How to Tighten Lug Nuts

Changing tires and rotating wheels are easy enough jobs. But before you can try to tackle either of these on your car, you will need to know how to properly tighten the lug nuts on your wheels. Read on to learn how to tighten lug nuts.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Torque wrench

1. Make sure you have the right torque wrench. Your car manual should have specific instructions for what kind of wrench you should use. Buy the right wrench and keep it in your car at all times.

2. Start with your car on a jack.

3. Put the wheel on. If your hubcaps are snap on, you will put the lug nuts on the bolts before replacing the hubcap.

4. Place one lug nut on one bolt. Using your fingers, turn the lug nut gently so that it is putting only gentle pressure on the wheel.

5. Add all of the other lug nuts to the bolts by working in a star-shape pattern, and only tightening the lug nuts enough so they will only put gentle pressure on the wheel.

6. Go back to the first lug nut, and tighten it as much as you can, still only using your hand. Do the same to the other lug nuts by working in a star-shape pattern.

7. Lower your car so that it is putting weight on the wheel.

8. Tighten the lug nuts using moderate pressure and your torque wrench. Again, work in a star-shape pattern so that you never tighten a lug nut to the immediate right or left of the one you just worked on.

9. Tighten the lug nuts using full pressure and your torque wrench. Continue to work in a star-shape pattern until all of the lug nuts are completely tightened.

Tips & Warnings

• To tighten lug nuts in a star-shape pattern, tighten one lug nut. Then work on the one directly across the wheel from it. Once that one is tightened, pick a loose lug nut across the wheel from that one. Continue until all the lug nuts are tightened.
• If you only want to re-tighten your lug nuts without removing the wheel, loosen all of the lug nuts, and start with Step 4.
• Never use an impact wrench to tighten lug nuts. These mechanical wrenches can make lug nuts too tight and difficult to remove by hand, should you need to change a tire by hand.
• Once you have tightened one lug nut, never move on to the one to its immediate right or left. Always work in a star-shape pattern.

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