Properly installing your wheels and tires only takes a few minutes. But, it helps maximize the life of your tires and ensures the safe operation of your vehicle. Just follow the steps below for a quick, trouble-free installation.
- Before lifting the vehicle, break the lug nuts loose on the old wheels first. This can be done with a Lug Wrench
or a breaker bar and the correct size Socket.
- Only loosen the lug nuts 1/2 turn. Loosening the nuts any more could cause the wheel to fall off the vehicle, resulting in personal injury and damage to the vehicle.
- Raise the vehicle with a Lift or Floor Jack and
support using Jack Stands.
- Whenever raising a vehicle, make sure it is on a solid, level surface and use Wheel Chocks where appropriate.
- Position each new wheel around the vehicle in the location where it will be installed.
- This is especially important with directional or asymmetrical tires. Check the markings on the tire to ensure it is installed in the proper location.
- Finish removing the lug nuts and old wheels from the vehicle.
- Inspect the wheel studs for any damage such as bending, distortion, or stripped or missing threads.
Replace any damaged wheel studs.
- Clean the threads with a wire brush and / or a Thread Chaser if needed.
- Clean any dirt, rust, road grime, and brake dust that may be present. Also, remove any temporary retaining devices that could be left, such as old stud clips or hub centering rings.
- If you have new lug hardware, double check that the thread size is correct by installing it by hand. There should be no binding. Remove the new hardware when you are satisfied it is correct.
- Test fit each wheel in its final position. Check to make sure the Bolt Pattern matches and the wheel makes full contact with the mating surface on the hub.
- Apply a thin coat of
Anti Seize around the axle hubs to prevent rust and make future tire rotations a little bit easier.
- Do not put Anti Seize on the lug nuts or wheel studs. This could lead to over-torquing and damage the wheel and / or the hardware.
- Install the new wheels and snug up the lug nuts by hand.
- With the tires still off the ground, and the vehicle in Neutral, spin the wheel and tire to make sure that it rotates freely and doesn't come in contact with any of the brake or suspension components.
- As long as everything checks out, torque the lugs according to the wheel manufacturer's
specifications.
- Use a good Torque Wrench and tighten the lugs in a criss-cross pattern.
- Do not use an impact gun to tighten lug nuts. Over-tightening can damage the wheel and / or the hardware. It can also scratch the finish of the wheels, which is ugly and can lead to rust and corrosion.
- Torque all the lugs to about half the total torque value. Then, go around and finish tightening all the lugs to the final torque specs. This will help to ensure that the lug hardware centers the wheel on the axle as intended.
Recommended Lug Nut Torque
Lug Size
Torque Spec
7/16 in.
55 - 65 ft.-lbs.
1/2 in.
75 - 85 ft.-lbs.
9/16 in.
95 - 115 ft.-lbs.
5/8 in.
135 - 145 ft.-lbs.
12mm
72 - 80 ft.-lbs.
14mm
85 - 95 ft.-lbs.
**This is only a guide! Please check with the wheel manufacturer for the exact specifications for your wheels.**
**Lug nuts should be retorqued after 50 - 100 miles of driving. New wheels and hardware will compress slightly during initial use. This is normal, but the hardware must be retorqued to ensure continued safe operation.**
- Safely lower the vehicle to the ground and enjoy your new wheels and tires!