WDH setup and torque

[kevin79]

I purchased a Ram 2500 so I have to redo my WDH. The manual says to torque it to 380ft lbs. I can only find torque wrenches that go up to 250ft lbs. How do I get the nuts torqued that high?

[M&K Hoffman]

One possible way is to divide the 380 by your weight and that will give you the lever length of the handle needed on the bar that you stand on. Example, you weigh 100 lbs, 350/100= 3.5. The handle length would be 3.5 FEET long. Or seek out local mechanics to see if any can torque the bolts for you. The only torque wrenches I have seen that go that high are 3/4" drive.



BTW Can you use your existing hitch? I just replaced my Tundra with a RAM 2500 and the hitch is several inches higher. I do not have enough drop on my E2 hitch shank to get the ball mount low enough. I am either going to purchase a longer shank (more holes) for my existing hitch or replace with a different hitch.

[1100mike]

You might try a semi truck tire shop..

[NJKris]

What M&K said, that's how I did my ball nut which needed to be 250 ft.lbs No mechanic I know had torque wrenches that go that high, you would have to visit a specialty shop, one that deals with big rigs.


As M&K noted, torque is simply a force vector applied at a particular distance from the nut, on the handle of the wrench/breaker bar/pipe, whatever you have that is long enough. When you are heavy enough like me (275 lbs), slowly standing with one foot on the wrench that is parallel to ground will give you a torque of 380 ft.lbs when applied at approx. 1.38 ft from nut/bolt, whatever (380 ft.lbs/275lbs = 1.38 ft 'moment arm' (the distance from nut you have to apply the force).


Lots of interesting threads on this topic, just search 'torque'.

[jsalbre]

I used this torque adapter from Amazon along with the appropriate socket, a 2’ breaker bar, and 3’ of pipe.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009GLITFW

Unfortunately as with most things the price on these has gone up significantly. I bought mine 6 months ago for $70, may dad bought the same one a year ago for $50.

Rotate the setup so that you’re pulling up on the end of the pipe to tighten it and lift with your legs. I was able to get 430 ft-lbs this way.

[ARhappycamper]

Originally Posted by jsalbre

I used this torque adapter from Amazon along with the appropriate socket, a 2’ breaker bar, and 3’ of pipe.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009GLITFW

Unfortunately as with most things the price on these has gone up significantly. I bought mine 6 months ago for $70, may dad bought the same one a year ago for $50.

Rotate the setup so that you’re pulling up on the end of the pipe to tighten it and lift with your legs. I was able to get 430 ft-lbs this way.

It's 3/4" drive.

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by ARhappycamper

It's 3/4" drive.

Not a lot of 1/2" drive stuff is going to stand up to 350+ ft/lbs of torque.

[jsalbre]

Originally Posted by ARhappycamper

It's 3/4" drive.

Yes, as mentioned by Qwkynuf above 1/2” drive tools won’t handle that level of torque. You don’t want to be the one putting 300+ lbs of pressure on a breaker bar when the socket connection shears off.

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by kevin79

I purchased a Ram 2500 so I have to redo my WDH. The manual says to torque it to 380ft lbs. I can only find torque wrenches that go up to 250ft lbs. How do I get the nuts torqued that high?

When I bought my new hitch that needed adjustment I took it to my local RV repair shop they did it for me no charge

[edc1911]

With one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[{Tpc}]

Here is my question for those that have used the hand tools on this. Lets say you purchase a torque wrench, 3/4 drive, and the sockets that can properly torque all of this stuff.

Has anyone had trouble getting to the 300+ lbs of torque?

Say I want to readjust my hitch, and I get all set up somewhere and take it apart. Will I have trouble retorquing? Looking at the manual online it seems I only have to torque to 200 ft lbs.

[jsalbre]

Originally Posted by {Tpc}

Here is my question for those that have used the hand tools on this. Lets say you purchase a torque wrench, 3/4 drive, and the sockets that can properly torque all of this stuff.

Has anyone had trouble getting to the 300+ lbs of torque?

Say I want to readjust my hitch, and I get all set up somewhere and take it apart. Will I have trouble retorquing? Looking at the manual online it seems I only have to torque to 200 ft lbs.

