So, in reading different forums, it seems apparent that anyone owning a fifth wheel with the disk brakes needs to have a torque wrench. While I know what they are and a "somewhat" idea of how to use them, I have NEVER had any experience with any of them. My tool of choice in the past has been a 4-way crossover lug wrench.
For the benefit of anyone who hasn't researched this before, some advise that it is best to use a torque wrench for tightening the lug nuts of the wheels on our fifth wheels if they are disk brakes and not drum brakes. I guess that it is important for them to be tightened evenly instead of the "hit or miss" method of "grunt" tightening.
Some had suggested a "$30 or $40" one from Autozone or whatever. However, what I would like to know is what do I need to AVOID, if anything.
So, I'm asking again for the great folks here for your advice.
Is there any brands, types, models that I should avoid like the plague?
Is calibration of the torque wrench critical, and if so, any ideas on how to do that?
If anyone has other points to make regarding the torque wrench or its use, I welcome any comments that you have to make.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Terry
53 Merc said
04:13 PM Aug 5, 2010
Terry, just go to Sears and get a Craftsman 24 inch 1/2 inch drive torque wrench. Warranted for life, what is wrong with that? Try to avoid getting a wrench with a gauge you have to watch. The clicker is just fine.
Calibration for our purposes is not required. All you are looking at is approx 110 ft/lbs of torque for your wheels, right? Anywhere between 100 and 120 is adequate.
Be careful if you need to use an extension between the wrench and the socket. Some of them are not good enough to "not twist" when applying the required torque.
Other than that check wheel lugs often, and be sure you stop when it "clicks".
Racerguy said
04:50 PM Aug 5, 2010
Ditto's to the above.That's what I did after I mistakenly sold my 1st one at our moving sale not thinking about using it.I was torquing my lugnuts at a park in Texas and had a guy come over and tell me in all his years RVing I was the 1st guy he ever saw actually check mine.A good quality socket of the correct size is also important as the cheapies will tend to round off the lug nuts.(ask me how I know)
-- Edited by Racerguy on Thursday 5th of August 2010 04:53:32 PM
Luvglass said
05:06 PM Aug 5, 2010
I don't understand what the difference is between a car and a trailer that requires me to regularly check my trailer wheels with a torque wrench, when I've driven a car for 55 years and never had to check them. Definitely, my car was driven more recklessly than I've ever driven my trailer. And why are we told to check the trailer but not the truck???
I don't own a torque wrench and have been driving my trailer for almost 5 years now and have never checked them. So far all is well.
Terry, you were an over the road driver, did you regularly check the wheels?
Terry and Jo said
05:26 PM Aug 5, 2010
Luvglass wrote:
I don't understand what the difference is between a car and a trailer that requires me to regularly check my trailer wheels with a torque wrench, when I've driven a car for 55 years and never had to check them. Definitely, my car was driven more recklessly than I've ever driven my trailer. And why are we told to check the trailer but not the truck???
I don't own a torque wrench and have been driving my trailer for almost 5 years now and have never checked them. So far all is well.
Terry, you were an over the road driver, did you regularly check the wheels?
Fred,
Yes, I was an 18-wheeler operator for about 5 years and a bob-tail driver for even longer than that. In all cases, it was always a 4-way wrench, an impact wrench, or a geared tightener for Budd wheel lugs.
However, as I mentioned in the original post, apparently with disk brakes it is different than drum brakes. Sadly, over the years my cars and pickups haven't been checked that much on a regular basis. And even then, it was a quick pull on each one with a 4-way.
One commenter on another forum spoke of being used to the 4-way wrench, but the last time he tried to remove a Mobile Suites wheel, he couldn't do it. It required an impact wrench to remove. Also, a number commented that over-tightening, regardless of which method was used to put them on, could lead to weakening the stud bolts.
Thus, the questions above because with such an expensive rig, I don't want to take chances. I have lost a wheel once on an interstate. It ain't fun. Fortunately, it was a rear wheel, and that is a story for around a campfire sometime. It's too long otherwise.
Terry
FD5 said
05:29 PM Aug 5, 2010
As for vehicles most tire shops use torque stick sockets for auto wheels (Our son works at a tire shop). Trailer wheels require torquing due to the lateral forces on the wheels when turning. Unlike autos the wheels work against each other. I torque ours every month or so.
Terry and Jo said
05:37 PM Aug 5, 2010
53 Merc wrote:
Terry, just go to Sears and get a Craftsman 24 inch 1/2 inch drive torque wrench. Warranted for life, what is wrong with that? Try to avoid getting a wrench with a gauge you have to watch. The clicker is just fine.
