Lug Nut Torque Specs

Tried looking it up on the Samba, but didn't find anything. With 5 lug Beetles I always made them tight all the way around, then dropped the car and tightened each lug again until it "squeaked". Anyone who ever owned an older bug will know. How this transfers if you have aluminum wheels and different lug nuts I know not...

Wide Fives and regular wheels seem to have the same setting:

70 - 90 foot pounds for the lug nuts/bolts

Wide Fives are 70-ish, 4-lug are 80-ish

I have always done them Al's way - You get a feel for it after a while.

It also depends on stud/lug bolt size.

I have Airkewld hubs/brakes with 14mm press-in studs and 911 steel ball-seat lug nuts.

I use 80-90 ft. lbs. At a recent track day with the Spyder, the tech guys go around all 20 nuts with a torque wrench before you are allowed on track. None of mine moved.

I use 90 on the BMW, but I used to use 80 on the Speedster.

I have been using 90 on 14mm 4-lug wheels.  I do 60 first and them bring them up to 90.  I check them after about 100 miles.

I have studs and ball nuts (for my wheels).

Thanks for all the feedback.

FYI, I checked the torque on original Fuchs and P with 911 front end and the torque setting is 94 ft/lbs so it seems around 90 lbs is the magic number from what I found and it is the same for my VW Jetta. 

90 ft. lbs is for 14mm lug nuts. The wide 5 lug nuts are 12mm and will take less.

70 ft/lbs for 12mm

90 ft/lbs for 14mm

It is important to be sure you have the correct torque.  The first time I drove my Speedster I was taking it to have the wheels aligned.  A front wheel came off.

I am trying to diagnosis a shake in the front end at about 65 MPH.  The wheels don't seem to have a flat spot.  The wheel bearings don't seem to make any noise when loaded from side to side.  It doesn't appear that the either wheel through a balancing weight.   I was thinking about pulling the bearing and seeing if there is any signs of deterioration or scoring on the races.  I have check the lug nutts and they are all torqued correctly.  Any thoughts?

Lots of wheels aren't round which I found out after having your same problem right when I first bought my car.  Then the obvious---see if a good wheel balance helps.  

Also the front alignment could be off so get that checked.  If the bearings aren't noisy and you can't wiggle the wheels when the car is on a lift on a lift  the bearings are probably ok.

Balance and alignment are the most likely culprits.  I'm far from expert but bearings don't seem to be your problem.

When I got my Speedster with 300 miles on it the shake was so bad that I could only go 35 mph for the 250 miles back home.  I have an old timer VW wheel and alignment guy and now my ride is as smooth as a new Cadillac.  Two of my wheels were out of round and the alignment was way off. 

I once drove from Richmond to Hot Springs, Ar with a growling front wheel bearing. It felt and sounded like it was right under my feet.  But the ride was still smooth.  

Good luck!

Shake in the front end at 65? You've checked the bearings. Next check wheel runout. Then balance. Then Caster: possibly you need a set or two of shims between the lower front beam tube and the frame(along with the longer lower bolts).

While you're in there, check for pitman/steering arm tightness. a sixteenth of a turn can and will make a difference. Tie-rod ends tight or used and worn? Ball joints?

Lastly, it could be as simple as a steering stabilizer.

I bought front discs from socal imports that had .73 thousanths of and inch run out (Non concentric). It's too bad few vw part mfgers make quality parts.

Bobby,

65MPH is the magic number for wheel/tire imbalance.  In my experience the shake of a misbalanced wheel comes on at 65 and goes away (or at least lessens) at 70.  You do get a very similar feeling with runout, especially radial.  Sometimes standard spin balance isn't enough and a road force balance is required.

Thank all.  I will go get them balance when I get back from vacation.