Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD/5500HD/6500HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12102101) - 2019 - crc - 10/2/18
342
Vehicle Care
6. Hand-start all wheel nuts to
prevent cross-threading.
7. Starting with the nut at 12
o
’
clock position and using the
appropriate star or crisscross
pattern, run the wheel nuts
down the wheel studs with an
impact wrench until they are
snug against the wheel. The
purpose of this step is to snug
the wheel(s) in the correct
position, not to apply the final
torque. The tightening of each
nut should be stopped
immediately when the wheel is
contacted, and result in a
wheel nut torque well below the
final specified torque.
8. Use a calibrated torque wrench
to apply the specified torque to
each wheel nut in the
sequence specified in the
wheel nut torque sequence
diagram above. See
.
9. All wheels undergo a process
called joint settling when
placed in service after a wheel
installation has been
performed. This process results
in a reduction in the torque on
the wheel nuts. To correct this
condition, operate the vehicle
normally for approximately
80 km (50 mi), then use a
calibrated torque wrench to
re-torque the wheel nuts to
specification using the
appropriate pattern shown in
the wheel nut torque sequence
diagram.
10. As part of a daily pretrip
inspection, look for loose or
missing wheel nuts. Also, look
for rust streaks extending
outward from the wheel nuts.
This can be an indicator that
one or more wheel nuts are
loose, even if they cannot be
turned by hand. Normal
periodic maintenance should
also include checking the
wheel nut torque with a torque
wrench.
Wheel Nut Torque Maintenance
Tighten and maintain the wheel and
rim mounting nuts to the proper
torque. Loose nuts or overtightened
nuts can lead to premature wear
and possible failure of the wheel,
rim, and/or mounting hardware.
Used Replacement Wheels
{
Warning
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
