Torque Wrench & Socket Idea?

[Maury&Julie]

I'm probably over-stressing about the torque. I just read the owner's manual. There are at least 1000 ways to kill yourself according to the manual. I know... Lawyer stuff. :-)

[Rossue]

At your orientation you will get tons of info; one of the most important is checking the lugs at 500 miles(another is adjusting your brakes). One member almost lost a wheel shortly after having her trailer delivered to the East Coast as she didn't get the memo.

When they're new- especially on the painted rims the lugs are easier to come loose as they haven't ground through the paint all the way.

[blue_bullet]

Originally Posted by Maury&Julie

Anyone have any ideas on a good torque wrench for the trailer tires? I've been looking at this one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Overkill?

I just got that item from Amazon along with some deep sockets and some pliers. That brought my total to $55 so I got the $15 off sale going on with Tekton tools this month.
My old torque wrench is the mechanical pointer type which is trickier to read and get a good setting. The wrench comes in a nice plastic storage package. No room for sockets though.

[Rossue]

They have the 1/2" drive Tekton at HD for $31. One thing- this wrench is 18" long and the Husky I bought at HD is 31". With that extra leverage it is still some work pulling up the last snug-up to 95 lbs.

[Iowa Dave]

Maury,
One thing I did not warn you about is that there are a few topics that you can bring up that will bring passionate responses on this forum. They are Teflon tape, tires, caulk, pressure regulators, wax and tools, especially torque wrenches. You have probably figured that out by now. One more thought, if you are camped near two or more Escape owners, as long as you have some libations you do not need tools, skill or knowledge, just mention your concern and stand back. You don't even need to be pretty. Everybody just wants to help and insure that a good time will be had by all. Hope to meet you on the road some day.
Dave

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Rossue

At your orientation you will get tons of info; one of the most important is checking the lugs at 500 miles(another is adjusting your brakes). One member almost lost a wheel shortly after having her trailer delivered to the East Coast as she didn't get the memo.

When they're new- especially on the painted rims the lugs are easier to come loose as they haven't ground through the paint all the way.

Very true. This is definitely the most important check ever, for your lug nuts. The nuts have to kind of day themselves to the rim after their first ever install.

Same thing for me brake pads.

[Jim Bennett]

I know for a fact the tire shop I use torques all wheels after install with an impact wrench. I think most do too.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Maury,
One thing I did not warn you about is that there are a few topics that you can bring up that will bring passionate responses on this forum. They are Teflon tape, tires, caulk, pressure regulators, wax and tools, especially torque wrenches. You have probably figured that out by now. One more thought, if you are camped near two or more Escape owners, as long as you have some libations you do not need tools, skill or knowledge, just mention your concern and stand back. You don't even need to be pretty. Everybody just wants to help and insure that a good time will be had by all. Hope to meet you on the road some day.
Dave

You forgot coffee

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Don't know if I'm not pro active enough but since purchase I've not done more than visual inspections of wheel nuts!!! Next week "Escape Hatch II" goes in for it's first bearing pack. My RVTech is rubbing his hands cause it's a dual axle trailer so he charges $39. per axle.
This might be enough to get me torqued up about going south!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Loren & Cathy]

Originally Posted by Rossue

At your orientation you will get tons of info; one of the most important is checking the lugs at 500 miles(another is adjusting your brakes). One member almost lost a wheel shortly after having her trailer delivered to the East Coast as she didn't get the memo.

When they're new- especially on the painted rims the lugs are easier to come loose as they haven't ground through the paint all the way.

Very true. Even with the aluminum rims, I got a slight movement on several lug nuts on the 3rd and 4th torquing. Even if all you have is a breaker bar, check them. Loren

[J Mac]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

My son-in-law has my torque wrench.

Ask for it back.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Bet most have read at least one edition of Popular Mechanics...)

Really Built my first trailer when I was 19 using Popular Mechanics as my plan. Harder to build trailers yourself in those days. You had to go to the auto wrecker and get some front spindles, hacksaw parts off, weld up a drop axle and bolt the spindle on. Going to Princess Auto and buying a ready made axle is just so easy by comparison.

I have several torque wrenches, including a Craftsman clicker, and I keep one in the trailer full time. You do need a wheel lug wrench so it might as well serve two purposes. Like others have said. If you've used tools a lot you can probably get a usable ballpark torque without the wrench. Do what ever works for you.

