Get a torque wrench. Here's why. - Diesel Forum

DslDav · 04-27-2005, 10:52 PM

Traveling the posted limit on the interstate with 5er in tow happy as could be until a lady pulls along side and gives that dreaded motion to roll down my window. She says YOU LOST A TIRE!! I slowed to pull over and quickly checked for control issues and both mirrors looking at the 5er tires--no problems. Imagine my surprise when I walked around the back to the shoulder side and discovered only one tire. The other one was gone rim and all! Stareing at me was a hub with 6 shineing broken lug bolts. It was the rear of a tandem set so from the truck I couldn't see it. Lucky the hub was held up by the leaf spring and other tire so no damage there and none to the skirt. A guy stopped and told me where my tire was so I unhooked,went to the next exit,doubled back, and located the tire. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Went to several auto parts stores until finding the proper studs and new lug nuts. Replaced the studs and reinstalled hub to be on the way again. Thanks to the motorists who saw what happened and took time to tell me.
I now have a new clicker torque wrench and check all nuts every time I hook up. Hope you all can learn something here. I know I have......... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

**bugman** · 04-27-2005, 11:02 PM

I am not sure on how much towing you do or have done in the past but I have also learned from experience that every time you hook up to check everything on the trailer. Then after towing about 10 miles I will do a visial recheck and walk around and at every fuel stop or whenever I do stop the truck. I skipped this routiene one time in Flagstaff, Az. and got pulled over 5 miles later for no lights. The plug had vibrated out of the socket. How I do not know.

Jim

lincster · 04-28-2005, 01:07 AM

I tow 2 weekends a month, 7 months out of the year.
I always torque my lugnuts and max my air pressure out before each tow.

BASSAGE · 04-28-2005, 01:35 AM

Yep I check mine on a regular basis,more then once I have found loose nut's.

Safe towing.

Dan

SmokeyWren · 04-28-2005, 09:50 AM

Yep. I keep a torque wrench behind the back seat. It has enough oomph to torque the pickup lugnuts to 165 lb/ft. Along with various scokets to fit all the lugnuts on all my trailers.

About 60 years ago my Dad lost a wheel on a two-wheel trailer. The darned thing passed us, crossed the highway, and jumped a bob wire fence. Made a mess of the trailer. Could have been a disaster if anyone had been coming down the road the other way.

So I check the torque on all my lugnuts - both pickup and trailer - regularly. I've never had a "loose" lugnut, but I've had several that had backed off to a half-turn or so less than 100 lb/ft on trailers or 165 lb/ft on the pickup.

AllAboutJeeps · 04-28-2005, 10:22 AM

So from what I am reading, the consensus is that it was caused by under torqued loose lug nuts? I would think sheared bolts would be caused by overtorquing the lugnuts. Thoughts?

...danny

DslDav · 04-28-2005, 11:51 AM

Over or under?? From what I'm told this appears to be over torque causing the bolts to fracture. If one or two let go the others could have followed from the stress. I had tightened them all three weeks and about 1000 miles prior using a stout 4 way lug tool. Too loose would have caused the wheel to shuck back and forth elongating the holes to egg shape. The holes were still perfectly round.
Like others I do a walk around looking at things at every stop.
One of those checks is to kick each tire. Also use a hand held temperature gauge on the tires and brake rotors. (radio shack)

beertym · 04-28-2005, 09:50 PM

Absolutely agree. Get a good ($50-70) "clicker" torque wrench.
I routinely check mine cold at 110# on 16 inch steel rims. Usually the left and right rear rim lugs need a slight tweak.

FYRMAN · 04-28-2005, 11:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
So from what I am reading, the consensus is that it was caused by under torqued loose lug nuts? I would think sheared bolts would be caused by overtorquing the lugnuts. Thoughts?

...danny

[/ QUOTE ]

If you overtorque a lugnut, you will know it when the nuts is still in the socket after you tighten it too far.

An undertorqued lugnut will back off. From the paint on the wheels squishing down, to the lugstuds seating just a little bit more, to the lugstuds stretching... Several different possibilities... Several different reasons why to check them.

When a lugnut backs off, it gives the wheel room to flop around. When that wheel is flopping around at highway speeds, it's enough force to break the stud.

j_apetersen · 04-29-2005, 01:27 AM

Dav I have a question what has the tires done to you for you to kick them. It is a proven fact that thumping a tire with a tire iron can not tell you they have enough air in them.Will only tell you if it is flat. The first reason most trailers and trucks get loose wheels is Rust after a while in driving you loose rust, and wheels get loose.One of the problems with wheels on trailers is that there are a lot of axels and wheels out there for sale.You know that little raised part on the axle in the center of the axle. It is there for a reason to hold the wheel on the hub so it does not wobble.Make shure that you get the right wheels for the right axles and right lug nuts.And for you that are not truck drivers, that is why D.O.T. requires a walk around every time you get out of the truck.

diesel_doctor · 04-29-2005, 08:16 AM

Your wrong about over tightening a lub nut. It's easy to over do it and not break the stud. Most every tire shop does it on every car. If they use an impact with a torque stick it's too tight.

If the wheel didn't show damage from wobbling around the studs broke from being too tight at one time or another.

EBX · 04-30-2005, 10:22 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I am not sure on how much towing you do or have done in the past but I have also learned from experience that every time you hook up to check everything on the trailer. Then after towing about 10 miles I will do a visial recheck and walk around and at every fuel stop or whenever I do stop the truck. I skipped this routiene one time in Flagstaff, Az. and got pulled over 5 miles later for no lights. The plug had vibrated out of the socket. How I do not know.

Jim

[/ QUOTE ]

After plugging in the electrical TT plug I always zip-tie it to to the plug housing on the hitch. It has not popped out yet.

tfalk · 04-30-2005, 09:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The plug had vibrated out of the socket. How I do not know.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had that problem with my trailer for a while. I finally found a good use for those mini bungie cords they include
in all the sets. I loop one around the socket and hook the bungie cord to the wings
on the connector. Haven't had it come loose since...

hhills · 05-01-2005, 06:15 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So from what I am reading, the consensus is that it was caused by under torqued loose lug nuts? I would think sheared bolts would be caused by overtorquing the lugnuts. Thoughts?

...danny

[/ QUOTE ]

If you overtorque a lugnut, you will know it when the nuts is still in the socket after you tighten it too far.

An undertorqued lugnut will back off. From the paint on the wheels squishing down, to the lugstuds seating just a little bit more, to the lugstuds stretching... Several different possibilities... Several different reasons why to check them.

When a lugnut backs off, it gives the wheel room to flop around. When that wheel is flopping around at highway speeds, it's enough force to break the stud.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had 2 lugs and studs pop off of the driver side front wheel on a chevy pickup i used to have. somebody had loosen them while I was parked at work. when I left the lot and turned on to the street 2 popped off.

AllAboutJeeps · 05-02-2005, 10:32 AM

[ QUOTE ]
So from what I am reading, the consensus is that it was caused by under torqued loose lug nuts? I would think sheared bolts would be caused by overtorquing the lugnuts. Thoughts?

...danny

[/ QUOTE ]

The reason for my question is that a clicker toque wrench won't tell you if the lugs are overtightened, it will only tell you they are undertightened. Not trying to start a pi$$ing match about who's walkaround method is best, or why "no one touches my trailer but me", just trying to bring up valid points. My point? If you get your trailer back from the tire shop and go around with your clicker wrench and just make sure it clicks on every lug, it will only ensure that the lugs weren't undertightened, it will do nothing to let you know they were overtightened.

...danny