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04-05-2014, 04:32 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kalamazoo, West Michigan
Posts: 1,817
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Loose lug nuts?
I finally discovered why they want you to check the lug nut torque constantly on trailers...at least on my trailer anyway.
So the question in my mind has always been "Why does everybody want me to torque the lug nuts on the trailer frequently when my truck and car lug nuts stay tight for indefinite periods of time with everyday driving?"
Well sportsfans I figured it out today!! On my car and truck, the center hole of the wheel is machined to a very close tolerance fit to the vehicles axle hubs. So close in fact that a small amount of rust on the hub can make the wheel very difficult to remove. In this situation, the majority of the radial load on the wheel is carried by the outside diameter of the hub. The lug nuts essentially hold the wheel tight to the hub.
On my travel trailer, the wheel bore measures 3.19" ID and the hub measures 2.60" OD. This leaves a gap of 0.295" all the way around the hub ergo the entire radial load on the wheel is supported by the 5 lugs of the bolt circle. See the photo with the calipers which shows the gap.
With this fact in mind, it's easy to comprehend how loose lug nuts could cause problems, so keep those nuts torqued!!
__________________
2006 23B Hybrid with 10k round bar WDH
2011 F150 4x4 SCREW Ecoboost, Max Tow, Integrated TBC, 3.73 LS axle, Firestone Ride Rite airbags.
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04-05-2014, 05:30 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Bellingham,Wa.
Posts: 6,675
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I'm going to check my nuts right now!
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04-05-2014, 08:11 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico
Posts: 3,766
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Checked my nuts earlier today and one was a bit loose. Tightened it up. Guess it's getting older.
__________________
2018 Eagle HT 26.5 RLDS. SOLD
2009 F150 Supercab UNICORN, 5.4L ,3.73, HD and Max Tow Packages, Timbrens, Bilstein shocks.
Wet bolt kit. Andersen Ultimate 20K hitch. TST 507RV TPMS. Hydro Life HL-200. 16" Goodyear Endurance. Progressive EMS. SteadyFast Stabilizers. Furion backup camera.
Best friend wife, Di, and dog Cooper. RETIRED
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04-05-2014, 08:16 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Arizona City
Posts: 10,161
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Everytime any work is done with the tires, wheels,brakes on our trailer I always check the torque. Have found that more than once whoever does the work doesn't torque the lug nuts, and when I find it I call them and tell them about it. Sometimes I get a thank you and others I get a few choice words.
__________________
2018 Jayco Jayfeather 27 RL, 2002 Ford excursion, v-10, 3:73 gears 4x4 mine. 2020 Buick Encore Hers, Retired Air Force, now Retired.
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04-05-2014, 09:13 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Trois-Rivières
Posts: 43
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They say you need to torque them at a specific torque. How can I know if it's done right without professional tools? In the manual, they say you gotta torque them like 4 times in the first 100 km
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04-06-2014, 05:41 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,851
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Philpaint
They say you need to torque them at a specific torque. How can I know if it's done right without professional tools? In the manual, they say you gotta torque them like 4 times in the first 100 km
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Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $20. torque wrench. Keep it in your rig so you can check them any time you need to.
__________________
Moderator
2011- 351RLTS Eagle, MorRyde suspension/pin box,
2017- F350 6.7 PSD Lariat FX4,SRW, SB,CC
Hughes PWD SP-50A, TST TPMS
Gator roll-up bed cover
B&W Turnover ball, Companion Std hitch
Can't find what you're looking on JOF? Try Jayco Owners Forum Custom Google Search
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04-06-2014, 05:42 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kalamazoo, West Michigan
Posts: 1,817
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Harbor Freight has torque wrenches on sale very often and for checking the lug nuts on your trailer they work fine. Get the 1/2" drive one and if you don't own a set of 1/2" drive sockets pick up a set while your there.
On the 23B the proper torque is 75 ft/lbs...my truck 150 ft/lbs. When I rotate the tires on my truck I have to get my gorilla son to break them loose with a 4 foot pipe on a 4 way lug wrench!!!
Norty1 beat me by 1 minute you rascal!
__________________
2006 23B Hybrid with 10k round bar WDH
2011 F150 4x4 SCREW Ecoboost, Max Tow, Integrated TBC, 3.73 LS axle, Firestone Ride Rite airbags.
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04-06-2014, 06:34 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 6,818
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Quote:
Originally Posted by norty1
Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $20. torque wrench. Keep it in your rig so you can check them any time you need to.
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W*M has one for $20, too
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04-06-2014, 08:07 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Greater Grand Rapids
Posts: 1,393
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I never used a torque wrench on the lugs of my old trailer, but a torque wrench was one of the first things I bought for the Eagle. After reading McFarmall's post, I'm glad I did. Plan to do it when I de-winterize . . . still getting below freezing most nights here in Michigan.
__________________
2013 Eagle 266RKS
2011 Ford F-150 w/3.5L Ecoboost & H.D. Tow Package
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04-06-2014, 08:30 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Bellingham,Wa.
Posts: 6,675
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I, once had a wheel come loose near Spokane on I-90 and I could feel it in the car. They were tightened and I didn't say "torqued" by the dealer just before I left Bellingham. That was just around 300 miles from the start of the trip.
