Lug nut torque: what the number means and how to tighten
Lug nut (wheel nut) torque is how tight the nuts holding the wheel should be. Too loose and a wheel can work free; too tight and studs, nuts or brake rotors can be damaged. Use a torque wrench set to the figure in your manual.
It differs a lot between vehicles
| Vehicle | Manual says |
|---|---|
| 2017 Honda Civic Sedan | 80 lbf·ft (108 N·m), printed p. 577 |
| 2019 Chevrolet Equinox | 100 lb ft (140 N·m) |
| 2021 Buick Envision | 140 lb ft (190 N·m), printed p. 326 |
Some manuals give a range instead of one number. The Hyundai Palisade’s tire table lists 79–94 lbf·ft (11–13 kgf·m, 107–127 N·m); anywhere in that range is to spec.
Tighten in a pattern, in stages
Manuals show an order for tightening the nuts, usually a star or criss-cross pattern so the wheel seats evenly. Honda’s procedure says to go around “tightening the nuts, two to three times in this order”, which means snugging every nut first and reaching full torque on a later pass.
- Thread every nut on by hand first.
- Snug them in the pattern your manual shows, with the wheel still lifted.
- Lower the car and tighten to the listed torque in the same pattern.
Where the manual gives the figure inside its flat-tire procedure, our pages say so, because that’s the section to read for the full steps.