2.004 Lug Nut Torque procedure for Field Service Vehicles

This Policy is complete waiting Field Service, EHSS approval

Call Area Manager or Field Service Director or EHSS for Verification of contents

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to establish the policy for proper wheel lug nut torque on Flogistix company owned and operated Field Service vehicles. This Policy is in effect for all Flogistix Field Service trucks.  

Wheel studs on the Ford Super Duty vehicles have aircraft style wheel studs and are required to be properly torqued. If over torqued it changes the integrity of the wheel stud material.  Any time a wheel is disturbed the proper torque procedure must be followed per Ford recommendations. 

The correct procedure can be found in the Owners Manual of the Super Duty vehicle. It states in the Ford Super Duty Owners Manual that any time the wheel has been disturbed that the torque procedure must be

followed. Follow the Technical Specifications page in the Ford Super Duty Owners Manual attached below and the correct wheel torque sequence.

Procedure

Flogistix policy on Wheel lug nut torque follows the Ford Super Duty Owners Manual procedure for Wheel Lug Nut Torque Specifications.

Torque specifications are for nuts and bolt threads free of dirt and rust.  Use of Ford recommended replacement fasteners.

Torque specs for Ford Single or Dual wheels is 165 ft lbs.

Before installing a wheel on a vehicle inspect the wheel being installed to make sure the mating surface of the wheel and the vehicle mating surface is free if any rust or dirt.  Make sure the wheel being mounted that the lug nut holes are round and Do Not show any signs of being distorted from running with loose lug nuts.

Wheel Installation:

1. Install clean wheel onto lug nut studs

2. Apply one drop of motor oil between the flat washer and the nut of the two-piece flat wheel nuts

3. Install the two-piece Flat Wheel Lug Nuts on all eight wheel studs

4. Snugly tighten the Two-piece Flat Wheel Lug Nuts evenly on all eight wheel studs

5. Torque the Two-piece Flat Wheel Lug Nuts in the torque sequence as shown below from the Ford Super Duty Owners Manual.

Special Note**

    On vehicles equipped with Dual Rear Wheels after any wheel disturbance or wheel removal (such as for new tire installation, tire rotation, or changing a flat), retighten the wheel lug nuts to the specific torque at 100 miles, and again retighten lug nuts at 500 miles to the specific torque.  

    On vehicles equipped with Single Rear Wheels after any wheel disturbance or wheel removal (such as for new tire installation, tire rotation, or changing a flat), retighten the wheel lug nuts to the specific torque at 100 miles.  It is recommended but not required to again retighten lug nuts at 500 miles to the specific torque.      

If it is unknown if the wheel lug nuts have been torqued correctly and the wheels are still mounted on the vehicle the following procedure can be followed.

1. Set the torque wrench to 165 ft lbs and check torque on all wheel lug nuts.

2. If you can not see that the lug nuts moved reset the torque wrench to 230 ft lbs and proceed to step (3)

3. With the torque wrench set at 230 ft lbs try checking each lug nut, if the lug nut starts to move before the torque wrench clicks at 230 ft lbs stop and do not tighten the lug nuts any further.

4. If any of the lug nuts do not move and the torque wrench clicks at 230 ft lbs then DO NOT proceed any further.  If the torque wrench clicked at 230 ft lbs on any of the lug nuts all wheel studs will need to be replaced because of over torque.  Arrange to have the vehicle taken to an authorized repair shop to have the wheel studs replaced.  the vehicle can not remain in service until repairs have been made.

5. If all the lug nuts moved on one wheel moved before the torque wrench clicked at 230 ft lbs but were not torqued at 230 ft lbs then those wheel studs and lug nuts can be reused when torqued properly.

6. If all wheel studs and lug nuts are deemed reusable then proceed to step 7

7. Loosen all lug nuts on the wheel.  Follow the procedure on the Technical Specifications page of the Ford Super Duty Owners Manual listed above.

** Note to 230 ft lbs torque is only a diagnostic torque to determine if the wheel studs have been

over torqued. Standard wheel stud torque is 165 ft lbs per the Ford Owners Manual.

Scope

This policy applies to all company owned Field Service mechanic service trucks.     

Hazards

Loose lug nuts could cause the remaining lug nuts to take more load ultimately causing them to fail resulting in the wheel or wheels coming loose of coming off of the vehicle while in motion.  Wheels coming off while the vehicle is in motion especially while at higher speeds, could cause loss of control and or major damage to the vehicle that the wheels came off of, damage to other vehicles on the road, or property damage to anything the loose wheel could strike.     This could result in personal injuries to the driver, passenger, occupants of other vehicles that the wheel could strike, or injuries to people not in vehicles that could be struck with a loose wheel.  This could also lead to citations to the driver by law enforcement or DOT officers.  If operating a vehicle you could be found liable for defective wheels, damage, or injury caused by a defective wheel.  

Approvals:

Field Service approved by:   Charles Crenshaw, VP Field Service

Date:  2/13/2023

EHSS approved by:

Date: