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Old 09-10-2011, 05:24 PM   #1
terry and jo
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One is Never Too Old to Learn

Following the recommendations of DRV's owner's manual for our Mobile Suites in keeping the lug nuts as a certain ft/lb, I broke down recently and purchased my first EVER torque wrench. Today, I crawled under the extended slides to check each and every one of the lug nuts and to apply some grease to the grease fittings on the suspension.

Now, I've been involved with agriculture, agribusiness, trucking and just general use of cars and trucks for a lot of years. At 65, I know I am always learning new things. In the past, I've just hunkered down and "turned the crank" when tightening lug nut and stopped when I heard a pop or really felt that it was tight enough that I couldn't tighten it any more.

I guess I figured that the small frame that I have wouldn't be able to over-tighten them. Anyway, figuring that 150 ft/lbs of torque would require quite a bit of "oomph", I went to tighten the first one. To my real surprise, it didn't take that much "extra" pressure to get the wrench to "click" at 150. I guess part of that is the 2 foot long handle of the wrench.

Now, I'm wondering whether there are other "fasteners" on a fifth wheel that call for a certain torque setting. Looks like I get to go to researching again.

Terry
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Old 09-21-2011, 04:52 PM   #2
rdunk
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Terry, all lug nut tightening should be done with the slides in! Why??? Because that makes it a lot easier on the "lug-nutter", of course!

Just FYI. When we bought our 2005 Suites, with the 17.5" wheel, not only did the manuals not have the lug tightening requirements, the factory would not tell me what to tighten them at either. DUH?? They said to call their wheel supplier and ask them, and gave me the phone number. I called the aluminum wheel supplier, and the supplier instructed me to tighten the lugs at 175 pounds to 225 pounds. I chose to tighten to 200 pounds, and for 5 years, I never had a problem.

I know that in a prior post, someone mentioned a factory letter with instructions to torque 125 pounds to 150 pounds. While I cannot dispute what the factory says, I will say, with the 17.5 inch wheels, and if you have 8000 pound axles, 5/8 wheel studs, that torque range sounds a little light, to me.

My axles were manufactured by Dexter, and according to Dexter's on-line manual, for "17.5" wheels with Clamp ring and cone nuts, the the recommended torque is 190-210 pounds". 17.5" wheels with 5/8 flange nuts is 275-325 pounds".

I will post a link to this manual just FYI. There may be a difference in torque relative to what type of wheel you have. If there is, dexter doesn't mention it in the manual.

http://www.united-trailers.com/Uploa...s/Manual_6.pdf
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Old 09-21-2011, 07:50 PM   #3
terry and jo
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Thanks for the link, Robert. Some discussion has been going on over on SOITC's website in regards to the torque settings and there has been some conflict. Lippert has told some folks to torque the axle nuts to roughly 180 ft lbs, but Kodiak, who manufactures the hub and brake system says 150 ft lbs.

Part of what has started the discussion is that some are having damaged drums/brake systems due to over-torquing of the axle nuts. Plus, based on what DRV has in their manual, tightening of the wheel lug nuts are to be done at 20 ft lbs for the first stage, 80 ft lbs for the second stage and 150 for the final stage.

It is almost getting to the point that I'm not sure any of us can know exactly what should be set except to go by the manufacturer of the component most likely to be damaged by over-torquing.

I plan to take some weight off of the axles and back off the axle nuts a bit before re-tightening. That way, if they are overtightened, I can relieve the extra pressure before doing it the recommended way.

Back when I did a lot of wheels and wheel bearings on the farm, things were a lot easier. Back then the axle nuts had slots in them with cotter key holes through the axle's threaded spindle. One tightened the nut then backed off to the nearest slot and inserted the cotter key.

I've saved a copy of that Dexter manual in with all the other online manuals I have found. Thanks again.

Terry
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Old 09-22-2011, 08:10 AM   #4
anijet
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Whenever torquing multiple bolt components three things are important. As mentioned previously, bring the torque up incrementally, in the proper pattern and to the correct final torque. Torquing in only a couple large increments and in a circle may warp the hubs and rotors. On a five bolt wheel torquing in a star pattern is best. Since we have an even number of studs torque across, then 90*, then across but over one stud and repeat.
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