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Old 07-13-2018, 09:48 AM   #1
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Torque wrench

I brought my new truck home yesterday and the receiver is about 2" higher than the old truck so I'll have to slide the ball mount platform a couple holes down the hitch bar. Two bolts hold the platform to the bar and Reese says to torque those two bolts to 300 ft. lbs. I don't have a 300 lb. torque wrench and figured I would just pick one up locally but no place around me has one and I guess I'll have to order one. I have no problem with that, but we want to take the camper out for a short trip on Monday and I don't think I can have the wrench by then. Do you folks think I would be OK if I snug those two bolts up as tight as I can get them and then torque them when I get the wrench or am I playing with fire there?
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Old 07-13-2018, 09:55 AM   #2
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You should be fine, or try going to a rental company or a uhaul they will probably torque them up no charge.
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Old 07-13-2018, 10:48 AM   #3
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Any medium duty or heavy duty truck repair will be able to help you out. As mentioned U-haul installation shops. Even if the shop offers to do it for good will return the favor by handing the tech a crap $20. This is especially true if it is his torque wrench he paid a ton of money to make money. If you were in my area I would Be more than happy to do it free for members of JOF
Call your truck dealer see if they can do it this afternoon or tomorrow.
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Old 07-13-2018, 10:51 AM   #4
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Agreed
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Old 07-13-2018, 10:55 AM   #5
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Any hitch shop would be a good option.
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Old 07-13-2018, 11:22 AM   #6
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Thanks folks. I was just out in the driveway looking at the hitch thinking about how I'm going to get those bolts as tight as I can get them, and it occurred to me I don't have them off yet! That's going to be a struggle
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Old 07-13-2018, 11:28 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerIsMe View Post
snip......Do you folks think I would be OK if I snug those two bolts up as tight as I can get them....snip
I agree, you should be fine.

.....or,

Tighten the Reese WDH ball mount 3/4 bolt/nuts to 150ft pounds with a 150ft pound torque wrench, then turn the "nut" an additional 1/4 turn with a breaker bar/socket will get you to 300ft pounds. Don't lubricate the bolt threads.

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That's going to be a struggle
I've used a 1/2" drive breaker bar with a pipe extension to loosen the nuts.

Bob
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Old 07-13-2018, 11:34 AM   #8
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If you are going camping on Monday, it is time to bite the bullet get some help either free or paid. Remember the old saying “day light is burning times awasteing”
Good luck and happy camping.
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Old 07-13-2018, 12:46 PM   #9
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If you are going camping on Monday, it is time to bite the bullet get some help either free or paid. Remember the old saying “day light is burning times awasteing”
Good luck and happy camping.

Oh I agree my friend. I'm about to head "downtown" to see what kind of tools I can find. There's three auto parts stores, a Tractor Supply, and a rental place. I'm bound to find something I can use for the time being. Push comes to shove I have a friend with every tool known to man - hate to impose though.
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Old 07-13-2018, 12:49 PM   #10
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I had the same dilemma when we bought a new truck also.

My solution was to tighten it as much as i could with a normal wrench, use my 150lb torque wrench to get it that far. Then, took an 18" breaker bar and put my weight on it. 1.5 feet x 210 will get you 315lb/ft of torque. Because you likely won't be able to get ALL of your weight on the end of the breaker bar, you'll get as close to 300lb/ft without using specialty equipment or going to a shop.

I also put on some Loctite Blue to keep it in place unless I want it removed. Keep in mind, if you get the wrong Loctite, you won't be getting them loose easily. Loctite Blue is removable.

Amazon Link

This was my solution and the amount of risk I am willing to take. If you want to be within your equipment specs, please go to a shop that will torque it for you.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:15 AM   #11
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I am in the same situation. I'm headed to the RV dealer where I bought the TT. They said they would make the adjustment for me, and make sure everything is adjusted correctly for my new set up.
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Old 07-14-2018, 02:53 PM   #12
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HoHome, that made me laugh because I was just going to post the same process. I have done it before only my 200 pounds and an 18-inch bar should have ended up pretty close to 300 ft-lbs.
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:35 AM   #13
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Quite a few of the battery operated 1/2" impact guns made by HF, Dewalt, etc. have 400 lb. ratings (some Dewalt models are even higher). Our Dewalt works great whenever I have to R&R a 2 5/16 ball, or adjust a WDH. Most 2 5/16" balls with a 1 1/4" shank require 400-450 lbs. of torque, so it's a good match. IMO, these battery operated impact guns are a good investment for any travel trailer owner. In addition to hitch maintenance, you can also use them to reduce a lot of grunt and sweat when swapping out trailer and TV tires for flats and rotations.

