LX-450 lug nut torque spec (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Threads
104
Messages
454
Location
Carlstadt New Jersey
What is the torque spec on the 97 factory LX 450 lug nut?

Thank Dave
 
Per @cruiserdan:

Lug nut torque specs are as follows:

All steel wheels...109 lbft.
Alloy wheels with conical steel inserts (91-94) 109- lbft.
Alloy wheels 95-97 (shank-type nuts) 76 lbft.
 
5C8471A8-C66E-4D96-97A6-CDA0933F92B2.png


If a picture helps, from @NLXTACY’s website 80 Series Lug Nut-alloy wheel (95-97)
 
I've always been curious about the lower, 76 ft-lb, value on the alloys. What would be the downside of higher torque value? Since that type of nut does not apply any wedging forces and is purely compressive, why need for the lower value? Could it be that 76 ft-lb is the reasonable lower limit but higher values would also work? If not, what would be the negative effect of a higher torque value? The studs are the same, so that's not a limiting factor. Could the threads in the shank-style lug nuts be that much weaker (seems unlikely?)
 
I've always been curious about the lower, 76 ft-lb, value on the alloys. What would be the downside of higher torque value? Since that type of nut does not apply any wedging forces and is purely compressive, why need for the lower value? Could it be that 76 ft-lb is the reasonable lower limit but higher values would also work? If not, what would be the negative effect of a higher torque value? The studs are the same, so that's not a limiting factor. Could the threads in the shank-style lug nuts be that much weaker (seems unlikely?)


It probably won't hurt go to 80lbft especially if you run larger tires but it probably won't need more than that.
 
Thanks for all your replies. At least I don't have to strain.
 
I've always been curious about the lower, 76 ft-lb, value on the alloys. What would be the downside of higher torque value? Since that type of nut does not apply any wedging forces and is purely compressive, why need for the lower value? Could it be that 76 ft-lb is the reasonable lower limit but higher values would also work? If not, what would be the negative effect of a higher torque value? The studs are the same, so that's not a limiting factor. Could the threads in the shank-style lug nuts be that much weaker (seems unlikely?)

I think @NLXTACY can give a pretty detailed report of what can happen if you over torque the lug nuts. I believe his torque wrench was out of calibration so it's not like he was using a air gun to tighten them.
 
Yeah - I read through the thread: RTH: stuck in Primm, wheel lugs sheered off

I don't think any sort of real conclusion was reached for the actual cause of why the studs sheared. A few others on that thread asked on the same thing I did: if the studs can handle 101 ft-lbs on a steel wheel, why can't they do the same for an alloy? Nobody really posed any sort of answer to this question in that thread. (This assumes Toyota doesn't put different studs on for the different wheel types.)

As for the higher torque possibly excessively deforming the aluminum of the wheel? Maybe? But I'm pretty skeptical of that. I've got other cars with cast aluminum wheels - and ostensibly not as well made as our Toyota wheels (someone said our 80 alloys are forged?) - that have torque specs of 100-ish ft-lbs.

I'm not saying there is not a good reason, but I just can't intuitively figure out what it is. (And if I missed the proper explanation in the above thread, my apologies!)

Still curious....
 
I have a wobbly front brake rotor that started out new on both sides with new pads.
Got new tires not long after the new brakes.
Everything was fine, braking stable.
Started noticing brake shudder after about 4k miles.
Oh great! What now? I just fixed this!

When I went to remove the wheel, it took a long breaker bar to budge the lug nuts, which broke loose with a creaking noise.
Metal to metal galling due to severe over-torque.
With all lug nuts off, the wheel would not budge - aluminum wheel pressure bonded to the hub.
It took some abusive persuasion to break the wheel free.

I don't know what that wheel was torqued to, but I used a torque wrench to measure break free torque on the other 3 wheels.
110-150 ft-lbs (wrench maxes out at 150, so something >150 on some)
I think the studs were very close to death, but survived this one.
I HAVE twisted studs right off removing them, stretched to plastic deformation and pressure welded to the nut.

In this case, the aluminum wheel hub was compressed, and the brake rotor permanently warped, due to uneven thickness wear.

Now, every time I buy tires:
1) Request torque wrench hand tightening.
2) Ask sales person if they understand why?
3) Get a puzzled look - No?
4) Poor slob gets a lecture on the industry wide abuses of impact wrenches and torque sticks.
 
Hate to bump this for something I have saved, but wanted to be sure. Scored some FN 5-star wheels which are conical, but don’t have steel inserts like OEM. In the above lists of year/wheel/nut type, there isn’t one for late 80 series, alloy wheel, conical nut. Am I correct that I would still go 109 without inserts? Or simply put, is the only time you go 76 for shank nuts?
 
Hate to bump this for something I have saved, but wanted to be sure. Scored some FN 5-star wheels which are conical, but don’t have steel inserts like OEM. In the above lists of year/wheel/nut type, there isn’t one for late 80 series, alloy wheel, conical nut. Am I correct that I would still go 109 without inserts? Or simply put, is the only time you go 76 for shank nuts?
All conical nuts go to 109 steel and alloy.

Only shank style go to 76.

I have both shank and conical on my truck so I adjust torque based on lug nuts on each wheel.
 
Same with mine, currently. Just didn’t know if it made a difference not having inserts - thanks
 
torque-specs-aint-nobody-got-time-for-that.jpg
 
According to my local Firestone you should get the studs wet first and then tighten with the biggest air tool you have in the shop. They say it never causes problems.


And if you pay a little extra they will 'cross thread' one (or more) for you too.

Wheel Stud2.jpg
 
All conical nuts go to 109 steel and alloy.

Only shank style go to 76.

I have both shank and conical on my truck so I adjust torque based on lug nuts on each wheel.
Hate to bump this for something I have saved, but wanted to be sure. Scored some FN 5-star wheels which are conical, but don’t have steel inserts like OEM. In the above lists of year/wheel/nut type, there isn’t one for late 80 series, alloy wheel, conical nut. Am I correct that I would still go 109 without inserts? Or simply put, is the only time you go 76 for shank nuts?

There seems to be something else to this lug-nut torque business than just conical vs shank style.

Like @SpenserAK - I just got some new FN wheels - in my case, they are called "Six-Shooter", but came with a full set of the same type of lug-nuts.
These lug-nuts are from Gorilla-Auto.com, 60 degree conical seat, cold-forged and (black) chrome plated, small diameter, spline-keyed units that fit our M12x1.5 wheel studs.

Gorilla's torque vs stud size table gives a torque range of 75-85 ft-lbs, which is more similar to the traditional Toyota washered shank spec of 76.

I'm only guessing as to why - but maybe it has something to do with...
- The metal hardness?
- The surface finish?
- the combination of aluminum wheel against chrome over hardened steel - coefficient of friction - and how much of the torque is absorbed (or not) in seat face friction?
- Old school steel wheels with conical lug-nuts were somewhat "spung" over the hub surface, not direct metal-to-metal compression, where the aluminum wheel is compressed directly against the hub surface.

Gorilla-Auto_small_diameter_E-T_BLACK_CHROME_Cone_Seat_Lug_Nuts_1.JPG


Gorilla-Auto_small_diameter_E-T_BLACK_CHROME_Cone_Seat_Lug_Nuts_2.JPG


Gorilla-Auto_Lug_Nut_Torque_Guideline.JPG


FN_Wheels_SixShooter-Light_Gunmetal17x8_ET0_FlowFormed_21.2lbs_lugnut_socket_1.JPG


FN_Wheels_SixShooter-Light_Gunmetal17x8_ET0_FlowFormed_21.2lbs_lugnut_pocket.JPG
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom