How to Install the Wheel and Tighten the Lug Nuts on Your Car

You've had a flat tire and need to install the repaired wheel and tighten the lug nuts on your car. It seems like a simple job. There are some tips and techniques you need to know to safely install a wheel on your car. Follow the steps below to do the job right.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Jack up the car and support it on jack stands. Roll the wheel next to the exposed hub with lug studs.

2. Line up a hole in the wheel with the bottom stud and lift the wheel over all studs at the same time, and slide it into place.

3. Hold the bottom of the tire tightly against the wheel hub with your foot while you take the first lug nut and place it over the threaded stud sticking through the wheel. Turn this lug nut down as snugly as you can get it by hand.

4. Put on the remaining lug nuts, in no particular order, and hand-tighten them.

5. Get a lug wrench the correct size to fit the nuts, a four-way works best, place it over the first lug nut and turn it down snugly, but don't over-tighten.

6. Snug the nut directly across from the first one, working in a star pattern. Then do the one across from the second one, continuing until all lug nuts are snug. This seats the wheel flush against the hub surface, and keeps any wobbling and loosening of the wheel from occurring after you begin to drive the car.

7. Take the car off the jack stands. Use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts in a star pattern to the recommended torque. Check your owner's manual for this rating, or call the dealership where you bought the car to get this.

Tips & Warnings

• Place your toe under the tire to help hold it up, while lining up wheel holes with lug studs.
• Re-torque the lug nuts using the star pattern after driving the car or pulling the trailer 50 to 100 miles, in case any loosening has occurred.
• Don't over-tighten lug nuts. Doing so can stretch the threads and weaken studs, leading to premature failure.
• Don't put oils or thread sealants on threaded lug bolts. If they are dirty, rusty or burred, clean up the threads with a thread tap. Use the correct tap for your threads, or you'll wind up with ruined lug bolts. Use a wire brush if you don't have a tap.