench, a torque wrench, or a torque wrench. Run it for 50 mi and do it again.

 

Food for thought, all of the shops that I've been able to watch change tires, use torque limiters while the vehicle is in the air, then finish off by hand with a torque wrench. Torque limiters are essential gear if you're using an air impact to put tires back on a vehicle, regardless of how "good" your air impact is. I'm 100% positive that whatever shop put on the front wheels, used an air impact without a limiter. Some simple calculation puts the torque values on those lug nuts somewhere between 250 and 350 ft lbs. I have a runout indicator on order & will check the hubs for deformation once it gets here, pretty sure they'll have to be replaced.

Even if I'm rotating tires myself at home, I use an 80ft lb limiter when putting them back on the car,

then lower the car & use my Icon torque wrench to tighten to 100ft lbs.

Regardless of who puts the tires on, I then drive 10 miles & re-torque, drive another 25 miles & re-torque, and do a final re-torque at 100 miles. I've only had 2 lug nuts move on the final re-torque (that I recall), and maybe a dozen on the 2nd re-torque in the last 20 years.