SkiDoc

iTrader: (4)

If you don't get enough torque and then retorque them the wheel will come off. I have had it happen. I forget what the professional at the local tire store told me to torque to. I went back in to tell him he was wrong.

cuda

Good luck getting 130# torqued lug nuts off on the side of the road with a tire iron.

I've never had a wheel come off, other than ones I forgot to torque when I took the trailer down off the jack. Now, I always leave the lug wrench on the wheels when jacking it down, to remind me to torque them. I've had two wheels pass me for that reason in the past. As far as psi, running the max psi I think is the best application. It's rated for that cold. Even an aluminum wheel will not break with 130# of air in it.

cuda

I've never seem a wheel damaged by to much torque, using a lug wrench. Now, if you use a 3/4 inch pneumatic gun to hammer them to 250 ft/lbs, you might have a damaged wheel. As much as I can pull with a lug wrench won't damage any wheel made I imagine. I always make sure they aren't hammered on the an air gun when I buy new tires.

The only time I ever had a problem, was back in high school, when a freind of mine had a Volkswagon Bug. We had a half inch breaker bar, and a six foot length of black iron steel on the breaker bar, when we broke the breaker bar. It was after that we found out they were left handed threads. We still did not damage the wheel.

BL6

From Carlisle Tire brochure on trailer mfg web site:

"Carlisle Tire & Wheel only recommneds and warrents tires maintained @ the max air pressure while in service. Maximun load range is only attained when tire is at maximum air pressure. There is no advantage to taking air out of the tire. (p. 7 attached)

p. 9 gives general torque per SEMA Wheel Indusry Council;
7/16" lug 70-80 ft/lbs
1/2" lug 75-85
9/16 lug 105-115

http://www.trailmastertrailers.com/p...are_safety.pdf

fabricator

That's why you keep a breaker bar and dedicated socket in your took box for your trailer wheels.



Yes, they will, I've seen it. Overload and overinflate them and bad things happen. Some of the older Ford aluminum wheels aren't rated for more that 80 psi if I remember, there's a warning cast right into them. Alcoa wheels have it too. Our old Wanderlodge ran on 11R22.5's, even those Alcoa's had max pressure warnings on them.

Don't mean to sound like I'm preaching, just want to be sure we're safe out there...............

fabricator

I should have clarified my statemant about air guns; a "torque stick" is a socket or extension made to flex at a given torque when used with an impact gun when tightening lug nuts, they will only allow a certain torque to be acheived no matter how strong the gun is. They are a real time saver, and they really DO work. Any auto or tire shop worth their salt has them and knows how to use them.

BillK

Cuda,
I keep a 4 way lug wrench in the back of the Tahoe and have never had a problem getting the lugs loose. I rotate the tires about every 10k at home and always use the 4 way to loosen, torque wrench to tighten.

I work with fasteners every day ..... if ARP says to torque thier rod bolts to 75 lbs, should I question it ?? Heck no, I dont want rod bolts coming loose. Well guess what ........ I DEFINITELY dont want a wheel coming loose so why should I question GM's torque spec ??????

I think that anyone suggesting that a wheel be torqued to anything other than the manufacturers correct torque is just plain giving unsafe information.

Just my opinion,

Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md


Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Another reason for torqueing lug nuts is to keep the rotor from being distorted. Chit today just ain't as thick as it was yesterday when the ol air impact was the bomb. Thinner hubs, rotors, excess tighteness.. warped brakes with the surging effect. I'd be more worried about stressing/braking a lug stud than damaging a wheel with overtorqued nuts.

SeaRay Jim

This is always a good topic...not quite as good as "what's the best oil", but close.

Here is a great document (pdf) from Goodyear that anyone towing with ST rated tires needs to have and read. It's not Goodyear specific but industry standard.

FYI, alum vs steel wheels, my Excursion has aluminum and the lugs are to be torqued to 160#. However I've never seen a trailer wheel, steel or alum. that should be torqued much over 100. But I agree with the advice to find out from the manufacture of the wheels.

I tow 60-65 MPH for the most part and have my trailer tires right at max capacity and keep them at 52-54 psi COLD. When I say cold, I mean I check while it's still in storage, as even sitting in the sun for 5-10 minutes can cause the psi to rise. I don't guess and I don't allow even 2 psi tolerance. If it's 2 psi off, I correct it.

PremierPOWER

This is a trick question that I often wonder about and truly don't know the answer...... Will the tire pressure be different with the weight of the boat on the trailer???...You know, if I check the tire pressure and then recheck after dropping the boat in the water...if so, I would guess that you would want to be under the max sidewall rating when the boat is on the trailer.

Go easy on me .... I admit that I am a moron ... this has bothered me!!

Andy