96 Foot Pounds for the Wheels?

[Mr. Boone]

My handy Porsche work shop manual specifies 96 Foot Lbs of torque for the wheel lug bolts. I followed this when replacing the wheels after a recent brake job. Seems light to me. I have checked them several times since and they don't seem to be getting loose.

Any thoughts?

[xclusivecar]

You are correct...96 lb/ft. All 4 of my wheels are off 2-3 times/month so I can clean them and clean off the red calipers. Just make sure to re-check after driving a few miles. I have never had one come loose but I can see the possibility if the wheel wasn't properly mounted to begin with!

[Mr. Boone]

Thank You, sounds correct. I like the idea about cleaning the inside of the wheels as well. I will do that in the near future as it looks as though the previous owner never did. I think the fact that the factory recommends only 96 Ft Lbs is testimony that most nuts and bolts really do not need to be as tight as you think they do. I think it is very important to torque all nuts and bolts properly to spec and not by feel.

[socratic]

Originally Posted by xclusivecar

You are correct...96 lb/ft. All 4 of my wheels are off 2-3 times/month so I can clean them and clean off the red calipers. Just make sure to re-check after driving a few miles. I have never had one come loose but I can see the possibility if the wheel wasn't properly mounted to begin with!

What kind of jack do you have such that you don't mind jacking it up several times a month?

[xclusivecar]

Nothing special...just a Sears Floor Jack. I have done it so many times I can now have the car completely on jack stands in 10 Minutes. Once you trust your jacking points and place the jack stands it's almost second nature. I used the Boxster lifting instructions from I believe renntech.org. I'll try to find them. This is one of the easiest cars I have ever lifted and I am just your typical shade-tree DIYer!

For added bonus...wax the inside of your wheels with a decent cleaner wax and the wheels can be cleaned with a good spray down now and then. Wax the outside of the wheels with a good wax of your choice and see the sparkle! Got red calipers? Wax them too!

[xclusivecar]

Here you go...http://www.iq.dynip.com/~gary/hacks/jack/jack.html

Of course you aren't lifting the car as high as pictured and do not need the wood blocks under each wheel. Also...I do not use wood in the jackstand but just a thick folded up piece of towel that "gives" enough not to damage the car.

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by Mr. Boone

"...I think the fact that the factory recommends only 96 Ft Lbs is testimony that most nuts and bolts really do not need to be as tight as you think they do. I think it is very important to torque all nuts and bolts properly to spec and not by feel."

Hi,

All threaded fasteners are elastic and actually work by stretching a specified amount (the torque spec). This stretching puts the fastener under tension which prevents it from simply working loose due to vibration. The amount of tension is determined by the materia(s) used, the threadpitch and depth. It's very important to follow the torque specs to insure that the fastener does not work itself loose (too loose) or conversely that the threads aren't stripped (too tight). Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99