Calibration for our purposes is not required. All you are looking at is approx 110 ft/lbs of torque for your wheels, right? Anywhere between 100 and 120 is adequate.
Be careful if you need to use an extension between the wrench and the socket. Some of them are not good enough to "not twist" when applying the required torque.
Other than that check wheel lugs often, and be sure you stop when it "clicks".
Ken,
I didn't even really relate to the Craftsman, but you are right about the warranties with their stuff. Now, as a follow-up question that can be asked of all, will a standard socket work, or should one get a heavy-duty, impact type socket instead?
While I have a 1/2 inch socket set, going up to 1 1/4" on the socket size, it is an old Montgomery Ward set. They were good enough to use on the farm and the truck driving parts of my life, so I guess they would be heavy enough. However, I still like to get other folks advice.
It is a sad state of affairs that I am known as the "King of Overkill". I've set nuts and bolts with a socket extension and a piece of pipe over the handle to add leverage. So, I suspect that the 24" torque wrench would help me avoid the overkill aspect.
Thanks for the ideas.
Terry
PS: Relating back to another thread where I picked on the Texas folks, and you in particular, I guess I should mention that a horrible thing happened to me. Should anyone repeat what I say here, I will adamantly deny everything.
My mother decided to go from the Oklahoma Panhandle town of Keyes back in 1946 to go shopping in Amarillo, Texas. Sadly, that is when I decided it was time to be born. I am still trying to live down the shame.
An Okie at heart and mind, but born in Texas.
Yeesh!!!
Mallo said
05:50 PM Aug 5, 2010
Luvglass wrote:
I don't understand what the difference is between a car and a trailer that requires me to regularly check my trailer wheels with a torque wrench, when I've driven a car for 55 years and never had to check them. Definitely, my car was driven more recklessly than I've ever driven my trailer. And why are we told to check the trailer but not the truck???
I don't own a torque wrench and have been driving my trailer for almost 5 years now and have never checked them. So far all is well.
Terry, you were an over the road driver, did you regularly check the wheels?
I'm with Luvglass on this one though I do have torque wrenches a small one up to 50 lbs and a larger one up to 150 lbs but I use them as much for the truck as the fifth wheel (The Brideandjoy never saw a set of printed directions she didn't like and if it says Torque to 13 foot pounds well by dang nabit that's what we're gonna do.)
I've checked my tires after I change them and that's about it.
So for all you tire checkers out there how often when you retorque do the lug nuts move before the wrench clicks over?
Mallo
Delaine and Lindy said
05:57 PM Aug 5, 2010
Terry, I have had expensive Torq wrenches and cheap ones. I now have a Walmart Torq wrench. As for torqing the wheels I about once a month pull off three caps and check the Torq. Now if you remove a Aluminum wheel be sure and check the tork within the first 50 miles then at a 150 then you should be fine.
As for the disk brakes, my personal opinion is because if you use a impact wrench when replacing the wheel you can damage the rotor. I would never use my impact wrench when replacing a wheel. Professional will always use a torq wrench when replacing a wheel.
I'm also a X-Truck driver and also know when you see rust coming from a lug nut on a steel wheel it needs to be re-torked. Just a suggestion on a wrench to remove the caps on the MS, check Camping World they carry the small wrench for removing the Caps. My Freightliner requires the large wrench to remove the caps.
The reason I think a Aluminum wheel needs re-torking is the twisting of the suspension when towing the 5th wheel for sure when backing into RV sites. Cars and Trucks doesn't put so much pressure on the suspension when turning and backing up distance between axles. Take a look at you suspension when backing up. Lots of pressure on the tires and wheel. The above is just my Opinion............ GBY....
53 Merc said
06:35 PM Aug 5, 2010
Terry and Jo wrote:
Ken,
I didn't even really relate to the Craftsman, but you are right about the warranties with their stuff. Now, as a follow-up question that can be asked of all, will a standard socket work, or should one get a heavy-duty, impact type socket instead?
While I have a 1/2 inch socket set, going up to 1 1/4" on the socket size, it is an old Montgomery Ward set. They were good enough to use on the farm and the truck driving parts of my life, so I guess they would be heavy enough. However, I still like to get other folks advice.
It is a sad state of affairs that I am known as the "King of Overkill". I've set nuts and bolts with a socket extension and a piece of pipe over the handle to add leverage. So, I suspect that the 24" torque wrench would help me avoid the overkill aspect.
