Lug nut torque

robsouth wrote:

poncho62 wrote:
Go by the chart.....With aluminum wheels, they should be re torqued after running a few miles.

So, every few miles I need to get out and torque the nuts on the wheels?

When my trailer was new the torque was as low as 35 just in the few miles driven home from the dealer. Retorque to 110 and a few dropped to less than 80 on the first 75 mile trip. Seemed like they lost a lot the first few trips. Now not so much. Mine are steel wheels.

smkettner wrote:

robsouth wrote:

poncho62 wrote:
Go by the chart.....With aluminum wheels, they should be re torqued after running a few miles.

So, every few miles I need to get out and torque the nuts on the wheels?

When my trailer was new the torque was as low as 35 just in the few miles driven home from the dealer. Retorque to 110 and a few dropped to less than 80 on the first 75 mile trip. Seemed like they lost a lot the first few trips. Now not so much. Mine are steel wheels.

I learned my lesson the hard way. Lost a wheel,costing me a new tire,and brake drum,the pricey kind w/neverlube bearing.

After reinstalling a wheel for any reason,I re-torque at 25-30 miles,
again at 75-80 miles and once more at 150 miles.If there is no change after the 150 mile check,I just check them once a week or so depending on number of miles traveled

Sorry,Double post

robsouth wrote:

poncho62 wrote:
Go by the chart.....With aluminum wheels, they should be re torqued after running a few miles.

So, every few miles I need to get out and torque the nuts on the wheels?

Some folks say every 500 miles or so...There's a video at this link that's very informative on the subject of RV/trailer wheel torque.

120 on alum, 160 on steel, that's from the local tire store.

robsouth wrote:

poncho62 wrote:
Go by the chart.....With aluminum wheels, they should be re torqued after running a few miles.

So, every few miles I need to get out and torque the nuts on the wheels?

If you choose to do that, pull over and stop first.

.

If you retorque when warm they will always take up a bit giving the impression the are loosening. If you check when cool first thing in the morning they won't move.
I'm talking about aluminum rims.
Interesting bit of trivia my 2011GM truck gives a speck of 140 ft/lbs for all pickups 1/2 3/4 1 ton not differentiating steel or aluminum. I would be comfortable at 120 ft/lbs or 140 ft/lbs. Keep in mind a click style torque wrench only has so many clicks before needing repairs.As a retired Snap On dealer we saw a sharp increase in repairs when wheels started getting torqued.

Yes you must check torque frequently for the first 150 miles of travel after the aluminum rim has been off. We had to to do that recently. Just found a wide spot to pull off and took care of it. We also check the torque every travel day and we also check the air in the tires. Some think I this is overkill, we think it is a good practice.

Gee.
I figure they have to be tight enough not to come loose, and loose enough that I can still get them off at the side of the road with my lug wrench: as tight as I can get them with the lug wrench has been working fine. First tire I changed on my own was 1959, last one six months ago.
Yep, check again after an hour or two if you've had one off.

We've been out almost 8 years now, over 60,000 miles towing and 3 sets of tires and the wheels are still turning and I've never checked the torque. Never did either in 60 years of driving a car.
Simply don't understand what the problem is. Why would trailer wheels come loose and not wheels on every other kind of vehicle. Is there something different about RV's?