Costco did not want to sell me new tires...

Now I’m on a tear: marked one foot from fulcrum (one 3/8” and 1/2” torque wrenches, 9” on the shorter 1/4” one, and adjust by 9/12), put a known weight at the marks, with the torque wrenches roughly horizontal and set to that weight. Shifting the weight fore and aft of the foot mark (or 9” mark) allows you to see the threshold conveniently.

 

On a tear or a wild goose chase. I loosen the lugs and torque myself EXCEPT when Costco has touched them. They use a torque wrench. Most shops simply use their air tools.

 

Torque specs are more about avoiding overtightening than not getting the nutz tight enough - and most of the tyre jockeys at the big box stores use torque sticks - which are generally consistent enough to prevent warping a paper-thin rim, etc.
They're also (mostly) 'good enough' at getting you near the actual desired spec - IF properly used.
If the 6 (5? 4? ) lugs are each torqued one or two ft/lbs above or below spec I think that you're still good to go.
If not - the only way to detect this is to correct it anyway.

I do not gladly let other people fumbledork with my vehicles but I also do not have the ability to mount my own tyres - so every now and then I have to loosen these and use a for-real torque wrench to torque my lugs.
Even with my declining abilities, I'm still able to rotate 20" tires and criss-cross torque them to 60# and then to 140#.....and yes.
I know.
Most people say that this old school and one should simply criss cross to 140 ft/lbs and you are done.

People make mistakes every day at their jobs.
I know I still do at mine.
The last set of tyres I bought from a trusted friend's shop came home with one lug loose.

Simple mistake - detected and corrected, and a lesson learned for a 16-year-old learning about attention-to-detail.

 

On our ‘81 Civic, one time our toddler son unscrewed and handed us one of the 4 lug nuts. I’d forgotten all about that lol. God we were young and complacent in those days, lol.

 

Yep those torque sticks are very handy....I have a set of 5 that I use with my electric lug nut gun and they are 65/80/100/120/140 but I really only use the 65 (for cars with torque of 80) and 80 (for cars with torque of 95 or 100).

I've, also, heard we're supposed to recheck the torque after driving but I've never seen any actually need it...just do the torque twice when putting the wheels back on.

 

I learned about re-torquing long ago after a winter wheel came loose enough that I could hear it wobbling.

 

How are the Falken’s? I just ordered a set yesterday and are waiting for them to come in? I thought it was a risk since I wasn’t familiar with them but I did like the price point and the guy at Discount Tires said they seem to last. What are you thoughts so far? Thanks!

 

I think I like them. I have almost 1700 miles on them now so they should be broke in. They track nicely on uneven and scored pavement. I'm not quite sure about crosswind handling yet since that is mostly a winter-time deal here. And I have managed to avoid the heavy thunderstorm flooded roads we get this time of year, so I don't know about wet handling either. Nice and quiet though. My brother is in an NSX group that really likes them for medium price range and excellent wear and handling.

 

Thanks so much for your reply. I’m scheduled to get the put on later this week. Hoping to have good success with them. Glad to hear the group your brother’s in likes them. Excited to see how they do. Thanks again!