Checking Wheel torque

[txhawg]

I have used my new 4310 for about 5 hours now. I have heard and read that I should check the torque on the wheel hardware, or the holes could become egg-shaped. How do you do this? Do you do this with the tractor on the ground, or jacked up? I know I can use the loader to lift the front wheels, but where do you place a jack to lift the rear wheels? I have the 15-19.5 R4 tires (filled) in the rear. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

 

[rdln]

just like titghtening a car tire, leave it on the ground, use a big four way lug nut wrench or half inch drive socket wrench with a short cheater bar otherwise you might not get enough torque. I am sure you want at least 120ft lbs. if you have a torque wrench great. Owners manual should have specs.

 

[JeffSpencer]

If you try to tighten loose lug nuts while the tires are on the ground, you will not be able to tighten them completely. You really should raise the tires off the ground to check for proper torque. This allows the lug nuts to seat properly into the chamfered part of the wheel.

 

[trlong]

IMHO, I suggest the investment in a 1/2" drive torque wrench. There's a big difference between the torque spec.'s for the front and rear wheel bolts. A lug wrench, breaker bar, or .... with any extension on it can produce a great deal of torque. Perhaps, enough to break something. A "reasonably" priced torque wrench and a couple of sockets beats standing with a broken wheel bolt in your hand.

I was lucky enough to have a torque wench around when I bought my 4115. I re-torque the wheels, several times, in the first few weeks. They did need it, especially the rear wheels after using the BH. The dealer warned me to re-check them after each use of the BH. Good luck.

 

[txhawg]

Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know where to place a jack on a 4310 to get the rear wheels off the ground? I can't seem to find anything about jack location in the manuals.

 

[prosperity]

This is what happens when you don't torque new tractor wheels.

 

[RoyJackson]

"Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know where to place a jack on a 4310 to get the rear wheels off the ground? I can't seem to find anything about jack location in the manuals. "


I use the draw bar bracket as a jacking point. Although I've used a bottle jack, I much prefer using a roll around floor jack.
For maximum stability, put a jackstand under each end of the rear axle.

For the front, I've just used the FEL to hold the tractor up.

It's a good idea to put anti-seize compound on the threads, by the way

You just want the tires off the floor about ¼"

 

[rockyridgefarm]

<font color="green"> "Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know where to place a jack on a 4310 to get the rear wheels off the ground? I can't seem to find anything about jack location in the manuals. " </font>

Deere has a jack made just for these tractors. There are several models. Mine is the 47. There is also the 48 and 447. They work great!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[dicker]

Yes, I agree. I always use the outriggers of the 48 BH to lift the back of the tractor.


Richard

 

[rdln]

BS, he is not tightening loose lug nuts, he is checking the torque on washer head screws against a flat surface.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

<font color="green">BS, he is not tightening loose lug nuts, he is checking the torque on washer head screws against a flat surface </font>

Um, on mine they are chamfered holes. When it was new, they easily could have loosened enough that they should be snugged off the ground, and finished tightened on ground. A torque wrench would be the best way to go....

 

[JeffSpencer]

<font color="blue"> "BS, he is not tightening loose lug nuts, he is checking the torque on washer head screws against a flat surface."
</font>

There is a reason why he is checking the torque. It is to see if they are loose. The right way (IMHO) to do this is lift the tires off the ground.

 

[RalphVa]

I'd think that if the wheel is moving in relation to the lug bolts, that there will be a popping sound of some sort occuring. Do we have some deaf drivers of these tractors?

I have NEVER heard of checking torque with the wheels off the ground. HOW? Apply the brakes maybe? Never did this in all my years of torquing up car wheels. You first snug the lug bolts up with the tires off the ground. Then lower tire to ground and snug up to proper torque.

If one finds more than 2 lug bolts loose, really loose, in checking them, THEN perhaps a prudent thing would be to raise the wheel and lightly tighten them, lower and then snug them up. If at least 2 opposing lug bolts are tight, the wheel will not have gotten out of place. Any loose ones can then just be snugged up to proper torque.

When I replaced the front tire on my JD, I first torqued the bolts to a mild torque using my impact wrench. Then lowered to ground and finished them off with a torque wrench, 120-140 ft-lb. Didn't trust my impact wrench to give me a proper torque. That thing can torque them WAY tigher than they ought to be: 550 ft-lb.

Ralph

 

[RoyJackson]

"I have NEVER heard of checking torque with the wheels off the ground. "

Good point...I didn't mention this in my post, but one just wants to snug those wheel bolts when the tractor is jacked. That's enough to seat the bolts (if the wheel has the countersunk holes). One could actually roll a vehicle off a jack trying to tighten wheel bolts (unlikely on a tractor on jackstands though).

Also, the torque should be progressive...that is, torque the bolts in a criss-cross pattern at 30-40% of final torque, then again at 60%-70%...then the final torque value. This is especially important on vehicles with aluminum wheels.

 

[txhawg]

Thanks for your opinions, guys. FYI, I always use a torque wrench, no matter what. I have broken too many bolts, and sometimes they are a real pain to get out. Sometimes it seems like overkill, but better safe than sorry. I should add that I suffer from 40% hearing loss in both ears.

From what I can gather from these replies, it depends on how loose they are. I guess if they are loose enough to have to jack the JD up and snug them first, the damage has probably already been done, and I'd be wasting my time.

Anyway, thanks to all who replied!

 

[RalphVa]

Well, you don't have to listen to us, just read.

Have you had your ears thoroughly checked out? My right ear had about 50% or more loss around 1980. Problem was ottosclerosis had caused a boney growth around the stapes bones. Could hear a noise fine transmitted through the bone of my skull. The doctor did a stapendectomy where he replaced the stapes bones with plastic and metal ones. Had super hearing for about 6 weeks after, until my brain turned down the volume to a comfortable level. Right ear still works fine.

Left ear then started into decline. Doc went in to do a stapendectomy on it about 1996 but didn't do it because he said it wasn't too bad. Cleared away some crud and sewed my ear drum back up. The left ear has some nerve damage that wasn't in the right ear. Got a $1600 programmable hearing aid that I rarely use for the left ear. Usually wearing ear plugs to keep noise out rather than trying to bring more in.

Ralph