I'd never heard of a 3 step torque process for rims. I've never seen any shop use the 3 step process. I'll defer and just say, thanks for speaking up on this, we should be informed before using spacers and I learned some things from this thread. As with most modifications, the downside is greater wear and tear or loss of daily drive ability. For some the trade off is worth it, but your right in that it should be an informed choice and not one made out of ignorance.

Les