Lug nut covers

[73shark]

Most mfg. recommend checking the torque on aluminum wheels after 50 miles. Don't remember if Airstream addresses this.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Good information - thanks for posting. Is there a reason you increased the lug nut torque above the recommended 130 ft/lbs?


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

I just checked my owner's manual; turns out the specified lug nut torque on 3500 Sprinter is 133 lb-ft (180 Nm) to be precise.

[ponderosaTX]

The information in the owner's manuals for my 2010 Airstream Interstate is a bit confusing. I originally relied on the 133 lb-ft figure given on page C-6 but when I subsequently searched the manual for torque specifications for aluminum wheels, I found the following on page J-1 near the back of the manual:

--------------------------------------------------
Steel Wheels: 133 Lbf/ Ft. + or - 14 Lbf. /Ft.
Aluminum Wheels: 140 Lbf/Ft.
--------------------------------------------------

This entry appears to be the only torque information specifically for the Alcoa aluminum wheels anywhere in the manual.

My 2010 Airstream Interstate is built on a 2008 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 chassis. According to p. 625 of my 2008 Freightliner manual (which is essentially identical to a 2008 Dodge Sprinter manual), the proper torque for steel wheels is 133 lb-ft, but there is no specification for Alcoa aluminum wheels or similar OE equipment. According to the table on this page, alloy wheels were available from the factory on the Sprinter 2500 but not the Sprinter 3500. Hence, I concluded that I should rely on the torque specifications for aluminum wheels given the AI owner's manual.

Given this information, I re-torqued my wheels (using my new closed end lug nuts) to 140 lb-ft. When I realized that I should change the torque on my wheel nuts from 133 lb-ft to 140 lb-ft, I was very glad that I had replaced the open lug nuts + covers on my AI with closed end lug nuts.

[73shark]

Does it say anything about retorquing after a specified mileage?

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by ponderosaTX

The information in the owner's manuals for my 2010 Airstream Interstate is a bit confusing. I originally relied on the 133 lb-ft figure given on page C-6 but when I subsequently searched the manual for torque specifications for aluminum wheels, I found the following on page J-1 near the back of the manual:

--------------------------------------------------
Steel Wheels: 133 Lbf/ Ft. + or - 14 Lbf. /Ft.
Aluminum Wheels: 140 Lbf/Ft.
--------------------------------------------------

This entry appears to be the only torque information specifically for the Alcoa aluminum wheels anywhere in the manual.

My 2010 Airstream Interstate is built on a 2008 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 chassis. According to p. 625 of my 2008 Freightliner manual (which is essentially identical to a 2008 Dodge Sprinter manual), the proper torque for steel wheels is 133 lb-ft, but there is no specification for Alcoa aluminum wheels or similar OE equipment. According to the table on this page, alloy wheels were available from the factory on the Sprinter 2500 but not the Sprinter 3500. Hence, I concluded that I should rely on the torque specifications for aluminum wheels given the AI owner's manual...

Thanks for the details. The Interstate owner manual that came with my 2013 model has the same exact info. I don't think there is much to worry about between 133 or 140 ft/lb torque settings as the wheels on our 3500 Sprinter models are all hub piloted and the lug nuts just hold the wheel on while the hub shoulders keep the wheel located and carry the weight. Also the steel vs. alloy settings don't make much sense when you consider that the rear duals are a combination of steel inner and alloy outer wheels.

I did look in my 2012 Sprinter owner manual and it clearly says 133 ft/lb for lug nuts. I have no idea where Airstream came up with the 140 value in our older Interstate manuals. The more recent Interstate owner manuals, like 2016, only have the 133 value.

I've attached the relevant pages from the 2012 Sprinter and 2016 Interstate manuals.

73shark - you can see in these pages that there are several comments on re-torqueing after either 30 miles or 600 miles for newly painted wheels