As long as you get a nice long pipe (frequently called a "cheater bar") you shouldn't have any problem.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by Qwkynuf

Not a lot of 1/2" drive stuff is going to stand up to 350+ ft/lbs of torque.

Good thing I wasn't on a forum 2 years ago. My 1/2" Snap-On breaker bar didn't even squeak when I put 430 ft lbs of torque on it.

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by Mike134

Good thing I wasn't on a forum 2 years ago. My 1/2" Snap-On breaker bar didn't even squeak when I put 430 ft lbs of torque on it.

Okaaaaay. And?

I've twisted the pivot heads off of so many that I have lost count, when torquing or breaking loose axle nuts on front wheel drive cars. Enough of them that the tool truck guy has said that the warranty technically doesn't cover "abuse", like using the floor jack handle as a cheater. But I have had it work enough times that I still keep doing it that way.

The point is that 1/2" drive is not designed for those torque numbers. That's why the 1/2" drive torque wrenches don't go up that high. So, sure - it might work. But it equally might not.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by Qwkynuf

Okaaaaay. And? I might have believed the keyboard warriors that doom would be-fall me

I've twisted the pivot heads off of so many that I have lost count, when torquing or breaking loose axle nuts on front wheel drive cars. Enough of them that the tool truck guy has said that the warranty technically doesn't cover "abuse", like using the floor jack handle as a cheater. But I have had it work enough times that I still keep doing it that way.

The point is that 1/2" drive is not designed for those torque numbers. That's why the 1/2" drive torque wrenches don't go up that high. So, sure - it might work. But it equally might not.

See my response to you above. You do understand that quality tools do not break off. Good stuff bends when too much cheater bar is used.

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by Qwkynuf

... the warranty technically doesn't cover "abuse", like using the floor jack handle as a cheater. ...

I thought I was the only one who did that.

In my case it was because I was in an awkward position under my trailer, not because the torque requirement exceeded the capability of my wrench.

Edit: I misread that. I used the actual jack, not the handle.

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by Mike134

See my response to you above. You do understand that quality tools do not break off. Good stuff bends when too much cheater bar is used.

I do understand that tools break when used outside of their design parameters, yes.

I also understand that anyone who claims to be able to predict the failure mode in that circumstance with 100% certainty must be living very well on their lottery winnings.

I do question the assertion that "Snap on" and "quality tools" are automatically assumed to belong in the same sentence. Spending more on marketing and warranty replacement/repairs does not exempt a manufacturer from the laws of physics.

I also reject the notion that it is in any way responsible to advise strangers on the internet that it is safe to apply more than double the recommended torque to a tool, and use "well, it worked when I did it" as the justification.

It's probably just a coincidence that only a couple of Snap On's 1/2" drive torque wrenches are rated for 300 ft/lbs ($700!!!), and most top out at 250?

Yep, that's probably it.

[ARhappycamper]

Originally Posted by Mike134

Good thing I wasn't on a forum 2 years ago. My 1/2" Snap-On breaker bar didn't even squeak when I put 430 ft lbs of torque on it.

I didn't wanna be the one to say it. I weighed 270 pounds when I tightened my WDH and shank and all with my Craftsman 1/2" drive breaker bar and 3' pipe ! Worked great ! Would be slightly harder to do now at 220 pounds.

[jsalbre]

As said above, you absolutely can try to use a 1/2” drive setup to get 300+ ft-lbs of torque. You could never have a problem with that. You could also be unlucky and have your breaker bar end up like the one below (yes, it’s a Snap-On 1/2” drive).

I like my skin on my hands and my teeth in my mouth.

You also won’t find anything to register torque measurements that high in 1/2”, so why bother? You can say “stand on it” all you want, but if close enough was actually close enough they’d say “torque to about 350-400 ft-lbs”, not “torque to 380 ft-lbs”. “Close enough” is how the service techs at dealerships install hitches. I’d rather do the job the right way. Again, could you get lucky? Sure, but why risk it?

[ARhappycamper]

Now we have torque and wrench police.

With 270 pounds and a 3' pipe I got it tight enough ! Nuttin aint loosenin up !