Jeep Wrangler lug nut torque specs

From the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual (Wheel And Tires: Torque Specifications and Spare Tire Torque Specifications, page 353), read October 29, 2026. Other model years can differ; check your own manual.

The manual says to use only authorized dealer recommended lug nuts/bolts, and to clean or remove any dirt or oil before tightening. Before mounting a tire, inspect the wheel mounting surface and remove any corrosion or loose particles.

How to tighten Wrangler lug nuts

The 2026 Wrangler manual describes proper lug nut/bolt torque as very important to ensure that the wheel is properly mounted to the vehicle. Its tightening rules:

• Use a properly calibrated torque wrench with a six-sided (hex) deep wall socket.
• Make sure the socket is fully engaged on the lug nut/bolt; do not insert it halfway.
• Tighten the lug nuts/bolts in a star pattern until each nut/bolt has been tightened twice.
• To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not tighten the lug nuts/bolts fully until the vehicle has been lowered.
• After 25 miles (40 km), check the lug nut/bolt torque to be sure that all the lug nuts/bolts are properly seated against the wheel.

From the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual (Wheel And Tires, pages 353 and 354), read October 29, 2026.

Changing a tire on a Wrangler

The jack and lug wrench are in the rear cargo area: lift the load floor, then remove the hardware storage cover by pinching the latch on the left side and pulling upward. The spare tire is on the swing gate behind a rear camera cover. Before jacking, the manual says to park on a firm, level surface away from moving traffic and avoid ice or slippery areas, turn on the hazard warning flashers, apply the parking brake, shift an automatic transmission into PARK (a manual into REVERSE), turn the ignition OFF, and block both the front and rear of the wheel diagonally opposite the jacking position. Passengers should not remain in the vehicle while it is raised.

To get the spare down, remove the tire cover if equipped, then remove the rear camera cover by turning its lock bolt counterclockwise with the #T40 Torx head driver and ratchet from the supplied tool kit. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench, turning them counterclockwise; if equipped, remove the locking lug nut with the lock key, which the manual says is located in the glove box. Then, to change the tire:

1. Loosen, but do not remove, the wheel lug nuts by turning them to the left one turn while the wheel is still on the ground.
2. Assemble the jack and jacking tools: connect the jack handle driver to the extension, then to the lug wrench.
3. Operate the jack from the front or the rear of the vehicle and place it under the axle tube. Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure the jack is fully engaged.
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw clockwise, only until the tire just clears the surface and there is enough clearance to install the spare.
5. Remove the lug nuts and wheel, and mount the spare tire on the axle.
6. Install the lug nuts with the cone-shaped end toward the wheel and lightly tighten them clockwise.
7. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw counterclockwise, and remove the jack.
8. Finish tightening in a star pattern until each nut has been tightened twice. If in doubt about the correct tightness, have them checked with a torque wrench by an authorized dealer or at a service station.
9. After 25 miles (40 km), check the lug nut torque with a torque wrench.

If your Wrangler came with factory-equipped 35-inch (88.9 cm) tires, the manual says a jack lift block is provided in the rear cargo area to give higher ground clearance; the bottom of the jack must fit securely inside the raised edges of the block. Never put any part of your body under a vehicle that is on a jack, and never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a jack.

From the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual (Jacking The Vehicle And Wheel Changing, pages 260 to 263), read October 29, 2026.

Stowing the flat on the swing gate

After the change, the manual says to remove the jack assembly and wheel blocks, secure the jack and tools in their proper locations, and secure the damaged wheel and tire on the spare tire carrier, torquing down the lug nuts and the locking lug nut. Return the lock bolt to the lock position on the camera cover by turning it clockwise with the #40 Torx head driver, then slip the camera cover back over the camera and tire carrier until it snaps into place.

It warns that a loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or hard stop could endanger the occupants, so always stow the jack parts and the spare tire in the places provided, and that spares, flat or inflated, must be stowed with the valve stem facing the ground. The swing-gate spare torque in the table above is 59 ft-lb (80 N·m).

From the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual (Spare Tire Removal; Jacking Instructions, pages 261 and 263; Spare Tire Torque Specifications, page 353), read October 29, 2026.

Wrangler tire service at Elgin CDJR

Our Mopar service department services every Jeep, wherever it was bought, including routine maintenance, Express Lane oil changes, brakes, tires, batteries, recalls and warranty repairs. Our Express Lane handles tire rotation with a brake inspection and tire wear and pressure checks. If you changed a tire on the road, or want the lug nut torque checked after new wheels or tires, schedule a visit.

Our service department is open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Elgin CDJR is at 1500 W. Lake St. (U.S. 20) in Streamwood. Get directions.

Schedule service online, or see our Jeep tire service page.