MS Wheel Lug Size

[imouttahere]

Can anyone with an MS that has the 8K axels & 17½ inch wheels tell me what socket size the lugs are on the wheels?

gd

[anijet]

RV is in a hangar but from memory I think it's 1 1/16"
(5/8" studs)

[47hook]

15/16...just bought a six sided deep well socket for mine. It fits.

[imouttahere]

I thank you all for your replies. I bought a ½" set that goes up to 1¼ and it turns out the 1 1/8 six sided soocket fits perfectly. That coupled with the $44 150 lb torque wrench from Northern Tool works great. Again thanks. It's nice to have so many RV friends to help when you have questions.

gd

[Motorcycle Jack]

Now that is strange!!! I have a 2011 36TKSB3 with the aluminum 17" wheels and mien is a 15/16" socket. I wonder when they changed them? Also wonder if they have different torque specs? Mine is 150 lbs. Any difference?

[imouttahere]

Torque specs stayed the same at 150. Guess the 15/16 lugs are cheaper????

gd

[RodeWorthy]

My 5/8" inch studs with tapered lug nuts on aluminum wheels take a 1-1/16" socket. In addition to having the torque wrench be sure you have a very strong Johnson bar to remove the lugs when necessary. It will take a good deal more torque than 150 lb/ft to loosen the nuts. You may even require a pipe to fit over the bar to break the nuts loose. Never use your torque wrench to loosen a nut or bolt.

[Walt]

X2 on the pipe!

[David Schwertner]

After having a blow out on my MS and fighting to get the lug nuts off, I went to Sears the next day and purchased a Craftsman cordless 19.2 volt 1/2 inch impact wrench. No more problems getting the nuts off as it has more than enough torque. I also found it on sale for $99.00. I use a torque wrench set for 150 lbs, check each nut and off to the races I go.
I also use it around my farm and is handy as a pocket on a shirt!! Best money I've spent in a long time.

[anijet]

Stopped by the hangar and confirmed 1 1/16".

Just a note on torques. The I've found the torque for the lug nuts to be 140#'. Keep in mind this is a DRY torque. That means the threads of the studs and the lug nuts need to be perfectly clean and 100% dry, no oil or anything on them. It is easier to lube the threads and use a wet torque value than to try to clean and dry the threads. I always lube the threads and torque to 110#' The following is from the Popular Mechanics web site.

"Most times, the specified torque value assumes clean and dry parts. Clean means no dirt, rust, dried-up *gasket sealer or anything except shiny metal. Wire-brushing the threads will help remove rust or sealant. Engine fasteners, like head bolts or main cap bolts, are often specified to be torqued with 30-weight engine oil wetting the threads and washer. If you're installing a fastener that has a dry torque spec, and the threads and bolt face are oiled, you'll need to reduce the torque by 15 to 25 percent, because the slipperier surfaces will decrease friction. Teflon-bearing lubes or moly-sulfide engine assembly lubes can reduce friction enough to require a 50 percent reduction in tightening torque. Even casually substituting a zinc- or cad-plated bolt or washer for an unplated one calls for, respectively, a 15 or 25 percent reduction in applied torque, because the plating acts as a lubricant. Fail to heed this advice and the fastener will be seriously overtightened. You'll either snap it or crush a gasket to the point where it leaks."

[imouttahere]

Verrrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting! Who'd a thought the plating on the washers would reduct the amount of torque needed. Learn something new every day (hopefully).

gd

[anijet]

One more thought. When you tighten a nut on a bolt pinching whatever is between a properly torqued nut will stretch the bolt (or stud) a specific amount. Once the stud has been over-stretched the strength of the bolt has been compromised.

I believe the 5/8 studs have plenty of margin. If you have 9/16 studs additional care should be taken.

[Motor31]

When I got my rig in 05 I had the opportunity to talk with a Dexter axle tech. They were doing a bit of work on the unit at the time. He advised that the torque on the 8k axle, aluminum wheel and coned lug nut was 120 ft lbs. His statement on process was to set torque move about 20 miles or so, re torque, go another 50 to 75 miles then one more time at 150 to 200 miles. The range was due to the availability of being able to pull off the road (rest stop etc) to safely do the job.

I've followed the process and have never had a lug back off in almost 6 years now with this rig.

[47hook]

I have a small leak on the right rear oil lubed wheel bearing. I took off all wheels and took them, including the spare, to get balanced. They are the 17.5 aluminum wheels, the lug nuts are 15/16th on mine and they have a washer attached. I cleaned off the oil, which might have been all of a teaspoons worth but it sure made a mess, and mounted the tires. Good news was they took very little weight to balance them.

My 2013 MS has the 8K dexter axles and Kodiak brakes; it appears DRV may have different sized studs/lug nuts?

[anijet]

.......... the lug nuts are 15/16th on mine and they have a washer attached.........

With a washer attached I take it they are not cone shaped that fit into a countersunk hole. Do they have a long shoulder that fits into the wheel hole?

[47hook]

It is a regular nut with a washer attached and they fit in a counter sunk hole in the wheel.

[anijet]

That would seem to be a better method since the tapered part is not "twisting" against the wheel while coming up to torque. Thanks for sharing the picture.

Quick question. Were the oil filled hubs a special order or are they standard now?

[47hook]

You are welcome for the picture. Oil filled hubs are standard; uses 75W-90 gear oil, the black plug pulls out so you can fill it up.

[Motor31]

I wonder if the oil filled hubs are now going to be standard instead of the sealed bearings they used on my rig. Frankly I like the idea of the oil filled ones.

[wingnut60]

The oil-filled axles will be a good setup--until the gasket starts leaking. I think all 3/4/1/1.5 ton trucks use this method of lubing the bearings. If Dexter/Lippert did not scrimp on the materials, it will be a great improvement in bearing life.
Joe

[bstark]

The hub-centric locating method of maintaining wheel concentricity with the hub itself allows the use of the shoulder nuts.

On many lighter cuty vehicles and rigs the cone nuts perform both a clamping and centering role.

Oil bath hubs are a long time commercial set-up seen on the front axles of heavy duty trucks. My International 4400 had oil bath on it's steers and those hubs with 10k on that axle never got as warm as my trailer hubs did with far less weight on each axle.

A very good move going to these types of ideas that have been time proven on heavy duty equipment for years.

[anijet]

47hook indicates the washers are counter sunk, which lead me to believe they are not hub-centric. I agree the oil bath hubs are long overdue.