Was dead set against using a torque wrench on lug nuts for years... until I saw what happens when you don't.

Buddy of mine runs a shop over in Dayton. Last month a guy came in with a wheel that nearly fell off on the highway. Rotors were warped, studs were stripped, whole mess. Turns out he was just cranking them down with an impact gun. $800 bill for parts and labor. I always just did the same thing, figured torque wrenches were for engine work only. Picked up a $40 one after that, checked my own truck, and three lugs were way over-torqued. Anyone else ever ignore a basic tool until a disaster made you cave?

2 comments

2 Comments

ward.mason26d ago

What kind of damage did you find on your truck exactly?

beth_ward8026d ago

Started out the same way honestly. Always used the impact gun like it was a race pit stop, never thought twice. Watched my neighbor snap a stud clean off his trailer last spring just by over tightening with a breaker bar and that got my attention. Picked up a beam style torque wrench for like thirty bucks and checked a few things around my own vehicles. Found out I had been putting way too much muscle into my truck's lug nuts for years. It's one of those tools that seems unnecessary until you see what can actually go wrong.