Just my opinion from experience being a mechanic who works in a tire shop, is this..
Its not so much the exact torque that counts, as long as it is not far from specs. A 7/16 wheel stud can handle up to 80 lbs but its not reccomended as this will stretch the stud and will cause eventual failure. Hondas use 10 and 12 mm wheel bolts and use 70-80lbs torque effectively.
the big concern is torquing EVENLY across the rim.
Even most tire shops will gun on a rim and then set the torque wrench to 80lbs. Then as in the previous post, puts it on to hear it "click".
If the lug nut does NOT turn with the wrench before you hear the click, all you know for sure is that there is AT LEAST 80lbs on the nut.
one could be at 90lbs, one at 80, one at 120 and so on.
What can happen from un-even torque..the lug with the most torque takes the load of the vehicle!!
untill it is stretched and evened out with the next tightest lug. so on and so forth. If there is too large of a torque difference, the tightest lug WILL break. I have seen this before and again and again. Uneven torque will also cause warped brake rotors. Usually not right away, it takes a little time and a few good stops to warp them. This is a possibility. It has happened to me. try this, take off a wheel, put the lugs back on to hold the rotor to the hub and set up a dial guage on the face of the rotor. torque the nuts, spin the rotor and take a run-out reading. loosen off one or two nuts and try again. you will be surprised. 10 lbs difference can cause .oo3" run out. (which is max tolerance for most manufacturers).
There are a few more reasons for even torquing but
I feel these are the most important. It is possible to use a gun or lug wrench and never have a problem. I used to and didnt have trouble, but now I tourque everything and still dont have a problem
