All - for any who saw my brake upgrade post, you know I just did a pile of work that required the wheels off. I also took a 400 mile trip the weekend after the upgrade. Well in all my running around I FORGOT to check the wheel lug torque after a week of driving. Result:

Nice day, windows open, a few spirited runs on the highway (read - a lot faster than posted), at about 80 MPH an issue. In an instant, sudden shutter and shake. Fortunately I got on the shoulder right away. After looking for a flat it occurred that maybe I had some lose lugs. Grabbed the socket from the back and checked each wheel. Well, all were a bit loose, but the left front was ready to come off. I put the socket on and it spun so freely that I thought i missed the nut. Well, all 5 were like that. I give it 1/4 mile and I would have bought the farm.

I tightened them, got it home, pulled all 4 wheels, checked all lugs and rim seats, all looked OK. My torque wrench is now in my office as a reminder to check the lugs in a few days.


MOREL TO THIS STORY - DON'T BE A JACKASS LIKE ME AND FORGET TO CHECK. If your wheels come off - put a sticky note in the car to check them again in a few days. At the speed I was going, it would have been horrific.

That is all - back to licking my wounds now . . . . .

OHH NOOO,,, that would of been bad news right there ,,,,,at least u caught it before it got worse ,,,,lol,,imma go check my lug nuts nowww

thanks for the reminder.

how often shud you check them?

200 - 500 miles after the wheel has been removed and remounted (google). In my case it was about 400 miles before it came loose. I am going to log 150 - 200 and then recheck as the last thing I want to see is my wheel pass me on the highway.

great post, little things that we usually take for granted. I'm going to check all my cars tonight.

Glad you caught it in the time. What is the correct torque for the Cayenne? Also is it vehicle dependent or wheel dependent. For example - is it the same for 19 or 22 inch rims, factory or aftermarket, regular lug bolts or titanium. etc?

Porsche says 100 lbs. You can go a little longer but I would not go more then 110.
I did not see any references to diff Vals for rim size.

I read 118 lbs of torque in the manual. FYI: Premature brake rotor death often due to improperly torqued lug nuts. As a result, they warp.

Yep, my 2005 Owners manual (P. 285) says 118 ftlbs.

Yep...it's one of those things we take for granted...this wasn't on a pcar but just had tires mounted and pulled out of the tire store...at the first turn...the car felt "different"..I turned around and went back to the shops parking lot and checked the front tire...on the driver side...all 5 nuts were sitting at the edge...the shop must of hand torqued them and forgot to finish the job...thank god I turned around and no additional damage was done

Yes it is 118 ft/lbs not 100.

it seems like 118 ft/lbs is pretty tight for lug nuts???? On my 911 I think spec is somewhere in the high 90's...

yep 118lbs