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wheel torque spec?

96K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  wolf_t  
Can a Torque Wrench measure the Ft-Lb. of a Lug Nut of how tight it is torqued?.
Not really. You see, it is limited by friction. Friction on the other hand is seen as static and dynamic. Static friction in majority cases is much larger, especially with bolts, than dynamic (static - not moving, dynamic - moving).
Hence, when you have a bolt that is already tight, it could be only estimated how tight it is.

You can take a "needle type" torque wrench and start either tightening or loosening the bolt and observe the needle.
For click type wrench - you would have to change settings from the lowest end and ramping it up by 5 units or so. Listen for click and any movement.
That will give you a rough estimate.

It will be very rough as some bolts may be dry and rusty (friction much higher) while others can be greased, so much easier to move.