Torque Wrench

[dhunter79]

We are buying our first RV (Jayco Jay Flight 28BHS) and want some tools to keep in in. We are getting an Equal-i-zer hitch and have a Ford F-350.

Torque Wrench:
I've never had a Torque wrench before so I'm not sure what to get. I am thinking a 1/4" drive 10-150 and a 1/2" drive 25-250. Does that seem reasonable? Is there anything on the hitch or RV chassis that needs to be >250?

1/4":
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01M12284X/ref=emc_b_5_t

1/2":
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00C5ZL1NS/ref=emc_b_5_t

Sockets:
Just curious, is there anything metric on Jayco's or can I leave them at home?

[John from Central Florida]

I can’t remember the make or torque range of the wrench I bought off Amazon, but it is in the 10-150 range. Came with a plastic case that I keep in an exterior box. An essential piece of equipment, methinks. I learned how to use it from YouTube videos.

[Tacoma2016]

Stay away from the cheap junk they are out of calibration from factory. We have done multiple testing on these off shore wrenches.

[2edgesword]

The get a little expensive in the >250 range so I’d be looking to borrow one from a tool supply store or maybe pay a shop to do the torquing of those bolts.

[Tacoma2016]

But if you lose a wheel on the highway what is the price of someones life?

[RogerR]

Every tire shop in the land says re-torque after 25 to 100 miles. If you don't know how, buy a torque wrench from some place like Ace that will show you how to set it and use it.

You might pay a little more than Harbor Freight but the training they will give you and the quality is the key to keeping your wheels going round and round.

[norty1]

I would use the 1/2 in. drive version. I have a set of sockets for air powered tools but you can use the same set in your tool kit.

You won't be using it every day like some tools. Mine is primarily for torqueing lug nuts. It's a worthwhile investment.

[Camper_bob]

I agree with many of the others, get the 1/2" wrench. I wouldn't bother with the 1/4" one, it's unlikely you'll be dealing with anything that precise out on the road. Certainly not in the trailer. Unless you plan to be doing head work in your campsite or something, you probably won't ever use that little one.

I would also carry a 1/2" drive breaker bar of a decent length. I tend to use my torque wrench ONLY for torquing. I will break nuts/bolts with a 1/2" drive socket or a breaker bar, use the same tool to tighten the fastener to somewhere close to the torque spec, then finish with the torque wrench.

[JohnWedell]

I went to Harbor Freight and bought a 3/4 inch breaker bar (it was under $20.00), a 1 7/8 inch socket on Amazon (also under $20.00) and a 1 inch pipe 4 feet long for the hitch ball. before I go to Florida for the winter and before I head back I check the torque on the hitch and lug nuts including the hitch ball. The hitch ball did loosen up a bit.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

I agree with many of the others, get the 1/2" wrench. I wouldn't bother with the 1/4" one, it's unlikely you'll be dealing with anything that precise out on the road. Certainly not in the trailer. Unless you plan to be doing head work in your campsite or something, you probably won't ever use that little one.

I would also carry a 1/2" drive breaker bar of a decent length. I tend to use my torque wrench ONLY for torquing. I will break nuts/bolts with a 1/2" drive socket or a breaker bar, use the same tool to tighten the fastener to somewhere close to the torque spec, then finish with the torque wrench.

X2. I slip a piece of pipe over the handle of 1/2” socket wrench for more leverage as a breaker.

[2edgesword]

I don’t think there is anything on the RV that requires torquing above 100- 125 ft-lbs. There may be some bolts on the hitch that require >250 when setting the hitch up. The 150 ft-lbs are relatively inexpensive but above 200 starts getting into the money and you will rarely use it which is why I’d recommend borrowing or having a shop that does heavy duty wrench do the torquing of those bolts.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by 2edgesword

I don’t think there is anything on the RV that requires torquing above 100- 125 ft-lbs. There may be some bolts on the hitch that require >250 when setting the hitch up. The 150 ft-lbs are relatively inexpensive but above 200 starts getting into the money and you will rarely use it which is why I’d recommend borrowing or having a shop that does heavy duty wrench do the torquing of those bolts.

