Take Nothing for Granted... |
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coopercdrkey
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 26 Aug 2012 Location: Cedar Key, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 457 |
Topic: Take Nothing for Granted... 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...
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Bob and Joyce
Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels RP 177 "Key Pod" Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71 |
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4517 |
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 6:31am |
Great tip!
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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ToolmanJohn
Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2014 Location: Connecticut Online Status: Offline Posts: 451 |
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 at 6:12pm |
Hope you applied some thread locker before re tightening. RED thread locker would do it.
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2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
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.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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Rustler
Senior Member Joined: 07 May 2016 Location: S. Oregon Coast Online Status: Offline Posts: 100 |
Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 3:03pm |
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.
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Russ
2009 Toyota RAV4 V6 w/ tow package 2016 Rpod 171 HRE |
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Danielw1
Senior Member Joined: 01 Apr 2017 Location: Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 115 |
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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Guests
Guest Group |
Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 6:09pm |
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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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4517 |
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!!!
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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jato
Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3257 |
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.
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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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malkbean2
Groupie Joined: 31 Jan 2017 Online Status: Offline Posts: 80 |
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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