BMW 1 Series

Hi, can anyone tell me the corect torque setting for wheel nuts, also, is it important you use a torque rench? These days all professional tyre fitters seem to use one, but they never used to.

I think a lot of companies have included this in the process of changing tyres simply because of claims. In case a tyre comes off, they will have covered their bases and can pass the buck. It's all about the money. All that said, I don't know what the correct torque setting unfortunately.

It's about 120Nm or 90lb/ft is what i've heard around the forums. Ye it is funny how they are only starting to use them now.
Personnal view here.
I would say that tighting the bolts to the correct torque is important. Undertighten them and they may not sit correctly on the hubs, wheels will wobble or work loose through vibration. But too tight and your adding stress to the bolts which there not designed for and could shear under load. Also over tightening them could cause damage to the alloy were the bolts sit.

Remember the main reason why they torque bolts (in most applications) is to stop them from working loose through vibration or movement of a component.

i think it should be 90nm

When reading the question, 90nm was the first thing to pop into my head too, dunno where I read it, but there it was, before looking at any of the other replies. (so I wasn't influenced by them )

90 Nm say goodbye to your alloys .
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=410371
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231753
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoWheelTorque.jsp

my other car is a peugeot206, the hayness manual says tighten with 90nm

I believe it is 120nm for the BMW. The locking wheel nut can probably tightened just 90nm as if this is over tightened then you risk shearing off the head of the locking wheel nut pattern

I think that on the basis of no concensus here, I will call a dealer and ask!

Torque settings are supposed to be relative to the thread size and M12 usually equals 110NM , my old lotus used M12 17mm bolts the same as the Bimmer and had 110NM recommended in it manual, though I have seen 120NM recorded on other bimmer sites. My view is 110NM minimum and check regularly until your happy they aren't loosening, note new nuts /wheels will usually require a bedding in period until they hold thier torque values, which includes refurbs or wheel swaps..