The more you know about your Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, the better you’ll be equipped to care for it. With proper maintenance habits there’s no reason you can’t get years and years out of your truck. One thing worth knowing: Your truck’s recommended lug nut torque.
What is the Chevy Silverado 2500 HD lug nut torque?
Chevrolet will recommend 140 lb-ft. You can read the owner’s manual to be sure as there may be some exception based on trim level and model year. But generally, Chevy is going to be telling you to torque it to 140 lb-ft.
So, this leads us to a few other questions: How do you make sure your lug nuts are properly torqued, and how often should you check? We’ll get into all of this below. Keep reading and we’ll get into everything you need to know about lug nut torque.
Checking Your Lug Nut Torque
Step one: If you don’t have a torque wrench, get a torque wrench. It’s going to save you thousands of dollars in the long run, putting countless extra miles on your truck. The only downside to investing in a torque wrench is you’re going to outlast your warranty.
Next, learn how to use your torque wrench. Chris Fix has a great video on the subject.
To summarize the important stuff in the video: Your torque wrench can be set to a specific ft. lbs. of pressure. Then you can use the torque wrench to finish tightening your lug nuts, and you’ll hear a click when you hit the right spot. Simple as that.
Chris Fix also gives some solid tips on where to buy a torque wrench, how to select a torque wrench, and how to properly care for it.
Alternately, you could let your mechanic worry about it. But you drive a Silverado. We’re guessing you’re not afraid of doing a little basic maintenance on your own vehicle.
How Often Should You Check Your Lug Nut Torque?
Ask around and you’ll get a dozen different answers on exactly how often you should check the torque on your lug nuts. We can say for certain that you’ll want to re-torque them after the first fifty miles since your last change or rotation.
Beyond that, the truth is that most drivers don’t bother with regular re-torquing at all. It’s a good idea to check now and then, with some drivers recommending monthly checks or once every thousand miles. But it’s not as urgent as an oil change.
You will want to check now and then. The concern is that the metal expanding and contracting with heat and cold, combined with regular driving, will naturally loosen the lug nuts over time. A perfect torque won’t stay that way forever.
But if your wheels are ready to fly off the axle, you won’t need a torque wrench to notice that there’s a problem.
Not to say you shouldn’t check, not to say you shouldn’t make a habit of it, but if you let it slip one month, you’ll be fine as long as you’ve re-torqued since the last time you had the wheel off the truck.
Drive Smart, Drive Safe
We love trucks that are powerful, that are comfortable, that are built to last. But we really love trucks that are easy to take care of. Read your Vehicle History, know how to properly maintain your ride, and it should last you for a long time.