Thanks for the ideas.
Terry
PS: Relating back to another thread where I picked on the Texas folks, and you in particular, I guess I should mention that a horrible thing happened to me. Should anyone repeat what I say here, I will adamantly deny everything.
My mother decided to go from the Oklahoma Panhandle town of Keyes back in 1946 to go shopping in Amarillo, Texas. Sadly, that is when I decided it was time to be born. I am still trying to live down the shame.
An Okie at heart and mind, but born in Texas.
Yeesh!!!
Well, I guess you can have dual citizenship, but you can be sure if I ever face to face you, I will call you a Texan. Lotsa people are not so lucky as you.
Now, I would recommend a 6 point socket, if the old Wards set is 6 point, I am sure you would be OK. Sometimes the air impact wrenches have broken the cheap Chi---- sockets that look good, but just ain't strong. You will be monitoring your input since you certainly don't want to warp a rotor. Like another poster, most reputable tire shops always always use a torque wrench to tighten the lugs. They might use an impact to remove and then run up the lugs, but out comes the torque wrench, and they always use a cross pattern.
jagco said
07:34 PM Aug 6, 2010
As far as aluminum wheels go, the lug nots need to be retorqued after so many miles on cars and trucks too. I have aluminum wheels on my truck, and the tire shop told me to come back after so many miles (I think it was 50) and they retorqued the lugs. They said it's because the aluminum is softer than the steel wheels, and the actual driving actually flexes the wheels, thus possibly loosening them. I'm certainly no expert, just passing along what I was told.
sirwinston21 said
10:45 AM Aug 8, 2010
I don't see the difference in needing to torque lugs nuts on a wheel with disc brakes verses drum brakes. Aluminum wheels will expand and contract more than steel wheels regardless of the brake. Also in my years as a professional driver in company trucks and in my own vehicles, i have never seen a shop install wheels without using an impact wrench.
Racerguy said
12:15 PM Aug 8, 2010
The biggest reason you should use a torque wrench on disc brakes is the fact you can warp a disc brake rotor with improper tightening and torque.Not so on a drum brake setup.Most impacts at tire stores are set to a predetermined setting.Many people get by only doing minimum preventitive maintenance and never have a problem.If I buy used from someone I will choose to buy from the guy that did perform proper maintenance.
-- Edited by Racerguy on Sunday 8th of August 2010 12:17:57 PM
PIEERE said
07:59 PM Aug 10, 2010
I Believe it would be better to be safe then sorry. Torque them according to specs. I was going south on I-95 in a pickup truck, a dual wheel and tire from a class C MH coming North crossed the median and just missed coming through the windshield of the pickup I was driving. Scarey!!! From then on I always checked the lugs. Just my two Cents!!!
Terry and Jo said
07:54 PM Sep 1, 2010
You guys have been great. We were near Sears today so we drove over to see what they had in the way of torque wrenches.
Now, because of that, I have a follow up question. I'm certainly not interested in the "bending beam" or "visible dial" style. But, I also didn't see any like that anyway.
What I did see that somewhat interested me was two different ones. There was a $80 one that had a rotating dial on the shank for setting the target setting. Then there was a $120 one that had a digital readout for setting the target setting.
So, while I don't REALLY want to spend the extra $40 (if I went with Sears), would the digital one really be better? I would think with a digital readout, the dang thing probably has to have a battery to operate that. It would just be my luck the battery would go dead just when I needed to use the wrench.
While I like the idea of the Craftsman because of their warranties on tools, I plan on looking at a few other places. However, I did buy a 6-point socket and about a 6" extension at Sears. I know that those two items need to be quality.
Thanks again for your help.
Terry
Racerguy said
08:07 PM Sep 1, 2010
Terry,I would get the "clicker" style.You just adjust the setting on the handle and listen for the click.That way you don't have to eyeball it,just tighten until it clicks.
Terry and Jo said
08:33 PM Sep 1, 2010
Racerguy wrote:
Terry,I would get the "clicker" style.You just adjust the setting on the handle and listen for the click.That way you don't have to eyeball it,just tighten until it clicks.
George,
Both that I looked at were "clicker" styles. The difference (that I could see) was that the higher priced one was digital with a digital readout showing the selected "target setting", while the $80 one had a dial that "twisted" around the handle to set the target setting.
