It pays to DIY rotate tires

Jacobzky

Jacobzky

New member
after 10k miles and a good day, i decided to rotate my tires just because, well, its been 10k+ miles. stock tire still in good shape even at 26k+ miles.

what i found out is that the lugs at the passenger rear tires are not tight anymore, and the torque on the rest of the tires are not up to the specs, well im glad i rotated tires today.

Do you found the lugs to be not tight enough if you rotate your tires? or someone just tried to take out the tire and saw the tire lock and gave up?

Thumbs up for this board and its members!!!!

:) :) Happy Weekend everyone!
 
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If you don't torque your lugs yourself then they are not torqued to spec. Shops don't bother torquing lug nuts.
 
How do you know if you are torquing exaclty 83ft/lbs?

I almost did this myself...but I heard its really easy to strip the bolts on the 4runner.
 
So far at 26k i have rotated tires twice, today is just the second time.
Yes on the 83ft-lbs torque
Yes on the 5 wheel rotation

Tires looks promising for the next 15k, we'll see how far this stock Dunlop can go. I did see a nick on one of the tires but its not to worry about and moved it to the rear. They're at 32psi for a more comfy ride, it used to be 37psi.

Now since im at it, i might as well do OCI and lube shaft tomorrow, if weather is at its best.
 
simple said:
How do you know if you are torquing exaclty 83ft/lbs?

I almost did this myself...but I heard its really easy to strip the bolts on the 4runner.
Click to expand...
i used a torque wrench, .......to which it reminds me, i think i may have set it to 81 ft-lbs the last time i rotated, i think.:confused:
 
Jacobzky said:
i used a torque wrench, .......to which it reminds me, i think i may have set it to 81 ft-lbs the last time i rotated, i think.:confused:
Click to expand...

Simple enough... I guess the old 4 option tire iron isn't good enough for my 4runner. I guess what my quest was getting at, is can you unbalance you tires by doing it yourself, and if you set your torque wrench to 83ft/lbs, you don't have to worry about stripping your lugs?
 
If anyone is letting the lack of a torque wrench scare them away from doing a DIY rotation, a simple way of approximating proper torque is to use the lug wrench that comes with the vehicle. Cinch 'em nice and snug and call it a day.

Caution with this technique should be exercised by 98lb weaklings and Schwarzenegger clones.:p
 
Last edited:
JB. said:
Cinch 'em nice and snug and call it a day.
Click to expand...

OK, define "nice and snug"

I'm not trying to be difficult, my point is that lots of people have no idea what snug, or average means relative to 83 ft lbs.

Does the difference between 81 and 83 ft lbs matter? No.

Is over or under tightening the bolts a possible problem? Yes

Under tightened bolts can come loose.

Over tightened bolts can cause warped rotors, or stripped threads.
 
Barefoot said:
OK, define "nice and snug"

I'm not trying to be difficult, my point is that lots of people have no idea what snug, or average means relative to 83 ft lbs.

Does the difference between 81 and 83 ft lbs matter? No.

Is over or under tightening the bolts a possible problem? Yes

Under tightened bolts can come loose.

Over tightened bolts can cause warped rotors, or stripped threads.
Click to expand...

You should definitely use a torque wrench.
 
Ever since I twisted off a wheel stud long before my torque wrench read 83 lbs, now I just snug'em and give them 1/4 turn more and not worry about it. The way I've been doing it for years.
My torque wrench in an older style and probably no longer in spec.
 
How long did it take you to rotate all 4 wheels? I'm guessing about an 1.5 hr.

I'm planning to tackle this same task tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
AlphaQup said:
How long did it take you to rotate all 4 wheels? I'm guessing about an 1.5 hr.

I'm planning to tackle this same task tomorrow.
Click to expand...

with no hurry, it took me just about 1.5 hrs.

it felt good today, oil changed, lubed shafts, cleaned MAF, a new air cabin filter and a car wash to finish it all.
 
In the grand scheme of things, we should be able to spring for the $80 for a torque wrench at Sears. This is not meant to sound arrogant, just to make a mention that this is a vitally important tool for your safety and proper maintenance of our rigs.

Besides, if you rotate tires on your other vehicles this is a very beneficial tool to have in general.


As for the fear of stripping lugs, since I have done it on 2 other vehicles in the past I am Oh-So-Careful about torqueing my lugs on any car now. Sort-of freaks me when I get up there at the end of the torque range, then I get relievedd when I hear and feel the click of the wrench.

I am due for a 5,000 mile rotation around April 1, and plan on doing the 5 wheel rotation. My only question is that the owner's manual calls for rotation by keeping tires on one side of the truck and not crossing the tires like I am used to doing. Does this really make a difference?
 
One think to keep in mind is that over tightening lug nuts is more likely to over stretch the studs than strip them. The problem with this scenario is that the damage is initially invisible. Weakened studs can then lead to catastrophic failure under a high load situation such as hitting a pot hole or performing an avoidance maneuver.
 
I have no issues with letting the guy at Discount do mine for free in 20 minutes and after 25 miles I always re-torque mine and Discount techs tell you that and they will re-torque for you in under a minute when you drop back by after that 25 miles.

It is better to have them torqued properly within specs and simply tightening them could spell trouble. Just buy a cheap torque wrench for the DIYs and save a possible disaster.
 
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