If you’ve ever rotated your tires or fixed a flat, you’ve probably heard someone say, "make sure you tighten your lug nuts after about 20 miles." A lot of people think this is just a suggestion, but it really matters. Just look at the picture above—it’s real. If you skip this step after putting your wheels back on, you’ll wish you hadn’t.
How to install wheels the correct way
Let’s go over the best way to install new wheels or rotate your tires so you don’t get uneven wear. If you just bought your first set of Valor Offroad wheels and can’t wait to put them on, we suggest having a professional do the job. If you need help finding a good dealer or technician, give us a call and we’ll help. If you want to do it yourself, just follow each step below to make sure your installation is safe and correct.
- First, make sure you have the right installation kit and the correct lug nuts. Not all lugs are the same, and if you’re using Valor Offroad wheels, your original lugs won’t fit. You’ll need a spline kit from our Installation Kits. If you’re not sure which lug kit to get, check our Fitment Guide.
- Next, park your vehicle on a flat surface before using a jack. UTVs and ATVs don’t have a parking or emergency brake, so flat ground is the safest place to begin.
- Before you lift your vehicle, use a good torque wrench to loosen the wheel lugs while all four tires are still on the ground. This way, you won’t have to struggle with a stuck lug while the tire is in the air or spinning. Loosening the lugs now makes for a safer swap when the vehicle is on the jack or rack.
- Use a floor jack or your vehicle’s emergency jack to lift your vehicle until the tire spins freely. If you’re putting on larger tires, lift the vehicle high enough to fit them.
- Once your vehicle is safely lifted and the wheel is ready to come off, unscrew all the lugs by hand or with a socket. If you still need the torque wrench, the lugs weren’t loose enough earlier. Go back and loosen them before moving on.
- After you swap out your wheels and tires, finger-tighten your new spline lugs as far as you can.
- Use just the socket (not the torque wrench) to tighten the lugs as much as you can, following a star pattern (see the diagram below).
- Lower the vehicle until the tires touch the ground and the wheel no longer spins.
- Use a torque wrench to tighten each lug to your vehicle’s OEM spec. If you’re not sure what that is, contact your local dealer or check your vehicle’s owner’s handbook.
- Lower the vehicle to the ground. Then use the torque wrench again to make sure all lugs are tightened to spec, following the star pattern below. You’ll hear a click when each lug is properly torqued.
HOW TO TIGHTEN LUGS
But that’s not all!
You must re-torque your lugs to OEM spec after no more than 20 miles. This goes for your daily driver, trailer, lawn mower, and especially your UTV, SxS, or ATV. Want a reminder of what happens if you don’t? Check out the studs below from when my tire wobbled off, leaving the lugs behind.
Warning Signs:
How do I know if my wheel lug nuts are loose?
- Trust your instincts to help prevent a serious accident. If anything feels "off" with your vehicle, don’t wait until you get home. Pull over immediately and conduct a thorough inspection. Check for irregular stud length or abnormal wear on any parts.
- A wobble in your steering wheel is the first dead giveaway that something is up with one or more of your wheels and/or tires. You'll feel a tug on your steering wheel that will make it wobble back and forth. This may be a subtle wobble, but follow step one above and always trust your gut. The wobble may be as simple as you threw a tape weight on your truck wheels or that your alignment is out of whack, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.
- Smoke is a serious warning sign. If you see or smell smoke, you’ve already reached the point of no return. Pull over immediately.
