Re-torquing bolts on a weight distributing hitch

Shade tree metrics to professional metrics

Professional level has liabilities tied into the picture...AKA insurance

On my production lines and the process lines I've automated...anyone
caught not using a torque wrench (that has been checked weekly and
certified to be accurate) to the specified torque for 'that' fastener...

WOULD BE FIRED ON THE SPOT

and an audit & testing
of all the stuff that person assembled on that shift and earlier
shifts if something was found on the first test

Issues abound from not tight enough to too much. Not may understand that
'too much' part...weakens the fastener

Another way to look at this is to ask why is there both a "safety chain"
and "break away lanyard"...

Anyone know how a fastener works?

It is

CLAMPING FORCE

squeezing two or more parts
together. With some shear and on that, not a good design if the fasteners
are mainly for shear...a hardened shear tube or boss or counter sink, etc
is the proper way to go (not best, but proper...and hope folks understand
that difference)

The fastener size and numbers of them are calculated to provide the
clamping force required...PLUS some safety factor (design margin)

Even the grade of the fasteners are chosen and not many know that there
are some times a sequencing of failure to that...meaning you want
one part to let go before another and that one part will have the
lower grade fasteners...

Recommend following the OEM's torque and grade specifications

The whole point of torquing the fasteners to spec is so they would NOT come loose...

I have a torque wrench that will go up to where I need to torque the bolt, I just wanted to make sure that adjusting my hitch and reusing the fastener wasn't going to land me in trouble because the bolts work loose or something.

I use a torque wrench to set the bolts to the specs from the designers based on the application and bolt size and type. This is for the hitch and of course all the wheel nuts.

Doing it right makes sense.

Of all the adjustments I did on my WD I never had a torque wrench. A good 1/2" breaker bar and a 3' piece of pipe for a cheater bar will work. I would replace the lock washer though if it gets used too many times.

FWIW I never used a torque wrench on my 5'er king pin either. I just welded a socket to the end of a 3' pipe and gave it all I've got. 5000 miles later and it hasn't moved at all. I scribed some marks on it to see if I would get any movement. Nada. A 3' cheater bar will generate a lot of leverage. Same as a regular 1/2" ratchet to a 1/2" breaker bar. Way more leverage.