What happens when trying to torque wheel to lower value than previous retorque?

[Mgltacoma]

I have been trying to google following question but with no luck. Basically I do not know what torque tire center people set my tires at. Now I want to retorque it. I am hearing 85lb feet torque seems ideal for our 4runners. I do not know if what type of wheel you use matters for what torque you should use as long as they are same material like alumunium(85lb/feet torque). But anyways, let us say the tire people did not know my truck's spec and over torqued it let us say 100lb feet torque. Now if I try to torque that to 85lb feet using torque wrench what will happen? Will my torque wrench not do anything at all since it is already at higher torque than what I am trying torque it to? Will it be possible to break my torque wrench at that point?
Or is it best to loosen it all and do it all over?

 

[RedSled]

If they are at 100 now, you will have to loosen them to get to 85. I would loosen them all and re torque them.

 

[Midnight Anvil]

You're right, re-torquing at a lower amount than what they are already tightened will do nothing.

My recommendation there would be to break them loose and re-torque them one wheel at a time.

If you can, jack up your vehicle enough to take the load off the studs but keep the wheel from spinning. Loosen them all and re-torque following a star pattern.

Hope this helps.

 

[mybabydaddy]

I have been trying to google following question but with no luck. Basically I do not know what torque tire center people set my tires at. Now I want to retorque it. I am hearing 85lb feet torque seems ideal for our 4runners. I do not know if what type of wheel you use matters for what torque you should use as long as they are same material like alumunium(85lb/feet torque). But anyways, let us say the tire people did not know my truck's spec and over torqued it let us say 100lb feet torque. Now if I try to torque that to 85lb feet using torque wrench what will happen? Will my torque wrench not do anything at all since it is already at higher torque than what I am trying torque it to? Will it be possible to break my torque wrench at that point?
Or is it best to loosen it all and do it all over?

I’ll let the engineers give you the full-on correct reply.... but my guess would be A. Torquing them off at 85lb setting will not hurt anything if 1.) they are already torqued to 100lbs (if this is the case, then your wrench will still just ‘click’ at 85lbs) and basically not do anything... or B. if (somehow) they were torqued at less than 85 lb, they would tighten to 85lb since your wrench is set to that.

Loosening them up and re-tightening them to 80 to 85lbs is totally fine. I’ve done it plenty of times because I didn’t want to take the chance that Discount Tire (or whomever) over-tightened by lugs... And there’s been plenty of times they have.