^^This.

Also notice (just in case you didn't) that the 1/4" drive wrench is 10-150 INCH lbs, not FOOT lbs.

Harbor Freight sells a 1/2" drive torque wrench that goes up to 150 ft lbs (IIRC) for like $11.99 and it's all I've ever needed. Again, you don't need precision on most of the applications you're going to use this for, and I find that one to be good enough.

[Tacoma2016]

A torque wrench for $11.99 you may as well just use a breaker bar. Trust me stay away from that cheap junk. You think it will click at 90 ftlbs but it is probably way over torqueing and stretching your lug nuts.

[dhunter79]

Lots of options, thank you for all the replies!
- So I think I'm going to skip the 1/4" for now (yes, it's better for engine/bike work and I don't think I need it for the RV)
- Just get a 1/2" torque wrench for lug nuts/chassis bolts
- Pay a shop (maybe RV dealer) to initially torque hitch bolts & trailer ball and (bi-annually?) re-tighten

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Tacoma2016

A torque wrench for $11.99 you may as well just use a breaker bar. Trust me stay away from that cheap junk. You think it will click at 90 ftlbs but it is probably way over torqueing and stretching your lug nuts.

You're probably right about it being inaccurate. But inaccurate enough to stretch lugs? Doubtful. If anyone is going to stretch a lug, it's going to be the tire/wheel installer slamming the crap out of it with his 450 lb impact wrench (this actually happened to the U-bolts on the Hellwig springs on my motorhome, I'm going to have to cut them off). I've been using that cheap torque wrench on ALL my lug nuts for probably close to a decade and never had a problem. If anything, it probably is UNDER torquing. Probably time to get a new one...

[Tacoma2016]

Just to be safe I would probably get it calibrated

[Mitch S]

Caution, do not leave the torque wrench set to a certain torque all of the time. You should back it off to the lowest setting to prevent the spring from getting weak. A little time backing the setting down should lead to a long life of the wrench.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by dhunter79

Just curious, is there anything metric on Jayco's or can I leave them at home?

I don't think I have seen anyone address the 2nd question on the op's thread.

There may be some metric on some equipment provided by outside sources but I can not recall any.
Especially that would need a torque wrench precision.

[JetTech]

I carry around an inexpensive set of Stanley's from Walmart with both SAE & Metrics. It cost about $35 and has the vast majority of what you may need with a full compliment of 1/4" and 3/8" drives, plus some wrenches and a bit driver with numerous bits. I also carry a rechargeable drill with a set of bits, as there always seems to be something to do a minor tweak, mod or improvement on while sitting at the campsite relaxing. That last part is my wife's impression of a relaxing weekend, not mine! I do enough of that during the week, but happy wife, happy life!

As for the torque wrench, there's not much that would require torque that I've run into other than maybe your wheels, and I've got a decently calibrated elbow for that! I've got a long history using various torque devices during the work week, so perhaps I'm just more comfortable with that than others might be but the hassle of keeping it calibrated and the lack of a routine need for one keeps me from buying one for the rig. If I did, I'd buy a quality one since it makes no sense to go the route of torqueing something that's out of calibration. Now, if you're doing work on your truck while camping, it might be a different story (and depending on your vehicle, it's a good reason to carry metrics). If you're THAT guy in the spot next to me changing out diesel filters and doing an oil change, please don't do that any more! Put down the drain pan and grab a beer! lol

[ttavasc]

Like JetTech I carry around a set of SAE & Metric sockets as well as a similar set of open-end box-end wrenches. For torquing I carry a 1/2" drive 150ft. lb wrench and 3 sizes of deep-well sockets - 3/4" for lug nuts, 1 1/8" for the shank on my Andersen No-sway and 1 1/2" for the hub nut. Those are the only 3 items that I've come across so far that should be properly torqued.