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04-06-2014, 08:59 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Vienna
Posts: 2,044
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Looks like the torque wrench will be the next purchase I make.
Thanks for the info.
__________________
Joe Hinson
2010 Jayco Quest G2(SOLD)
2014 Jayco Eagle 33.5RETS
2007 Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins(SOLD)
2015 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins 4WD
:)
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04-06-2014, 03:41 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kalamazoo, West Michigan
Posts: 1,817
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Today I went and looked at my FIL's boat trailer and his heavy duty (7,000 lb) utility trailer and both of them have a large gap between the center hole of the rim and the trailer hub. I'm going to conclude from this observation that it is common practice for trailers.
__________________
2006 23B Hybrid with 10k round bar WDH
2011 F150 4x4 SCREW Ecoboost, Max Tow, Integrated TBC, 3.73 LS axle, Firestone Ride Rite airbags.
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04-06-2014, 08:42 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Trois-Rivières
Posts: 43
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Torque wrench bought!!!
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04-06-2014, 08:55 PM
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 9,424
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Great! You'll find it a useful tool to have.
Just food for thought....., pull out your WDH instructions and check the torque settings on your WDH once in awhile as well.
With my Reese WDH the ball mount bolts (3/4 size) have a 300 ft/lb installation specification. I torque the nuts to 150 ft/lbs (my torque wrench maximum), remove the torque wrench....., then turn the nut another 1/4 turn with a breaker bar to achieve the 300 ft/lb requirement. May have to put a cheater pipe on the breaker bar.
Bob
__________________
2016 GM 2500HD 6.0L/4.10
2018 Jay Flight 24RBS
2002 GM 2500HD 6.0L/4:10 (retired)
2005 Jayco Eagle 278FBS (retired)
1999 Jayco Eagle 246FB (retired)
Reese HP Dual Cam (Strait-Line)
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04-07-2014, 05:35 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,851
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Most of the less expensive ones are rated for 200 fp and will do fine for almost anything Rv related.
They are not top quality but are great to have with you.
__________________
Moderator
2011- 351RLTS Eagle, MorRyde suspension/pin box,
2017- F350 6.7 PSD Lariat FX4,SRW, SB,CC
Hughes PWD SP-50A, TST TPMS
Gator roll-up bed cover
B&W Turnover ball, Companion Std hitch
Can't find what you're looking on JOF? Try Jayco Owners Forum Custom Google Search
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04-07-2014, 06:21 AM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Trois-Rivières
Posts: 43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle
Great! You'll find it a useful tool to have.
Just food for thought....., pull out your WDH instructions and check the torque settings on your WDH once in awhile as well.
With my Reese WDH the ball mount bolts (3/4 size) have a 300 ft/lb installation specification. I torque the nuts to 150 ft/lbs (my torque wrench maximum), remove the torque wrench....., then turn the nut another 1/4 turn with a breaker bar to achieve the 300 ft/lb requirement. May have to put a cheater pipe on the breaker bar.
Bob
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Oh I didn't tought of that, by luck the E2 as to be torque at 250, wich is the maximum of the wrench I bought!
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04-14-2014, 12:27 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Vienna
Posts: 2,044
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Bought my first torque wrench this past week at Harbor Freight while we were in Dothan, Al. Got a set of 1/2inch sockets and away we go. Went out this morning and torqued all my lug nuts. Only one was even slightly under pressure. One click on the wrench all the way around. Now I will keep it with me.
__________________
Joe Hinson
2010 Jayco Quest G2(SOLD)
2014 Jayco Eagle 33.5RETS
2007 Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins(SOLD)
2015 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins 4WD
:)
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04-14-2014, 01:15 PM
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#18
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,851
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Quote:
Originally Posted by namusmc65
Bought my first torque wrench this past week at Harbor Freight while we were in Dothan, Al. Got a set of 1/2inch sockets and away we go. Went out this morning and torqued all my lug nuts. Only one was even slightly under pressure. One click on the wrench all the way around. Now I will keep it with me.
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Great addition. Now you won't have to wonder if they are properly torqued!
__________________
Moderator
2011- 351RLTS Eagle, MorRyde suspension/pin box,
2017- F350 6.7 PSD Lariat FX4,SRW, SB,CC
Hughes PWD SP-50A, TST TPMS
Gator roll-up bed cover
B&W Turnover ball, Companion Std hitch
Can't find what you're looking on JOF? Try Jayco Owners Forum Custom Google Search
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04-15-2014, 06:51 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Greater Detroit area
Posts: 146
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Hi just wondering if I need to jack up the trailer first to relieve the pressure on the bolts
__________________
Average guy with a great wife and a fantastic son
2008 F150
2006 Jayco Jay-Flight 29 BHS
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04-15-2014, 07:43 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: South Texas
Posts: 7,216
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Last night I torqued my lugs expecting to find one loose after 6 months of ownership and a couple random trips, and everything was nice and snug. I was pleasantly surprised!
__________________
-2018 Greyhawk 29MV
-2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (JLU) (Primary Toad)
-1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ (Secondary Toad)
-2014 Jay Flight 28BHBE & Ram 2500 6.4L CC 4x4 (sold)
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