Lug Nut Torque Specs for Wrangler, Bronco, Tacoma and 4Runner
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A Jeep Wrangler JL or Gladiator takes 130 ft-lb on its lug nuts, an older Wrangler JK takes 100 ft-lb, and a 2022 Bronco takes 100 lb-ft. Toyota is where most charts go wrong. A 2023-and-older Tacoma is 83 ft-lb, but the 2024-and-newer Tacoma, the 2025 4Runner and the 2024 Tundra list 97 ft-lb for alloy wheels and 154 ft-lb for steel wheels.
Every number below comes from the manufacturer's own owner's manual, linked in the table. Use the lookup tool to pull up your truck, then follow the tightening order and re-check the nuts after a short drive.
Lug nut torque by vehicle (from the owner's manuals)
| Vehicle (manual checked) | Lug nut torque | Thread / socket | Re-check note in the manual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler JL (2024 manual, p. 357) | 130 ft-lb (176 N·m); spare on swing gate 59 ft-lb (80 N·m) | M14 x 1.50 / 22 mm | Torque any time a wheel is removed and reinstalled |
| Jeep Gladiator JT (2023 manual) | 130 ft-lb (176 N·m) | M14 x 1.50 / 22 mm | Torque any time a wheel is removed and reinstalled |
| Jeep Wrangler JK (2016 and 2018 manuals) | 100 ft-lb (135 N·m) | ½" x 20 / 19 mm | 2018 manual: check torque after 25 miles |
| Ford Bronco (2022 manual) | 100 lb-ft (135 N·m) | M12 x 1.5 / not listed | Retighten within 100 miles after any wheel disturbance |
| Toyota Tacoma, 2nd gen (2015 manual) | 83 ft-lb (113 N·m) | Not listed | Check nuts are still tight after 100 miles |
| Toyota Tacoma, 3rd gen (2023 manual) | 83 ft-lb (113 N·m) | Not listed | Not stated in the tire-change section |
| Toyota Tacoma, 4th gen (2024 and 2025 manuals) | Steel wheel 154 ft-lb (209 N·m); aluminum wheel 97 ft-lb (131 N·m) | Not listed | Retighten within 100 miles |
| Toyota 4Runner, 5th gen (2024 manual) | Steel wheel 83 ft-lb (112 N·m); aluminum wheel 76 ft-lb (103 N·m) | Not listed | Check torque as soon as possible after a tire change |
| Toyota 4Runner, 6th gen (2025 manual) | Steel wheel 154 ft-lb (209 N·m); aluminum wheel 97 ft-lb (131 N·m) | Not listed | Retighten within 100 miles |
| Toyota Tundra (2024 manual) | Steel wheel 154 ft-lb (209 N·m); aluminum wheel 97 ft-lb (131 N·m) | Not listed | Check torque as soon as possible after a tire change |
Two things jump out. Toyota splits its newer trucks by wheel material, so a 2024 Tacoma on steel wheels needs over 50% more torque than the same truck on alloys. And the full-size Bronco is not a 150 lb-ft truck, at least not per its 2022 manual.
If your vehicle or year isn't in the table, look in the owner's manual under "Wheel and tire torque specifications" (Jeep), "Changing a road wheel" (Ford) or the flat-tire section (Toyota). That page beats any chart, including this one.
Lug Nut Torque Lookup Tool
Pick your vehicle and wheel type. The tool shows the factory torque in ft-lb and N·m, the socket and thread the manual lists, and the tightening order for your stud count. If you run aftermarket wheels or lug nuts, enter the torque their maker publishes and the tool flags any gap.
The tool uses only the values in the table above, including the manuals' own N·m figures. Thread and socket sizes show "not listed" where the owner's manual doesn't give them.
Changing tire sizes along with wheels? Run the new size through the tire size calculator for diameter and speedometer error before you buy, and check that the tires can carry the truck with the tire load index chart.
Why online torque charts disagree with your manual
We checked three of the most visible "torque chart by vehicle" pages on October 25, 2026. One lists the 2018-and-newer Wrangler at 95 to 100 ft-lb on M12 studs and the Gladiator at 100 ft-lb. Jeep's manuals say 130 ft-lb on M14 x 1.50 studs for both.
The Bronco is worse. Charts list it at 150 lb-ft, and one vehicle-specific page shows 84 ft-lb on a 5-lug pattern. The 2022 Bronco manual says 100 lb-ft on M12 x 1.5 studs. Some sites list the Raptor separately; we didn't verify a Raptor value, so check that truck's own manual.
Toyota changed the numbers with its newer trucks. Charts that say "Tacoma 2016+: 85 ft-lb" or "4Runner 2010+: 83 ft-lb" miss the steel and alloy split. They also miss the jump to 97 and 154 ft-lb on the 2024 Tacoma, 2025 4Runner and 2024 Tundra.
Model years overlap, too. The JK row shows it: the 2016 and 2018 manuals both say 100 ft-lb, but forum posts quote other figures for earlier JK years. If your year isn't one we checked, the manual for that exact year is the answer.
How to torque lug nuts the right way
- Clean the threads and mating faces. Ford's torque values assume threads free of dirt and rust, and it says to clean corrosion off the wheel and hub faces. Jeep says to remove dirt or oil before tightening.
