Unbelievable - Damn Stealership!!

[Off_Timing]

So we took my wife's Windstar in for the rear axle and subframe recalls to Marigold Ford. They are the closest stealership to us.

That was earlier this week. Today, I wanted to inspect the front brakes. Lo and behold, the lug nuts were on sooooo tight, I had a hard time removing them, and I was using a cross wrench. I put my old dial torque wrench to see at what torque the lug nuts would break, they were breaking at 140-150 ft-lbs!!!

And those lug nuts were tightened by a FORD stealership mechanic. I am sooo PO'ed.

Never going back to Marigold Ford in Whitby, Ontario!!!

[tomj76]

Call the service manager, explain the situation and give him your information. You may get a good resolution.

[AvalonJohn]

lugs sb 110 ftlbs.

[Off_Timing]

I always use a click-type torque wrench, and I've taken these lugs off enough times to know how 110 ft.lbs felt.

That's how I knew right away that they overtightened the lugs. Using a cross-wrench, I had to fight to loosen the first lug. That's when I put on my old dial torque wrench, to see at what force the lugs would come off.....140-150 ft.lbs.

The stealership mechanic should have known already...on a Windstar, lugs are 110 ft.lbs. I always re-torque the lug nuts whenever anyone else remounts the wheels. This is the first time anyone has ever overtightened them.....and by a Ford mechanic no less.

I don't know if I want to waste my breath talking to the stealership manager. They'll just spin me some fiction.

Thanks.

[Windstartled]

I never had my van come out of servicing -dealership or otherwise- with proper torque, it's pretty obvious they just impact wrench it 'til it won't turn anymore. I often have to use a breaker bar to get them off afterwards.

[phil-l]

Personally, I've never had any shop torque the lugs to my satisfaction. I've resigned myself to re-torquing by hand with my own torque wrench whenever a shop touches my vehicle... Which isn't often.

[dondeere]

If your ford dealer repaired the rear axle, why would they touch the front end? Just asking.

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by dondeere

If your ford dealer repaired the rear axle, why would they touch the front end? Just asking.

I would say they removed the front wheels to inspect the subframe.

[dondeere]

As a service technician I would agree there are a lot of slobs that don't take pride in their workmanship. Sad part is they are training the young guns. Being from a rural area I gained customer trust and loyalty. My service manager once said I am slow. I say hast makes waste. Many years ago my cougar dropped a lower ball joint. I called a garage and asked if they had the ball joint tool ? They said yes so I had my car towed there. THEY USED A HAMMER TO BEAT IT IN! Oh well lesson learnt. Then you have service managers that can't hit two hammers together, but have gift to gab. Your wheels were over torqued that is not good .Possible stud stretch or thread fatigue. Your dealer should consider to replace the hardware or certify in writing they are safe.

[kevink1955]

Yea there is a torque spec in the manual, how many side of the road tire changers have any idea how tight (or loose) to make the lugs. Ford must have expected everyone from the 98 pound weakling to the sumo wrestler to change tires and the lugs will work over a wide range of torque.

If it was a mission critical part Ford would have provided a torque wrench with the vehicle.

A dealer should know better but your method of using a torque wrench to see how tight the lugs are is flawed also. The break away loosening torque of the lug will always be higher than the final tightening torque

[Off_Timing]

They took the front wheels off to do the subframe recall. I'm guessing the lousy slob who worked on it didn't reset this impact gun after bolting on all the support brackets. But that's just a guess.

As for the loosening torque being greater than the tightening torque, I've always wondered about that. Good to know. Thanks. I'll do some further research into it.

At least, the rear axle and subframe recalls are done.

Now.....I gotta go trace a minor oil leak I thought I saw a drop of oil on the driveway under the Windstar yesterday. Never ends.

[phil-l]

Also note: The dealership typically does an basic inspection on any vehicle coming into the shop - mostly to let you know what else needs servicing on your vehicle. Yes, this often means they're pulling off at least one wheel on each axle to take a look at the brakes and related hardware. So you might have overly-tightened lugs on your van, even if the service had nothing to do with the wheels.

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by kevink1955

Yea there is a torque spec in the manual, how many side of the road tire changers have any idea how tight (or loose) to make the lugs. Ford must have expected everyone from the 98 pound weakling to the sumo wrestler to change tires and the lugs will work over a wide range of torque.

If it was a mission critical part Ford would have provided a torque wrench with the vehicle.

I remember reading that the length of the arm that comes with the factory-issue jack is calibrated so that most people can achieve safe torque using it. This implies that "safe" torque has indeed quite a wide range of values, even though it is not optimal.