A torque spec is more than one number. Read the figure on its own and you miss the context that tells you whether it's even the right figure for the wheel in front of you.
Nm vs ft-lb
Australian workshop manuals and most torque wrenches sold here read in newton-metres (Nm). Imported specs, especially US-market documentation, are often listed in foot-pounds (ft-lb). The two are not interchangeable: 100 Nm is 74 ft-lb. Set 100 on a wrench that reads ft-lb and you have applied 136 Nm, well past spec on most passenger vehicles.
The right-hand column is the mistake: setting the Nm figure on a wrench reading ft-lb applies roughly 36% more torque than the spec. Reading a ft-lb spec as Nm goes the other way and leaves the wheel about 26% under-clamped.
Dry vs lubricated threads
A published wheel nut torque spec is for clean, dry threads. No oil, no anti-seize, no thread lock. Lubricant reduces friction in the thread and under the nut face, so more of the torque you apply converts into clamping force instead of being lost to friction. Torque a lubricated thread to the dry figure and you can overload the stud while the wrench still clicks at the correct number.
This is not a choice between two valid methods. Most manufacturers explicitly prohibit anti-seize or oil on wheel studs, and a spec written for lubricated threads will say so and carry a lower figure. If you find a thread already coated, clean it before fitting rather than adjusting the torque by feel.
Socket size vs thread size
Socket size is what fits over the nut. Thread size, written as something like M12 x 1.5, is the stud diameter and thread pitch. You need both: the correct socket to do the job without rounding the nut, and the correct thread size to confirm you are dealing with the hardware the vehicle left the factory with. That matters most after a wheel swap or on aftermarket wheels, where original fitment is not guaranteed.
The wrench cannot tell you the unit is wrong. A torque wrench set to the right number in the wrong unit reads as correct the entire time. It will either leave the wheel badly under-clamped or overstress the stud, and nothing about the tool's behaviour will warn you. Checking the unit is the only step that catches it.
Always confirm the torque value, unit and thread condition for the specific vehicle using TorqSpec before you begin. A correct number in the wrong unit is still a mistake.