'04 MCS, assuming I have the smaller lugs, 12mm? I had the wheels off last weekend, and today when I went to take them off again a couple were hand loose Most likely because I neglected to scrape the paint off the spot where the bolts meet the wheels, after painting them.

Any how, I torqued them all to 110 ft/lb this time around with little effort. I'll check them again tomorrow after a long drive..

Question is - should I loosen them off to 88 ft/lb, since that's spec, or will I be okay at 110?

 

I would lower the torque to 88 ft/lb.

 

Personally, I would torque to spec but that's just me. I don't want to responsible with your wheels falling off.

 

:D Just curious if it'll hurt anything having them at 110, since they didn't strip or anything =p

 

I've loosened over-torqued wheels before then later tightened them to spec. Some felt like a shop used an impact wrench to over tighten... You should be okay as long as you check them a few times until you're comfortable.

 

Alrighty. Should I jack the car up when I loosen/retighten or leave it on the ground? Not too sure about these quirky lug bolts.

 

Yeah, I would say the paint in between the lug bolts and rims is the issue. If memory serves, MINI did not switch from 12mm to 14mm bolts until late '06. 12mm should be 88 ft/lbs, and 14mm should be 103 ft/lbs. Overtorquing stretches the threads. You might want to check the bolts, as well as the rotor thread holes, with a tap and die set to make sure they are still good.

 

I did scrape all the paint off thoroughly this time around. I'll borrow a tap set from work and check them..you have me worried now :O

 

Leave it on the ground. Just loosen it but don't spin it more than a half spin. Retighten to spec from there.

 

Thanks, will do :D

 

Don't forget to retorque them after you've driven a few miles.