The one difference that I saw was that the $119 (digital) one goes up to 250 lbs, and the $79 one goes up to 150 lbs. I had read on one of the forums when I initially posted this question that someone mentioned that the "center of the pounds range" was the most accurate of the wrench. Thus, if one needed to torque 150 ft lbs, you would be at the max for the one, but only half way through the digital's range.
While I haven't checked for sure, the Mobile Suites with 17.5" wheels calls for around 140-150.
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Wednesday 1st of September 2010 08:34:42 PM
Racerguy said
08:49 PM Sep 1, 2010
The 250 lb one would probably be better suited for your use.My Cedar Creek only needs 85 lbs thus the 150 lb one works for me.
dewwood said
07:38 AM Sep 2, 2010
I recently purchased a Sears torque wrench and found the warranty is now one year. They no longer warrant them for life. The salesman said something about abuse with extensions on the handles.
rjenkins said
09:56 AM Sep 2, 2010
Terry, I checked the sears website for the digital torque wrench. Did you read the reviews on that thing. Out of 24 reviews, 15 of them gave it only one star, Yikes! That would make me feel uneasy. Also, dewwood, sad to see Sears only warrants their torque wrenches for one year. I hope it was the salesmans error. Always liked Craftsman and Snap-On and as a kid I used to be amazed that they were guaranteed for life. I guess like Bob Dylan once said, times are a chagin!
-- Edited by rjenkins on Thursday 2nd of September 2010 09:57:10 AM
Bill and Linda said
02:48 PM Sep 3, 2010
“I don't understand what the difference is between a car and a trailer that requires me to regularly check my trailer wheels with a torque wrench, when I've driven a car for 55 years and never had to check them. Definitely, my car was driven more recklessly than I've ever driven my trailer. And why are we told to check the trailer but not the truck???
I don't own a torque wrench and have been driving my trailer for almost 5 years now and have never checked them. So far all is well.”
-----------------------
Fred, I had the same question and now I know “why” it is very important to torque trailer wheels and not the same for "cars."
Trailer tires (wheels) have a lot more flexing, especially with tandems axles.(I.e. two axles.)The wheels are actually rocked on the bolts much more because there is no differential like there is in a car / truck rear end.Therefore they get loose just like you might loosen something that is screwed on by rocking it.
Now, the reason to have a torque wrench is to tighten the lugs to a specific tightness that, if you repeat the tightening process a few times after traveling, will finally “seat” the nuts into the wheels and they won’t come loose.
You can’t do this by just tightening the lugs “as tight as you can.”They will work loose if you do that not to mention potentially damaging the lugs.
From personal experience I can tell you, with some 38,000 miles with this trailer alone, if you torque the lugs to the proper value (probably 110-120 foot lbs in most cases with the 5/8” lugs most larger 5’er’s have) and check them regularly; then re-torque them as you travel (only takes 3 minutes – really!) they will finally snug up and won’t move.
There really is a reason - a good one – to do this correctly.
If anyone is interested, Mark Bruss has a very good and accurate discussion on this subject.I recommend it – a bit technical, but anyone can follow it and maybe save themselves a lot of damage – or worse – with just a “Sears Torque Wrench” and 3 minutes while the co-pilot is in the rig doing you know what at the rest stop. That's what I do.
Jo and I did some looking around this last week. I finally got to Autozone and I also checked out the Kobalt torque wrenches at Lowes.
So, with Sears, the 25-250 wrench sold for $120, the 25-250 Kobalt at Lowes was $95, and the one at Autozone was an brand called OEM and their 25-250 was selling for $80.
I've never heard of OEM, so I don't know what those are like. Both the Sears and the Kobalt come with a 1 year warranty, and likely the OEM may as well.
Also, I went out and looked through the DRV Suites owner's manual and they specify that one start out by first using 20 ft lbs of torque and then go around again with 80 ft lbs of torque, and ending up with a third round at 120-150 ft lbs. While some poster on other forums have questioned whether a torque wrench was even needed, DRV Suites seems to think it is important.
Now, I just have to decide for sure which wrench that I want. The Sears one had the digital readout on the settings, and the Kobalt and OEM had the "dial" control for setting the ft lbs.
Thanks again for all your help.
Terry
rjenkins said
06:55 PM Sep 3, 2010
Terry, I have always taken OEM to stand for Original Equipment Manufacturer, meaning that they will build equipment that will be branded under different companies name. Not to say it is of inferior quality but it may not be from whom you thought you bought it from.
For example, you may have a very well known refridgerator company manufacture a fridge as an OEM to another well known company that will sell it under their own name.
