Larry_Zajdel

I have a running debate with my dealer concerning the torque on the A4 wheel bolts. The owners manual says 90 ft-lbs. The dealership puts them on with an air impact tool and I can not get them off with the wrench in the Audi tool kit. The service manager told me that he advises people to carry a large Sears breaking bar and 6 point socket with them in case they need to change their own tire. My guess is the dealership is getting at least 150-200 ft lbs of torque on the wheel bolts. Anybody else have this problem? I'm sure if the bolts were correctly torqued to 90 ft-lb, the Audi suppled wrench would be adequate.

dbtong

should be somewhere in the 88-90 ft-lb range like you said.

shaggymatt

to have their dealers back off the lug bolts and redo them with the correct torque settings. Otherwise if you get a flat you will not get off the lugs on the roadside with the standard wrench.

89 ft/lbs is the correct setting, and they come free very easily with the OE wrench at that setting.

Kris Hansen

that is why I use my foot. I am a big guy (6'2", 245) and even I have to use my foot to break the lugs loose. That is the way the emergency kit tool is designed anyway. One swift kick usually is enough to loosen.

Uncle Don

there is a torque spec in the owners manual.
90-95 ft-lbs COLD is common for alloy wheels.

Pelican Pete

... with the four different sized fittings.
Fortunately I have not had to change a tire on my A4. But in the past, I find it much easier to remove lug nuts with with the X-shaped tire iron than with the OEM tire iron, or even a breaker bar. It allows you to use TWO hands on opposite ends -- more torque, better balanced.
$8 from Pep Boys. And it fits in the spare tire well on top of my donut spare.

--P.

mjbrox

I just put the lugs on tight....will that be ok?

I did not kick it or any thing

RKA

The first thing I do when I get my car back from any service that requires removing and reinstalling the wheels, is use a breaker bar to loosen the bolts, and then torque them down properly. It's impossible to convince shop people that they are over-torquing the bolts. If it is at 90 ft-lbs, then it is very easy to remove the bolts even with the cheap Audi wrench.

mjbrox

how much for the shocks??

'Bahn Burner

...give you all the force needed to loosen them. Just put on the stock wrench parallel to the ground (or as close too parallel as possible) and give it a stomp with your foot(don't jump on it just push)! Then raise the car and continue loosening the bolts. I also like to loosen the bolts in an odd sequence, skipping one in a clockwise fashion. This takes the stress off of just one bolt. Tell your service guys they're going to damage the bolts with that much torque! It also might be natural corrosion or some kind of lock-tight agent on the bolts causing such a stubborness.