FWIW, 400-450 lbs. is a lot of torque. A friend of mine installed a 2 5/16" trailer ball using my Dewalt impact gun. A couple of months later he needed to install a 2" ball. He couldn't get the 2 5/16" ball loose using a 24" breaker bar and pipe extension.
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Old 07-24-2018, 05:23 AM   #14
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Quite a few of the battery operated 1/2" impact guns made by HF, Dewalt, etc. have 400 lb. ratings (some Dewalt models are even higher). Our Dewalt works great whenever I have to R&R a 2 5/16 ball, or adjust a WDH. Most 2 5/16" balls with a 1 1/4" shank require 400-450 lbs. of torque, so it's a good match. IMO, these battery operated impact guns are a good investment for any travel trailer owner. In addition to hitch maintenance, you can also use them to reduce a lot of grunt and sweat when swapping out trailer and TV tires for flats and rotations.

FWIW, 400-450 lbs. is a lot of torque. A friend of mine installed a 2 5/16" trailer ball using my Dewalt impact gun. A couple of months later he needed to install a 2" ball. He couldn't get the 2 5/16" ball loose using a 24" breaker bar and pipe extension.
You know, I never thought of an impact wrench. Started looking around at them - sure would save a lot of back work. Which DeWalt do you have?
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Old 07-24-2018, 05:59 AM   #15
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Torque Wrench

I had the same problem when I bought a 2 1/2 " shank for my WDH. I checked every tool rental place around and got nowhere. Called my dealer who would do it for a 2 hr labor minimum of 150.00, but the wait for an appointment was over a month. My wife says I will use any excuse to buy new tools. I found this 3/4" drive torque wrench which goes up to 600 ft lbs on Amazon for 189.99 plus tax. Add in a few 3/4 sockets and you are looking at 250.00 or so.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 07-24-2018, 06:33 AM   #16
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Impact wrenches are convenient but they don't eliminate the need for torquing by sequence.

An adequate torque wrench can be had from Harbor Freight. Mine goes with us everywhere. I always check them anytime a tire is removed/ replaced.

The tire shops use a impact wrench and their standard reply is, " they are set to X torque". That's not acceptable when your family and rig are at risk if they are wrong.
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Old 07-24-2018, 08:42 AM   #17
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snip...
The tire shops use a impact wrench and their standard reply is, " they are set to X torque". That's not acceptable when your family and rig are at risk if they are wrong.
I've been to several (many?) Discount Tire locations for rotations etc. They've ALWAYS used a torque wrench on the TT and TV lug nuts and use the alternate pattern across the rim.

(BTW, they do use an impact wrench to snug the lug nuts, using the across the rim pattern and little if any impact wrench hammering, but the lug nut tightening is done manually with the torque wrench. Just the way I did it, back in the day.)
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Old 07-25-2018, 07:05 PM   #18
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Different experience for me but actually it may be because I did not see it done. I do check mine often and especially before a trip. I just finished getting some tire work done today and I know they did not torque the nuts.

Sadly we do not have Discount Tire within 200 miles of my home.

Not a problem because I would be checking them anyhow in the morning.
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Old 07-28-2018, 06:04 PM   #19
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Thanks folks. I was just out in the driveway looking at the hitch thinking about how I'm going to get those bolts as tight as I can get them, and it occurred to me I don't have them off yet! That's going to be a struggle
Break-over handle and a pipe for a " cheater bar " .
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Old 08-01-2018, 12:17 PM   #20
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Engine Repair Shop

I had the same issue. I went to an engine repair shop that worked on tractors. I took the truck and hitch to their shop and they came out and torqued them for me. It took two guys pulling as hard as they could on the long handled torque wrench to get it to click. I decided that 300 ft/lbs equates to just about as hard as you can tighten a bolt.
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