Forest River makes a big deal about checking and maintaining the correct torque on our trailer lug nuts. How necessary is a torque wrench for this check? Am I the only one with reservations about shelling out the dollars for a torque wrench? If you have a torque wrench did you find one at a reasonable price? How often to you check your lugs?
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Acsimon
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.8 Hemi)
2013 Flagstaff Micro Lite 21FB
Forest River makes a big deal about checking and maintaining the correct torque on our trailer lug nuts. How necessary is a torque wrench for this check? Am I the only one with reservations about shelling out the dollars for a torque wrench? If you have a torque wrench did you find one at a reasonable price? How often to you check your lugs?
If I have the wheels off, I check them every 50 -75 miles until they no longer turn and then once a year. I just had new GY Marathons put on our trailer and will be checking them at least 2 or 3 times the first day on the trip to Goshen. Will remove the hub caps before we leave so it's not a hassle on the road.
I bought a cheap one - I didn't have any loose lug nuts with the wheels any time I checked (before most trips).
Once I changed all 4 tires- I did find that they periodically needed tightening 3 or 4 times before they stopped loosening (which is to be expected with this type of wheel).
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Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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Mike and Yvonne
and Sophie, the little white dog
2017 Columbus 320RSC
2021 Chevy Silverado 3500HD DRW 4X4 Duramax “It's not how old you are, it's how you are old.” ― Jules Renard "It's not the years...it's the mileage." - Indiana Jones
I just tighten mine until there tite. Been doing that for 50 years no problem yet.
There once was a new teenage mother, who asked her doctor how she became pregnant. When the doctor told her; she was shocked! Heck, she said, I have done that hundreds of times and that never happened before!
Use a torque wrench. There is such a thing as "too tight."
When the hub heats up, the stress on the lug nuts goes through the roof and the studs can break off. Lug nuts too loose can also come undone and be found in the hub cap (if you are lucky).
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
I just tighten mine until there tite. Been doing that for 50 years no problem yet.
"Good and tight" works for you - but for folks like me (computer guy, never turned a wrench before), a cheap torque wrench is what I need.
If left to my own devices, I'd imagine 100 pounds of pressure to be gorilla tight, yet 40 pounds of pressure - I'd likely torque either to 20 or 100. I just don't know which is which nor how much force to apply. The torque wrench gives me a unit of measure.
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Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
I'm sure it's in some of the manuals somewhere, but to what torque should they be tightened? I can recall seeing stickers on some new units that state lugs nuts should be re-torqued after 300 miles or so - no sticker on my MH. I do have a torque wrench and a piece of pipe for leverage. Also, have not looked, but is there room to get to the inside tires to tighten them or must I do half the wheel, and then inch the MH forward to get to the rest of them?
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Ed (N4RWU) & Becky Taylor
Mistie (Walks 4-down)
Greensboro, NC
"Good and tight" works for you - but for folks like me (computer guy, never turned a wrench before), a cheap torque wrench is what I need.
If left to my own devices, I'd imagine 100 pounds of pressure to be gorilla tight, yet 40 pounds of pressure - I'd likely torque either to 20 or 100. I just don't know which is which nor how much force to apply. The torque wrench gives me a unit of measure.
Seems like you were posting while I was writing! We have the same question. I used to torque the old DP, but can't remember to what spec - but they were 22.5" wheels. The Solera has 16" wheels and I've got a feeling the torque spec is less. And I did use the piece of pipe on the wrench to increase leverage.
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Ed (N4RWU) & Becky Taylor
Mistie (Walks 4-down)
Greensboro, NC
I check my TT lug nuts with a torque wrench on occasion as well. With that being said, I'm not fully convinced it is critical to get them exactly to spec. Pretty sure there is a torque requirement that manufacturers specify for passenger vehicles, but when's the last time you saw a tire shop bust out a torque wrench when installing a wheel? I personally never have- they always hit it with an impact till its "tight enough" and then they move on.
I check my TT lug nuts with a torque wrench on occasion as well. With that being said, I'm not fully convinced it is critical to get them exactly to spec. Pretty sure there is a torque requirement that manufacturers specify for passenger vehicles, but when's the last time you saw a tire shop bust out a torque wrench when installing a wheel? I personally never have- they always hit it with an impact till its "tight enough" and then they move on.
BJ's Tire shop has color coded torque wrenches and they checked mine as they mounted my new Michelin truck tires. I watched as STS Discount Tires mounted my wife's tires (with an impact gun) and then the guy went around and un-cracked and torqued every lug nut.
I would avoid any shop that just hammers them on. There are Mechanics and then there are ... Well, them that think they are...
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
[QUOTE=herk7769;402510]There once was a new teenage mother, who asked her doctor how she became pregnant. When the doctor told her; she was shocked! Heck, she said, I have done that hundreds of times and that never happened before!
All my tires are put back on and torqued to the right torque or I don't do business with them again period. I guess you never had a warped rotor or drum either it does happen.
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2001 Ford F-350 DRW 7.3
2011 25 RL Wildcat
former fiver 1976 Fourwinds had for 35 years
I check my TT lug nuts with a torque wrench on occasion as well. With that being said, I'm not fully convinced it is critical to get them exactly to spec. Pretty sure there is a torque requirement that manufacturers specify for passenger vehicles, but when's the last time you saw a tire shop bust out a torque wrench when installing a wheel? I personally never have- they always hit it with an impact till its "tight enough" and then they move on.
For the last umpteen years, all reputable tire shops have used torque bars on impacts and then use a torque wrench to double check. At least all the shops I've visited and used do. Wouldn't use the tire shop or garage if they didn't. On the trailer, if the wheels have be loosened or removed they get checked and re-torqued until they don't move. Usually takes 3-5 times at 50-75 mile intervals.
I would have to agree, maintaining torque on wheels is crucial. You certainly don't want to over tighten the lug nuts, and the last thing you want is your trailer tire passing you going down the interstate. A torque wrench is cheap insurance, and if your enroute to a site, what's a few minutes of your time. Better to arrive a few minutes late than to not arrive.
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2007 Ford F250 4x4 Harley-Davidson Powerstroke
2006 Cedar Creek Silverback - 35 LRLBS
(2012 -11) (2013 - 10 so far)
Linear Mode
