Tire Shop used Impact Gun to Tighten Lug Nuts

D_SheerDrivingPleasure · 11-09-2020, 01:48 PM

Today I had a local shop mount winter tires on used 437M wheels that I just purchased from a forum member. To save time I asked the shop to put the winter set on the car. Before I could intervene, I caught the tech tightened my front left wheel with his impact gun. Needless to say, I am finding a new shop.

Does anyone know how to check for stretched or stripped threads? Out of caution, should I replace all 5 lug nuts? Any other guidance is appreciated.

jfritz27 · 11-09-2020, 02:36 PM

As long as you can get them off with a non-crazy amount of force, don't sweat a one-time offense too much. I'm sure everything is fine.

I recently had a horrible experience at my DEALER, where they massively overtorqued my one wheel unbeknownst to me -- I only found out after driving 3 hours for my first event at Lime Rock, only to not be able to get my rear wheels off at the track and rounding off one of the nuts using a breaker bar in the process (TIP: only use a hex head socket, not a star/12pt). Had to then get a set of bolt extractors to get it off. Ugh, that sucked.

D_SheerDrivingPleasure · 11-09-2020, 02:53 PM

thanks. I appreciate the reassurance. I would have expected better from a dealership.

Funny, this summer I chatted with an F80 owner at LRP that was experiencing the problem you describe. SCDA event. Was it you? I was driving a spec Miata that day.

Ant_tc · 11-09-2020, 03:28 PM

Was he hammering his impact or just zipping them in? We use impact guns at our shop but we let off right when you hear it hammer and torque afterwards. Now if the tech is giving it some ugga chuggas for an extended period of time I would consider going elsewhere.

JamesGames · 11-09-2020, 05:13 PM

I don't think there's any wrong w/ using an impact wrench as long as the user backs off right when the impacts/hammering starts occurring, and switches to a torque wrench. Somewhat technique sensitive.

Now if he was banging that impact wrench over and over well... buy 5 lugs now

jfritz27 · 11-09-2020, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerekLimeRock

thanks. I appreciate the reassurance. I would have expected better from a dealership.

Funny, this summer I chatted with an F80 owner at LRP that was experiencing the problem you describe. SCDA event. Was it you? I was driving a spec Miata that day.

Hah, yeah, that was me! Go figure! At that point you were in process of getting your F80, right? If so, congrats!

TopJimmy · 11-09-2020, 09:18 PM

Just pull the lugs and eyeball for damage. As long as he hand threaded the bolts the impacter probably didn't hurt anything. I use one to zip bolts in before using my TQw.

Conti. · 11-11-2020, 08:54 PM

Some impact guns have a lower pressure setting to so it shouldn't be an issue...as long as he wasn't hammering away at them. If you have a stud conversion kit then I would be worried but if it was the OEM lugs then no biggie, you'll be fine. From what I've seen, the majority of techs at dealerships actually use impact guns and not a torque wrench.

sc_tr0jan_m3 · 11-11-2020, 10:01 PM

There's nothing wrong w using the gun as long as you hand thread them first.

BzsBimmer · 11-11-2020, 10:41 PM

They also could have used torque limiting sticks.

My son and I went through this with his 335. The tire shop he went to must’ve used an impact and didn’t hand start. Threads were cross threaded and we had to chase the threads for a temporary solution until he could make it to his mechanic to replace the rear hubs. PITA

