This is an interesting subject for me, as it should be for anyone towing. I can tell you "who pays" through past experience. It should be the person who quoted the torque. Roughly a year back, I had Discount Tires take off my Tow-blow tires and put on Maxxis tires. They torqued them down, after which, I ask them what they had their wrench set at. They replied "120 ft/lbs. I told them that there was controversy about the correct torque; his reply was 9/16" lugs get 120-lbs. I showed him my iphone with a web site quoting 150 ft/lbs. They followed up by torqueing to 150 ft/lbs. Two weeks later, I had Camping World in Tacoma WA repack my wheel bearings. The first wheel came off twisting one lug bolt out of the 7000# Dexteraxle hubs. This was followed by one morestud twisting out of the third wheel off. After the first twist off, they stopped using the air impact and startedusing hand tools to remove the wheels, regardless the second lug stub came out. Regardless of it being Saturday, there was aspeciality trailer store open about ½ mile away. They got me out, repaired with two new studsin about three hours. I went back toDiscount Tire in Redmond WA and told them the story. They responded by paying me for the extracost that it cost me to have the two studs put back in the hubs. The manager stated that from then on, theywould make it clear that over-torquing would be done at the ownersrequest/expense. I thanks him and took the money and ran. Just sayin’.
Wheel nut torque.
- Thread starter Dan50
- Start date
This is an interesting subject for me, as it should be for anyone towing. I can tell you "who pays" through past experience. It should be the person who quoted the torque. Roughly a year back, I had Discount Tires take off my Tow-blow tires and put on Maxxis tires. They torqued them down, after which, I ask them what they had their wrench set at. They replied "120 ft/lbs. I told them that there was controversy about the correct torque; his reply was 9/16" lugs get 120-lbs. I showed him my iphone with a web site quoting 150 ft/lbs. They followed up by torqueing to 150 ft/lbs. Two weeks later, I had Camping World in Tacoma WA repack my wheel bearings. The first wheel came off twisting one lug bolt out of the 7000# Dexteraxle hubs. This was followed by one morestud twisting out of the third wheel off. After the first twist off, they stopped using the air impact and startedusing hand tools to remove the wheels, regardless the second lug stub came out. Regardless of it being Saturday, there was aspeciality trailer store open about ½ mile away. They got me out, repaired with two new studsin about three hours. I went back toDiscount Tire in Redmond WA and told them the story. They responded by paying me for the extracost that it cost me to have the two studs put back in the hubs. The manager stated that from then on, theywould make it clear that over-torquing would be done at the ownersrequest/expense. I thanks him and took the money and ran. Just sayin’.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
You must torque to the new 17.5 inch wheel torque spec and make note of the spec in your owners manual for future reference. The torque spec for a 17.5 inch wheel is not 120 foot lbs. expecially if it has steel inserts.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
If you torqued a 1/2 in lug to 150 foot lbs then you broke your own bolts. If your 9/16 lug studs were broken at 150 foot lbs then they were not OEM dexter lugs or they were already broken and it was just a matter of time. You were only 10 lbs over on the wheel manufacturers torque, not the SAE specs on the lug. The lug was capable of 170 lbs operating if it was an OEM Dexter grade 8 stud.
Rodbuster
Well-known member
Hi Duane,
I came across this post after I torqued my wheels.
Would you believe that I got 31 of the 32 lugs to "exactly" 120 ft lbs using a ratchet wrench and socket. I think that last one was defective.
Duane, I know you said "a case of domestic beer" but I feel that it should be at least be "a beer" per lug nut.
Whatever you decide will be OK.
See you in Goshen
Dick
PS. It's all in the wrist.
JanAndBill
Well-known member
I've seen this happen many times with careless tire people and an air impact. They get in a hurry and cross thread the nut. The impact wrench will force it on. The threads seize so when you try to take it off the stud breaks.
FredA
Member
I couldn't find lug nut torque OR nut socket size on anything in my RB220 factory or Camping World-provided documentation. As usual, a call to Heartland got me results: 15/16ths socket size and 100 lbs torque.
This is basic stuff and should be included "s-o-m-e-w-h-e-r-e" on a sheet of 'important data' 😁
This is basic stuff and should be included "s-o-m-e-w-h-e-r-e" on a sheet of 'important data' 😁
danemayer
Well-known member
Did you not receive a trailer manual and other manuals in a blue pouch? The trailer manual has a page that speaks to torque on lugnuts.
If you didn't get that blue pouch, you should ask Camping World to find it.
You can also download a manual at the Heartlandrvs.com website.
If you didn't get that blue pouch, you should ask Camping World to find it.
You can also download a manual at the Heartlandrvs.com website.
porthole
Retired
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
Arguments always yield new information to the debaters. I learn a lot arguing with Porthole. Win or lose, I approach my rig with the statements of others on my mind. Debating perspectives is always informative.
When it comes to torquing lugs, whatever you do you must be consistent. On another thread I conceded to your argument about the torque specified by heartland, if I remember correctly. If it says 120 in the manual then that is what you should torque to. But it has less to do with the lug and more to do with the aluminum alloy wheel hub. This is why the torque charts seem to conflict with the owner's manual. When you change wheels as I have, then both the Dexter spec and the new wheel spec must be considered in order to arrive at a new torque spec for your rig and a notation should be made in your owner's manual.
On the beer issue, I did accomplish the task of torquing my Ram Truck wheels to their spec with a break-over bar by feel. I did it on several lugs. Quite frankly I do not know how it is done but If I can do it anyone can. Porthole owes me a beer. It was not a 120 ft/lb lug though, I'm sure that it is more difficult to feel the 120 ft/lbs than the 135 or 150 of the truck lug.
When it comes to torquing lugs, whatever you do you must be consistent. On another thread I conceded to your argument about the torque specified by heartland, if I remember correctly. If it says 120 in the manual then that is what you should torque to. But it has less to do with the lug and more to do with the aluminum alloy wheel hub. This is why the torque charts seem to conflict with the owner's manual. When you change wheels as I have, then both the Dexter spec and the new wheel spec must be considered in order to arrive at a new torque spec for your rig and a notation should be made in your owner's manual.
On the beer issue, I did accomplish the task of torquing my Ram Truck wheels to their spec with a break-over bar by feel. I did it on several lugs. Quite frankly I do not know how it is done but If I can do it anyone can. Porthole owes me a beer. It was not a 120 ft/lb lug though, I'm sure that it is more difficult to feel the 120 ft/lbs than the 135 or 150 of the truck lug.
Oh I don't know Dick, my bet - challenge was to Jim A.
But, I'd be happy to partake with you over a few - we can talk about how lugs hold up under high loads on twisty roads!
daenitzhaus
Member
Jim, why did you change your wheels out?
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
I had a Blowmax failure at 1800 miles, I sold them and the rims that went with them and installed HiSpec Mod 3 17.5 inch wheels, and Goodyear G114's. Today I know that the 114 was a little overkill, but I'm glad I bought them.
