Torque setting on Lug Nuts

[honda03842]

Mtke, The reason I carry a breaker bar is that I've seen tires put on so tight I can not remove them with a simple lug wrench. We' have been places where there's no one to call and you have to be able to change the tire yourself. As well I want Ginny to have the ability.

My breaker bar, for all intents and purposes a longer lug wrench, is a piece of pipe 1.5" pipe that slips over the lug wrench making it longer.

I don't use the breaker bar to tighten. I tighten with the lug wrench and final tighten with the torque wrench.

[mgellar]

Thanks, Norm. I understand about the breaker bar. Just wondering if while having that and a regular socket wrench, if it was also necessary to have the lug wrench for tightening. Something else to carry!

[mgellar]

Oh, sorry, I see your lug wrench is also your breaker bar with the pipe over it, so you're not carrying as much extra as I thought.

[Ian G.]

Simple solution to all this, if you have someone else install wheels on your trailer make sure you get them to torque them, not just hammer them on with an impact wrench. If a wheel is installed to the correct torque of 100 ft/lbs they can be loosened with a standard 1/2" drive torque wrench or wheel wrench which is usually about 14-16" in length.

NEVER use a breaker bar to tighten wheel nuts, the only thing I use a breaker bar or pipe extension to tighten is the tow ball on hitch bar where a 1" shank ball is tightened to 250 ft/lbs

[mgellar]

Well, in this case, Scamp put on the wheels! I didn't think I could use the torque wrench for loosening, which is why I started this thread!

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by mgellar

Thanks, Norm. I understand about the breaker bar. Just wondering if while having that and a regular socket wrench, if it was also necessary to have the lug wrench for tightening. Something else to carry!

The lug wrench came with the trailer when I bought it. It fits both the trailer and the Honda.

[Ian G.]

Originally Posted by mgellar

Well, in this case, Scamp put on the wheels! I didn't think I could use the torque wrench for loosening, which is why I started this thread!

I am a mechanic and there is no problem using a torque wrench to loosen, in fact that is the tool we use to retorque any bolt, loosen the bolt then retighten with the torque wrench all one movement. I would NOT recommend using a pipe or snipe on a torque wrench though.

[mgellar]

I feel silly with this thread - basic stuff for people who are used to working on vehicles. This is the torque wrench I got and the instructions say not to use as a breaker bar, only use in a clockwise direction to tighten. Maybe I didn't try it properly or maybe this is a cheaper one not meant for loosening. 1/2'' Drive Micro-Clicker Torque Wrench: Make Every Turn RightSears

[Ian G.]

Definitely not silly questions. Remember many took auto shop through school, I went through 2 years additional technical college plus 2 year apprenticeship.

Yes if you apply too much load to a torque wrench in either direction you can damage the calibration, but a click type torque wrench should measure torque in both a clockwise and counter clockwise direction. If you set the torque value and use it to loosen as long as you do not exceed the maximum designed torque for that wrench it should be fine. What you should not do is apply excessive load on the wrench in either direction.

[mgellar]

I see this one http://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automo.../dp/B0028081GK that I almost bought (someone might have provided a link to it) appears to work in reverse, too. I went with the Sears because of the rubber handle, but then I had to buy and extender as well, and the case it comes in doesn't hold the extender nor is it a fully enclosed case like the Gorilla. It looks like I keep what I got so far and get a breaker bar, or return the sears items and get the Gorilla. The rubber handle was the biggest draw for the Sears - in the end, it cost more with the add-ons, even before the breaker bar.

[floyd]

Tighten 'em 'til they break then back-off an eighth of a turn!