Reese sidewinder turret bolts coming loose.

Question

I bought a Reese Sidewinder for my short bed Dodge Ram. While installing, the directions say to torque the four turret bolts down to 240 ft lbs. (or somewhere thereabouts. I don't have the directions in front of me.) Then to loosen and retighten to 45 ft lbs. We've been to a few places since the install and if I leave it at the 45 ft lbs, a couple of the bolts tend to really loosen and I have to retighten them. If I tighten them to around 55-60 ft lbs, then the turret is really tight. I want to do it right, but I also don't want to have the bolts come off going down the road.
Other than that, we love the Sidewinder.
Does anybody else have this issue?
Thanks for any assistance.

Bruce and Connie,
The Lost Travellers

old-biscuit · Answer

The 4 turret bolts (5/8") should be initially torqued to 150ft/lbs to seat the turret in a X pattern 2-3 times (increasing torque setting each time)
THEN back off bolts (X pattern) and re-torque to 45 ft/lbs

Properly torqued they shouldn't loosen....
Are you sure torque values (wrench) are correct?
Are threads clean on bolts & turret holes?
Are conical washers FLATTEN from over torquing?

Above all good.......might try a dab of 'locktite' blue 242 on bolt threads

FYI....
The 3/4" lock-out bolts (if used) are the ones that get torqued to 250# (prevents rotation)

c_b_ · Answer

Customer that stores by me came in from Texas with a sidewinder on his 40' 5th wheel. Having never seen one in person before I was checking it out. One of the bolts looked loose to me. Upon checking further I could unscrew 3 of 4 bolts with my fingers. He contacted Reese about it immediately. I don't know what torque specs he was given to re-tighten bolts to.

C.B.

old-biscuit · Answer

Torque values posted are per REESE

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Reese sidewinder turret bolts coming loose.

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