For the benefit of anyone who hasn't researched this before, some advise that it is best to use a torque wrench for tightening the lug nuts of the wheels on our fifth wheels if they are disk brakes and not drum brakes. I guess that it is important for them to be tightened evenly instead of the "hit or miss" method of "grunt" tightening.
Some had suggested a "$30 or $40" one from Autozone or whatever. However, what I would like to know is what do I need to AVOID, if anything.
So, I'm asking again for the great folks here for your advice.
Is there any brands, types, models that I should avoid like the plague?
Is calibration of the torque wrench critical, and if so, any ideas on how to do that?
If anyone has other points to make regarding the torque wrench or its use, I welcome any comments that you have to make.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Terry
Calibration for our purposes is not required. All you are looking at is approx 110 ft/lbs of torque for your wheels, right? Anywhere between 100 and 120 is adequate.
Be careful if you need to use an extension between the wrench and the socket. Some of them are not good enough to "not twist" when applying the required torque.
Other than that check wheel lugs often, and be sure you stop when it "clicks".
-- Edited by Racerguy on Thursday 5th of August 2010 04:53:32 PM
Fred,
Yes, I was an 18-wheeler operator for about 5 years and a bob-tail driver for even longer than that. In all cases, it was always a 4-way wrench, an impact wrench, or a geared tightener for Budd wheel lugs.
However, as I mentioned in the original post, apparently with disk brakes it is different than drum brakes. Sadly, over the years my cars and pickups haven't been checked that much on a regular basis. And even then, it was a quick pull on each one with a 4-way.
One commenter on another forum spoke of being used to the 4-way wrench, but the last time he tried to remove a Mobile Suites wheel, he couldn't do it. It required an impact wrench to remove. Also, a number commented that over-tightening, regardless of which method was used to put them on, could lead to weakening the stud bolts.
Thus, the questions above because with such an expensive rig, I don't want to take chances. I have lost a wheel once on an interstate. It ain't fun. Fortunately, it was a rear wheel, and that is a story for around a campfire sometime. It's too long otherwise.
Terry
I didn't even really relate to the Craftsman, but you are right about the warranties with their stuff. Now, as a follow-up question that can be asked of all, will a standard socket work, or should one get a heavy-duty, impact type socket instead?
While I have a 1/2 inch socket set, going up to 1 1/4" on the socket size, it is an old Montgomery Ward set. They were good enough to use on the farm and the truck driving parts of my life, so I guess they would be heavy enough. However, I still like to get other folks advice.
It is a sad state of affairs that I am known as the "King of Overkill". I've set nuts and bolts with a socket extension and a piece of pipe over the handle to add leverage. So, I suspect that the 24" torque wrench would help me avoid the overkill aspect.
Thanks for the ideas.
Terry
PS: Relating back to another thread where I picked on the Texas folks, and you in particular, I guess I should mention that a horrible thing happened to me. Should anyone repeat what I say here, I will adamantly deny everything.
My mother decided to go from the Oklahoma Panhandle town of Keyes back in 1946 to go shopping in Amarillo, Texas. Sadly, that is when I decided it was time to be born. I am still trying to live down the shame.
An Okie at heart and mind, but born in Texas.
Yeesh!!!
I'm with Luvglass on this one though I do have torque wrenches a small one up to 50 lbs and a larger one up to 150 lbs but I use them as much for the truck as the fifth wheel (The Brideandjoy never saw a set of printed directions she didn't like and if it says Torque to 13 foot pounds well by dang nabit that's what we're gonna do.)
I've checked my tires after I change them and that's about it.
So for all you tire checkers out there how often when you retorque do the lug nuts move before the wrench clicks over?
Mallo
Now, I would recommend a 6 point socket, if the old Wards set is 6 point, I am sure you would be OK. Sometimes the air impact wrenches have broken the cheap Chi---- sockets that look good, but just ain't strong. You will be monitoring your input since you certainly don't want to warp a rotor.
Like another poster, most reputable tire shops always always use a torque wrench to tighten the lugs. They might use an impact to remove and then run up the lugs, but out comes the torque wrench, and they always use a cross pattern.
-- Edited by Racerguy on Sunday 8th of August 2010 12:17:57 PM
From then on I always checked the lugs. Just my two Cents!!!
Now, because of that, I have a follow up question. I'm certainly not interested in the "bending beam" or "visible dial" style. But, I also didn't see any like that anyway.
What I did see that somewhat interested me was two different ones. There was a $80 one that had a rotating dial on the shank for setting the target setting. Then there was a $120 one that had a digital readout for setting the target setting.
