Checking Wheel torque

rockyridgefarm · Mar 31, 2005

<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 · Mar 31, 2005

<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 · Mar 31, 2005

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 · Mar 31, 2005

"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 · Apr 3, 2005

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 · Apr 3, 2005

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