- Don't oil or grease the studs. Toyota's 2024 Tacoma manual warns that oil or grease can over-tighten the nuts and damage studs or the wheel, and can also let them loosen. Wipe it off if it's there.
- Face the nuts the right way. Toyota says to install the tapered end of the nut facing inward, toward the wheel.
- Snug all nuts by hand, then tighten in the star (5-lug) or crisscross (6-lug) order with the wheel lowered onto the ground.
- Go to full torque with a torque wrench. Jeep's manuals call for a properly calibrated torque wrench and a star pattern until each nut has been tightened twice. Toyota says to tighten each nut two or three times in order.
- Re-check after a short drive. Ford says within 100 miles after any wheel disturbance. Toyota's 2024-and-newer manuals say within 100 miles. Jeep's 2018 JK manual says after 25 miles.
A ½-inch-drive click wrench covers every number in the table only if its range tops 154 ft-lb. A 10–150 ft-lb wrench comes up short for a Toyota on steel wheels. The LEXIVON LX-184 ½-inch drive click torque wrench (25–250 ft-lb) is one option with headroom; check the current price on Amazon.
Match the socket to your nuts: the Jeep JL and Gladiator manuals list 22 mm, the JK 19 mm. Jeep calls for a six-sided deep-wall socket, so pick one like a 22 mm 6-point deep socket, ½-inch drive or a 19 mm 6-point deep socket.
Impact wrench or torque wrench?
None of the manuals here give an impact-gun setting. They give a torque value and, in Jeep's case, name the tool: a calibrated torque wrench. An impact can't tell you when you've hit 97 or 130 ft-lb.
If you spin nuts on with an impact, stop at snug and do the final passes by hand with the torque wrench. That's also the only way to know you haven't gone past an aftermarket lug nut's rating.
Aftermarket wheels and lug nuts
The factory value assumes factory nuts on factory wheels. Toyota says to use only wheel nuts designed for the wheel you're installing, and Jeep tells owners to use dealer-recommended lug nuts or bolts.
Aftermarket wheels change seat type and sometimes nut size, and some aftermarket nuts carry their own maximum rating. JL owners have reported sets rated below the 130 ft-lb factory spec. When the two numbers disagree, ask the wheel or lug maker which one applies before you drive.
Spacers and new offsets bring their own fitment math. Our guide to wheel offset and backspacing for 35s on a Wrangler or Tacoma walks through it.
After a trail flat: torque on the spare
Off-road, the spare often goes on with the factory lug wrench, on a slope, with no torque wrench in sight. That's fine to get moving, but it's exactly the "wheel disturbance" Ford and Toyota tell you to re-check within 100 miles.
Pack the torque wrench and the right socket with your recovery gear, and torque the spare at the next flat spot. On a JL, the spare goes back on the swing gate at 59 ft-lb, not 130.
Better yet, avoid the swap. Many punctures can be fixed in place; see how to plug a flat on the trail and when you can't. Air back up to street pressure before the highway with the off-road tire pressure calculator as a guide.
Why loose lug nuts are a recall-level problem
Ford's 2023 recall 23S17 (NHTSA 23V283 owner letter) told some 2023 Bronco owners not to drive until the torque on the left-side lug nuts had been verified. The letter points owners to the wheel nut torque section of the manual.
That's a factory assembly line. At home or on the trail, the fix is the same: the right number, a torque wrench, the right order, and a re-check.
Lug nut torque FAQ
What is the lug nut torque on a Jeep Wrangler JL?
130 ft-lb (176 N·m) on M14 x 1.50 studs with a 22 mm socket, per the 2024 Wrangler owner's manual. The spare on the swing gate is 59 ft-lb (80 N·m).
Is Bronco lug nut torque 100 or 150 lb-ft?
The 2022 Bronco owner's manual lists 100 lb-ft (135 N·m) for M12 x 1.5 lug nuts. We didn't verify a separate Raptor figure, so Raptor owners should check their own manual.
Why does a 2024 Tacoma have two lug nut torque values?
Toyota lists one value for steel wheels (154 ft-lb) and one for aluminum wheels (97 ft-lb). Use the one that matches the wheel you're installing, including the spare.
Do I need to re-torque lug nuts after a tire rotation?
Yes. Ford says within 100 miles after any wheel disturbance, Toyota's 2024-and-newer manuals say within 100 miles, and Jeep's 2018 JK manual says after 25 miles.
Should I put anti-seize or oil on lug studs?
Toyota says never to use oil or grease on wheel bolts or nuts, because it can over-tighten them or let them loosen. Ford's values assume clean threads free of dirt and rust.
I'm Suryashankar Dasgupta, the founder of Off-Road Handbook. I've been off-roading for years in the USA, including California and Texas, and have ridden mountain and desert terrain abroad. I've also driven a Jeep Compass for more than seven years, so I know the day-to-day side of Jeep ownership first-hand, from the Uconnect screen to the warning lights. Every guide here is researched from manufacturer owner's manuals, NHTSA recall and service-bulletin records and other trusted sources, checked against them before it is published, and corrected when we find a mistake. You can read how we work in our editorial policy: https://offroadhandbook.com/editorial-policy/
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