Torque Wrench for WD Hitch nylock nuts
Is this the right thread for this, first of all? I'm trying to install a weight distribution hitch to haul my trailer of stuff from east county San Diego California to Kansas. It's a 7' x 14' cargo...
Forum Discussion
Durb wrote:Mike134 wrote:
I have no idea why the springs compressing would concern you.
To compress the springs that force must flow though the wrench, then the bolt after it stops turning at 380ft/lbs then the chassis. End result bolt is tightened to 380.
Doesn't work that way. If you extend that thinking just put the shank on the ground. When the fastener quits turning and the shank flops around you must be at 380 ft-lbs - wrong.
Simple test for doubters: Tighten the fastener without supporting the hitch. Then tighten again with the hitch supported to the same spec - the nut will move. How much will be determined by the stiffness of the truck's springs.
One of the first rules of proper torque wrench technique is to secure your work.
I'm thinking either we are speaking of different things or you are wrong. Used a 4' piece of Unistrut extending from the hitch so I'd have lots of leverage to get some compression of the trucks springs. I torqued the bolt at the very end of that strut without and with the bottle jack in place. No change/movement of the fastener as the torque setting was reached even though the truck's springs and Unistrut flexed as the torque setting was reached without the bottle jack in place. .
