Lugnut torque on 2002 EVC

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

I read in the owner’s manual that the lug nut torque is 130’ pounds. I have never in my life seen lug nut torque that high. I have also never seen lug nuts with an octagonal plug in the lug nut. I am not a stranger to VW’s , and have restored several up to the late 70’s. Since there are no pics of the wheels or lug nuts in the owner’s manual, I am not sure these lug nuts are even stock, so I really need your advice! Thanks, Bob

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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[Abscate]

Those are plastic covers covering the real lug bolts underneath.

Learn how to torque lug nuts/bolts by feel because when you are on the road , you won’t have a torque wrench. It’s a non-critical, tighten to retain application.

The internet bandwidth wasted by people on lug nut torque is second only to that of oil change intervals , most don’t even know how to use a torque wrench correctly , and greasing lug fasteners changes spec torque, so the book doesn’t apply anywhere in the rust belt.

170 Nm is the book spec.

Grease them up. Take them to 100 ft lbs nominal , and drive on.
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[The Volkswagen Ranch]

Abscate, THANK YOU! I feel so stupid, but when I tapped on the covers with a little hammer ….. sounded like metal!

The Jack has never been used, and the pin is attached to a plastic clip on the Jack holder. My first clip came right off…. That is, when I held and pulled the clip with a pair of vice grips! The cap was so tight from accumulated surface rust on the lug nut, which will be treated and removed.
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[Abscate]

Not asking for help here is the only true path to stupidity, all of us are smarter collectively
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[The Volkswagen Ranch]

So, no way can I now get the lug nuts to move. Tomorrow going to try a LONG breaker bar. Afraid to use my Buddy’s electric impact gun, as torque not adjustable . Any advice? Thanks , Bob
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[kourt]

Get the lugs started to loosen with the wheels on the ground.

Use a breaker bar.

I think these are actually bolts, not nuts. They are easily replaced.

kourt
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2001 Eurovan Winnebago Camper

[EuroTec]

90 ft lbs is what I torque all lug bolt/nuts too with a few exceptions. Impact to remove should be safe, and make the job easier.
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If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

Thanks guys! I will let you know how it goes. Bob
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

Well…… it worked! My buddy’s battery powered HD impact got them to move! The front two wheels each had a few stubborn bolts, but the rears were easy for the tool. I think that when I had the timing chain and tensioner replaced, and transmission serviced and new GW cooler installed, the shop maybe just over torqued the fronts. So, now I will install my missing driver’s side front mud flap, that I found on EBay…. And was shipped from Istanbul! It is a nice quality oem style replacement. All 4 wheels will be pulled, cleaned, lug bolts wire wheeled, treated, light coat of grease on threads …. And then torqued to 90’ pounds. Thank you all so much! Bob
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

Thought you might enjoy these pics!

Let the cleaning begin! Yuk! Bob
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[67rustavenger]

McGuire's makes a decent aluminum wheel cleaner. Available at most main stream auto parts stores.

My GW wheels were a little nasty, I sprayed them with the cleaner and rinsed them well. It cleaned up the wheels really well.
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I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!

[Abscate]

About 30 seconds of propane heat, kept on the bolt head, will crack those next time. You can see where the metal had bonded up to the hub and made life tough
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[The Volkswagen Ranch]

All day on one wheel, lug bolts, replacement mudflap! Rust Avenger, I will see if I can find the McGuires wheel cleaner tonight! The mudflap took a while, but came out OK. Lug bolts have a fine layer of axle grease. They will never look like they did when I started again, while we have this bus!!

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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

BTW, EuroTec… all bolts will be torqued to 90’ pounds. Abscate, I sincerely hope I won’t have to heat them up to get them off in the future! Bob
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

Thought you might enjoy these pics. I broke one of my lug bolt caps when taking them ALL off. As you have seen, the lug bolts were covered with surface rust, and the wheels were filthy inside from years of brake dust., the Meguiars Aluminum wheel cleaner did an amazing job when combined with a small scrub brush and a soap filled Brillo pad! The caps were so tight due to the rust on the lug bolts. Soaking the caps in POR15 Metal Prep for 24 hours removed ALL of the rust! All I had to do was rinse them in water and dry them off.

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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[kourt]

One occasionally sees professional trucking rigs (18 wheelers) with lug bolt caps installed for cosmetic reasons. Sometimes the caps are adding bling--chrome or spiky appearance.

I asked a shophand at the local Freightliner facility about these. He said flatly that those caps just capture moisture on the lug heads and cause them to rust and corrode, and make maintenance so much harder.

It looks like these VW caps, cosmetic in nature, are doing exactly the same thing.

kourt
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2001 Eurovan Winnebago Camper

[VanGeek]

Good thread!

Was just scouring the interwebs a few days ago looking for proper torque and subsequently found the manual spec of 170nm which is about 125 ft lbs for my 2001 weekender.

Bolts are supposed to be retorqued after a few hundred miles. This all seems a bit overkill but I do it anyhow just to play it safe.

[The Volkswagen Ranch]

Kourt, YEP.
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1964 vert "Patience"
2002 Eurovan MV “Winnie”
Sold the 63 vert “ Lizzie”
Sold the 76 Westfalia “ Winnie”

[krusovice]

FWIW steel and aluminum wheels have different torque specs. I think 90 is plenty on an AL wheel (thousands of race miles and I never saw one loosen up). Steel I like a higher value like about 110-120.

I have yet to have a wheel come loose doing it this way. And I find a $10 Harbor Freight torque wrench is much nicer to use than the dumb wrenches included with a car so that’s what I carry. At $10 they work as a breaker bar too
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1984 Vanagon 1.9/4 speed
2001 Eurovan Camper