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malkbean2 View Drop Down
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Joined: 31 Jan 2017
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Posts: 80 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Take Nothing for Granted...
    Posted: 06 May 2017 at 10:34am
i torque as tight as humanly possible then tighten a second nut on it to lock it down
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jato View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Feb 2012
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Posts: 3257 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 8:47pm
Great reminder.  In fact after reading that I took my Reece hitch to work to see if it was a bit loose.  I took our 5 ft. pipe wrench and put the hitch in the vise.  Not able to move it at all, guess it is still tight after 6 years.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4517 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 6:37pm
[That sounds like a lot of whatnot to get a nut tight! Reef on it with a big wrench and weld the nut. This also will act as a deterrent for thieves of the ever tryed to steal your trailer. ]

I like that!!!
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
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2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 6:09pm
Originally posted by Rustler


That's a good reminder to have the attachments torqued to manufacturer's specs. Lacking a proper high capacity torque wrench, I have made a poor man's torque wrench by putting a long "cheater bar" on a regular breaker bar and socket. So with a 5 foot long bar and and a 86 lb. pull you'll get 430 foot-lbs. of torque (86 x 5 = 430). Just measure the pull on the end of the cheater bar with a 100-lb. capacity spring scale. Pull on the support end of the scale until the scale reads 86 lbs. and you'll get the required torque. It may require having some help to hold everything in place on the nut while you are pulling on the scale.
While you might take the hitch part to a dealer to have them torque the nut, how many will really have a torque wrench capable of measuring 430 foot-lbs. They'll just get it as tight as possible as say it's done to specs. 
[/QUOTE]

I use the same method but, not as scientific. Last time, I tightened until the rear wheels of the truck began scooting sideways on the asphalt. My watching neighbor agreed that it was probably tight enough!   

Who was it that said: "Give me a lever long enough and I will move.....the back of a pickup truck"???
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Posts: 115 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 5:44pm
That sounds like a lot of whatnot to get a nut tight! Reef on it with a big wrench and weld the nut. This also will act as a deterrent for thieves if they ever tryed to steal your trailer.
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Rustler View Drop Down
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Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 3:03pm
Originally posted by StephenH

Also hope you had a large enough torque wrench to torque it to manufacturer's specifications. For example, the ball on the Equal-i-zer hitch we have needs to be torqued to 430 ft-lbs with the bolts that hold the head to the shank requiring 300-350 ft-lbs. See http://www.equalizerhitch.com/Equal-i-zer%20Support/faqs.php for more details. I don't know the brand of hitch, but please refer to the manufacturer's specifications, whatever the brand.

That's a good reminder to have the attachments torqued to manufacturer's specs. Lacking a proper high capacity torque wrench, I have made a poor man's torque wrench by putting a long "cheater bar" on a regular breaker bar and socket. So with a 5 foot long bar and and a 86 lb. pull you'll get 430 foot-lbs. of torque (86 x 5 = 430). Just measure the pull on the end of the cheater bar with a 100-lb. capacity spring scale. Pull on the support end of the scale until the scale reads 86 lbs. and you'll get the required torque. It may require having some help to hold everything in place on the nut while you are pulling on the scale.

While you might take the hitch part to a dealer to have them torque the nut, how many will really have a torque wrench capable of measuring 430 foot-lbs. They'll just get it as tight as possible as say it's done to specs. 
Russ
2009 Toyota RAV4
V6 w/ tow package
2016 Rpod 171 HRE
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6326 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 8:39pm
Also hope you had a large enough torque wrench to torque it to manufacturer's specifications. For example, the ball on the Equal-i-zer hitch we have needs to be torqued to 430 ft-lbs with the bolts that hold the head to the shank requiring 300-350 ft-lbs. See http://www.equalizerhitch.com/Equal-i-zer%20Support/faqs.php for more details. I don't know the brand of hitch, but please refer to the manufacturer's specifications, whatever the brand.
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
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Joined: 23 Apr 2014
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Posts: 451 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 6:12pm
 Hope you applied some thread locker before re tightening. RED thread locker would do it.
2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
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Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4517 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 6:31am
Great tip!
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
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2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Joined: 26 Aug 2012
Location: Cedar Key, FL
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Posts: 457 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 6:24am
Just coincidently, as I exchanged my regular hitch for the load distributing one in preparation for a trip, I noticed that the hitch ball would rotate pretty freely in my hand.  Wow!  what a potential disaster in the making!  A couple of big wrenches solved the problem in a minute, but it could have been hours of frustration or worse.

Be careful out there...
Bob and Joyce
Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels
RP 177 "Key Pod"
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