tires and brakes on my four winds chevy 3500 chassis

I just wonder if a large lock washer would be better than all that force. Who has a 221 lb torque wrench and can get in that area to apply that kind of force. Does anyone out there think a lesser torque is dangerous?

Didn't quite remember correctly - was off by a couple of pounds. In my Haynes repair manual it says that the caliper mounting bracket bolts for the 2500/3500 are supposed to torque at 221 Ft-lbs. Not sure how accurate the Haynes manual is.

scroller95969 wrote:
Like I said in an earlier post I think that those bolts are supposed to torque at 225#'s. After applying locktite I torqued them with my torque wrench to 180#'s and then used a 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe on it and turned the bolts another 1/8 turn.

225!!! That is crazy for something like this....what could the reason be to have it that high. I have a 1 ton truck chassis 15 passenger van with some pretty big brakes and they have not ever gotten that tight. Oh well I will see if they come off....I certainly will feel if those bolts start to loosen up as it would shake the hell out of the front end. I have a local RV repair place and might just ask them what they think....just curious now. Do you have the place where you found that spec?

The torque is not that high but they use locktite as you can see it on the threads as grey color on the threads. I have never used locktite on any brake mounting bolts and have driven for 50 years and never had anything come loose. In the old days did not even use a torque wrench. I think all is fine at around 100 ft lbs. I could not even find anything that gave me the torque for those bolts. They are I believe a 13/16 socket. They are much easier once they are removed and put back. I really do not believe these where ever removed but I may be wrong since I am the second owner and it has 123,000 miles.

Like I said in an earlier post I think that those bolts are supposed to torque at 225#'s. After applying locktite I torqued them with my torque wrench to 180#'s and then used a 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe on it and turned the bolts another 1/8 turn.

The big bolts that hold the Caliper Mounting Brackets onto the rest of the Spindle Knuckle? On Ford they're probably metric around maybe 16mm, 21mm socket. I couldn't get ours off when I replaced a caliper during a trip. Even 1/2" drive breaker bar was difficult. I have a 3/4" drive set and used a reducer to 1/2" for my socket. As I recall the torque for those is more than the wheels.

Final update....got both fronts done....***** of a time with the locktite on the caliper bolts...not the slider ones but the main bolts. Had to use a breaker bar, 4lb hammer and then a air torque drive to finally get them out. Did not put them back with locktite but just torqued them to 110 lbs. Used the slotted and dimpled rotors with semi-metalic pads. Took it out to break the pads in to the rotors and it is as smooth as can be. Break Performance did me right and I recommend them. Price is right and they know what to use. http://brakeperformance.com/

If the wheels stay on there any extended period of time...at least in a humid area like FL with salt added in beachfront camping...you'll find out how close that fit is. I was able to kick and shake the fronts off the hubs. Sitting beside it and kicking with both feet got the rear outers off. Rear inners? Couldn't budge by hand or foot. Ended up using a piece of 4x6 fence post I had, about 4-ft long, like a battering ram. Our wheels have an extra 7/16" hole between two of the stud holes. I threaded them 1/2 NF (20-thread) and use an old boat trailer lug bolt to force stuck wheels loose. I had to install the rears so the valves are one hole away from directly opposite. Othewise those "now-puller-holes" would line up. I'd be screwing the wheels together instead of pushing them apart.
That Hub-Piloted is a good system. You'll like it. Many of us put Never-Seez in that area before mounting the wheels. I've heard of loosening the nuts and moving the coach a little to loosen the wheels. Only the rear inners seem to be the sticking problem.

Yep sounds like the same engineer. Lug nuts with built in washers and some slop in the difference between wheel stud hole and lug bolt. Torque is the same. I guess if they came loose you sure would know it as it bangs back and forth inside that hole. Hope to never hear it!

If you Chevy is like the current Fords, the wheels are HUB Piloted. Close fit between round hole at wheel center and a raised surface on the hub. The holes the studs pass through are larger than the studs, and the Nuts have a built-in Washer. For Ford, the studs are around 9/16" diameter and torque spec is 140.