So, while I don't REALLY want to spend the extra $40 (if I went with Sears), would the digital one really be better? I would think with a digital readout, the dang thing probably has to have a battery to operate that. It would just be my luck the battery would go dead just when I needed to use the wrench.
While I like the idea of the Craftsman because of their warranties on tools, I plan on looking at a few other places. However, I did buy a 6-point socket and about a 6" extension at Sears. I know that those two items need to be quality.
Thanks again for your help.
Terry
George,
Both that I looked at were "clicker" styles. The difference (that I could see) was that the higher priced one was digital with a digital readout showing the selected "target setting", while the $80 one had a dial that "twisted" around the handle to set the target setting.
The one difference that I saw was that the $119 (digital) one goes up to 250 lbs, and the $79 one goes up to 150 lbs. I had read on one of the forums when I initially posted this question that someone mentioned that the "center of the pounds range" was the most accurate of the wrench. Thus, if one needed to torque 150 ft lbs, you would be at the max for the one, but only half way through the digital's range.
While I haven't checked for sure, the Mobile Suites with 17.5" wheels calls for around 140-150.
Here is a link to the digital one:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944597000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1
And, here is a link to "dial" one:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944595000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Wednesday 1st of September 2010 08:34:42 PM
Also, dewwood, sad to see Sears only warrants their torque wrenches for one year. I hope it was the salesmans error. Always liked Craftsman and Snap-On and as a kid I used to be amazed that they were guaranteed for life. I guess like Bob Dylan once said, times are a chagin!
-- Edited by rjenkins on Thursday 2nd of September 2010 09:57:10 AM
“I don't understand what the difference is between a car and a trailer that requires me to regularly check my trailer wheels with a torque wrench, when I've driven a car for 55 years and never had to check them. Definitely, my car was driven more recklessly than I've ever driven my trailer. And why are we told to check the trailer but not the truck???
I don't own a torque wrench and have been driving my trailer for almost 5 years now and have never checked them. So far all is well.”
-----------------------
Fred, I had the same question and now I know “why” it is very important to torque trailer wheels and not the same for "cars."
Trailer tires (wheels) have a lot more flexing, especially with tandems axles. (I.e. two axles.) The wheels are actually rocked on the bolts much more because there is no differential like there is in a car / truck rear end. Therefore they get loose just like you might loosen something that is screwed on by rocking it.
Now, the reason to have a torque wrench is to tighten the lugs to a specific tightness that, if you repeat the tightening process a few times after traveling, will finally “seat” the nuts into the wheels and they won’t come loose.
You can’t do this by just tightening the lugs “as tight as you can.” They will work loose if you do that not to mention potentially damaging the lugs.
From personal experience I can tell you, with some 38,000 miles with this trailer alone, if you torque the lugs to the proper value (probably 110-120 foot lbs in most cases with the 5/8” lugs most larger 5’er’s have) and check them regularly; then re-torque them as you travel (only takes 3 minutes – really!) they will finally snug up and won’t move.
There really is a reason - a good one – to do this correctly.
If anyone is interested, Mark Bruss has a very good and accurate discussion on this subject. I recommend it – a bit technical, but anyone can follow it and maybe save themselves a lot of damage – or worse – with just a “Sears Torque Wrench” and 3 minutes while the co-pilot is in the rig doing you know what at the rest stop. That's what I do.
http://www.dmbruss.com/zFullTimeLifeStyle/FTLS_Tires_LugNutTorque.htm
Safe travels
Bill
Jo and I did some looking around this last week. I finally got to Autozone and I also checked out the Kobalt torque wrenches at Lowes.
So, with Sears, the 25-250 wrench sold for $120, the 25-250 Kobalt at Lowes was $95, and the one at Autozone was an brand called OEM and their 25-250 was selling for $80.
I've never heard of OEM, so I don't know what those are like. Both the Sears and the Kobalt come with a 1 year warranty, and likely the OEM may as well.
Also, I went out and looked through the DRV Suites owner's manual and they specify that one start out by first using 20 ft lbs of torque and then go around again with 80 ft lbs of torque, and ending up with a third round at 120-150 ft lbs. While some poster on other forums have questioned whether a torque wrench was even needed, DRV Suites seems to think it is important.
Now, I just have to decide for sure which wrench that I want. The Sears one had the digital readout on the settings, and the Kobalt and OEM had the "dial" control for setting the ft lbs.
Thanks again for all your help.
Terry