Ron

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

The last time I was in Sears I noted that Craftsman sickets (and presumably other Craftsman tools) are no longer being manufactured in North America. Guess I don't have to say where they are now made but I wouldn't be surprised if the "lifetime" warranty gets revised or disappears altogether.

I don't think much of the Craftsman-branded line has been made in North America for decades. Warranty duration has far more to do with marketing approach than product quality, so they can warrant just for life if they're willing to replace enough tools... and cover the replacement cost with a high enough initial price.

Originally Posted by sturski

While I've got a nice torque wrench at home, my calibrated biceps and a breaker bar seem adequate for the road.

While I don't see anything wrong with carrying a cheap torque wrench, I take this approach instead for emergency tools.

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I know for a fact the tire shop I use torques all wheels after install with an impact wrench. I think most do too.

I agree, there may not be many shops still final torquing by hand. With a torque-limiting extension bar and the wrench speed kept reasonable, an impact works okay... although idiots not limiting the torque they apply with impacts have destroyed a couple of wheel studs and one suspension bolt on my cars (a reason that I avoid having anyone else work on them).

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I agree, there may not be many shops still final torquing by hand. With a torque-limiting extension bar and the wrench speed kept reasonable, an impact works okay... although idiots not limiting the torque they apply with impacts have destroyed a couple of wheel studs and one suspension bolt on my cars (a reason that I avoid having anyone else work on them).

I have heard of shops overtouqing and wrecking the studs too.

I also know of one idiot who completely missed tightening the lug nuts at all, resulting in the wheel coming off when driving. Fortunately, it happened as I was going slow and turning a corner, so I was not too awful mad a myself.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't think much of the Craftsman-branded line has been made in North America for decades. Warranty duration has far more to do with marketing approach than product quality, so they can warrant just for life if they're willing to replace enough tools... and cover the replacement cost with a high enough initial price.


While I don't see anything wrong with carrying a cheap torque wrench, I take this approach instead for emergency tools.

I
I agree, there may not be many shops still final torquing by hand. With a torque-limiting extension bar and the wrench speed kept reasonable, an impact works okay... although idiots not limiting the torque they apply with impacts have destroyed a couple of wheel studs and one suspension bolt on my cars (a reason that I avoid having anyone else work on them).

Exactly how I feel . Costco changing tires here where we live are trained pretty good though . Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I have heard of shops overtouqing and wrecking the studs too.

I also know of one idiot who completely missed tightening the lug nuts at all, resulting in the wheel coming off when driving. Fortunately, it happened as I was going slow and turning a corner, so I was not too awful mad a myself.

Had that happen once made it almost 50 mi . Wheel in front was funny , checked and it was just hanging on . The tire shop forgot to tighten the nuts . Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Exactly how I feel . Costco changing tires here where we live are trained pretty good though . Pat

Costco , they always torque the wheels here . Pat

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I have heard of shops overtouqing and wrecking the studs too.

I also know of one idiot who completely missed tightening the lug nuts at all, resulting in the wheel coming off when driving. Fortunately, it happened as I was going slow and turning a corner, so I was not too awful mad a myself.

While I'm sure I have failed to properly tighten a wheel nut or two over the years - and maybe missed final torquing on an entire wheel and got away with it - I have twice had "professional" mechanics seriously mess up wheel installations by using the wrong nuts. Our Sienna (like most Toyotas, at least up to the vintage of ours) use a tapered-seat nut with the steel wheels, but a straight-shank nut with the original-equipment alloys; twice on seasonal swaps the wrong nuts were used (tapered seat with the alloys) which are impossible to tighten properly. No competent mechanic could install those nuts and fail to notice that they were wrong, or that they would not seat and tighten properly.

In one case (a tire shop) I caught them as they did it, but in the other (a Toyota dealership!) my wife drove 800 kilometers home before I saw it... and found that none of the nuts were anywhere near tight, with some loose enough to spin off with my fingers. A little while longer and that could easily have been a highway-speed disaster. I'm not a professional mechanic, but I trust my wheel nut installation more than any shop except the one where I personally know the mechanic.

[Rossue]

Hear you Brian; if you want the job done right. Interior painting comes to mind as well.

I do a lot of scheduled maintenance on my cars & trailer mostly to avoid the hassle of hooking up , taking it in then hoping no one dings it in their parking lot. Also confess to having the DYI disease.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Hear you Brian; if you want the job done right. Interior painting comes to mind as well.

I do a lot of scheduled maintenance on my cars & trailer mostly to avoid the hassle of hooking up , taking it in then hoping no one dings it in their parking lot. Also confess to having the DYI disease.

We think alike . Pat