MTFCA Forum

I’m a 2 year owner of a 26T coupe with wire wheels. While waking her up for Spring I checked all of the wheel lugs and found several loose. I’m not sure how tight they should be. Is there a suggested torque # that is safe to use?

The original wrench for that was a "T" handle wrench and in my mind's-eye, I'd say the handle was about12" long, so the "torque" would be a good strong two-handed twist on that (which if measured with a torque wrench would not be a huge amount).

There were no torque ratings for anything on a "T" and wrench length was the limiting factor that an average man could put into it...so there was a wide range of "acceptable". Axle and perch nuts had very long-handled wrenches and differential bolts had wrenches that were barely longer than a man's palm was wide.

Photo Courtesy of Brian Dowell

Thanks Scott

I have never used a torque wrench on the lugs of my 26 wire wheels. I use a X type wrench about a foot across.
I think one important thing about tightening them is to do one side not all the way tight and then skip a nut and do one on the opposite side, then go back to the one next to the first one you tightened until you are all the way around. Then tighten them all in the same order as first pulling as hard as you can. This way you will not distort anything.
Norm

Norm gives correct info......same as can be read in the Ford Instruction Book (Owner's Manual) for the 1926-1927 Improved Car, just use the Ford supplied wire wheel wrench.

Tighten the lug nuts in a criss-cross pattern in 3 or 4 stages. Be sure all parts are clean and in good condition. Drive the car for 10 miles or so, then re-check all the lug nuts and snug them up if needed using the same pattern.

If your wheels and hubs have a lot of paint or powdercoat on them, I'd check the lug nuts for tightness every 200 miles or so. Once seated on clean surfaces, they will stay tight. Wheels that have worn or damaged lug holes may not stay tight.