11-09-2020, 01:48 PM	#1
D_SheerDrivingPleasure Captain 1093 Rep 919 Posts Drives: F80 Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	Tire Shop used Impact Gun to Tighten Lug Nuts Today I had a local shop mount winter tires on used 437M wheels that I just purchased from a forum member. To save time I asked the shop to put the winter set on the car. Before I could intervene, I caught the tech tightened my front left wheel with his impact gun. Needless to say, I am finding a new shop. Does anyone know how to check for stretched or stripped threads? Out of caution, should I replace all 5 lug nuts? Any other guidance is appreciated.
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11-09-2020, 02:36 PM	#2
jfritz27 Major 1107 Rep 1,301 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 CS Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	As long as you can get them off with a non-crazy amount of force, don't sweat a one-time offense too much. I'm sure everything is fine. I recently had a horrible experience at my DEALER, where they massively overtorqued my one wheel unbeknownst to me -- I only found out after driving 3 hours for my first event at Lime Rock, only to not be able to get my rear wheels off at the track and rounding off one of the nuts using a breaker bar in the process (TIP: only use a hex head socket, not a star/12pt). Had to then get a set of bolt extractors to get it off. Ugh, that sucked.
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11-09-2020, 02:53 PM	#3
D_SheerDrivingPleasure Captain 1093 Rep 919 Posts Drives: F80 Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	thanks. I appreciate the reassurance. I would have expected better from a dealership. Funny, this summer I chatted with an F80 owner at LRP that was experiencing the problem you describe. SCDA event. Was it you? I was driving a spec Miata that day.
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11-09-2020, 03:28 PM	#4
Ant_tc Private First Class 51 Rep 139 Posts Drives: 2017 BMW M3 30 Jahre Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Was he hammering his impact or just zipping them in? We use impact guns at our shop but we let off right when you hear it hammer and torque afterwards. Now if the tech is giving it some ugga chuggas for an extended period of time I would consider going elsewhere.
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11-09-2020, 05:13 PM	#5
JamesGames Major 1326 Rep 1,481 Posts Drives: E60 550i\|F82 M4\|F48 X1\|VA STi Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: SOCAL iTrader: (0)	I don't think there's any wrong w/ using an impact wrench as long as the user backs off right when the impacts/hammering starts occurring, and switches to a torque wrench. Somewhat technique sensitive. Now if he was banging that impact wrench over and over well... buy 5 lugs now
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11-09-2020, 09:18 PM	#7
TopJimmy Major General 5459 Rep 5,152 Posts Drives: 2023 M3 Comp xDrive Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Chester County, PA iTrader: (5)	Just pull the lugs and eyeball for damage. As long as he hand threaded the bolts the impacter probably didn't hurt anything. I use one to zip bolts in before using my TQw. __________________ '18 F80 Base 6MT \| '19 F82 Exec DCT \| '18 F82 Comp Exec DCT \| '23 G80cx
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11-11-2020, 08:54 PM	#8
Conti. Lieutenant 86 Rep 488 Posts Drives: 16' Azurite F80 M3 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: CT iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 M3 [0.00]	Some impact guns have a lower pressure setting to so it shouldn't be an issue...as long as he wasn't hammering away at them. If you have a stud conversion kit then I would be worried but if it was the OEM lugs then no biggie, you'll be fine. From what I've seen, the majority of techs at dealerships actually use impact guns and not a torque wrench. __________________ 2016 AB F80 M3 6MT ///BMW M Performance \| Motorsport Hardware \| BM3 \| AA \| EMB \| BMS \| RKP \| IND
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11-11-2020, 10:01 PM	#9
sc_tr0jan_m3 Lieutenant Colonel 519 Rep 1,730 Posts Drives: 2018 Grigio Telesto F80 M3 DCT Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0)	There's nothing wrong w using the gun as long as you hand thread them first. __________________ 2018 Grigio Telesto F80 M3 DCT \| :: Bone Stock :: 2004 Titanium Silver E46 M3 6 Speed \| :: Track Car ::
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11-11-2020, 10:41 PM	#10
BzsBimmer Major General 3274 Rep 6,723 Posts Drives: '23 G80 FO M3, M3 & MY Tezzy's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Nor. Cal iTrader: (32)	They also could have used torque limiting sticks. My son and I went through this with his 335. The tire shop he went to must’ve used an impact and didn’t hand start. Threads were cross threaded and we had to chase the threads for a temporary solution until he could make it to his mechanic to replace the rear hubs. PITA
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