Community Forums

clipperbob · 02-19-2004, 11:51 AM

On the W-22 chassis, the wheel lug nut torque is 450 ft-lbs. When I had my motorhome at my local Baltimore Workhorse Service Center recently, one of the things I asked them to do was to check the torque, because it had not been done in 3500 miles. They stated they would do so. When I picked it up a month later, they said they didn't have the tool to do this.

In my opinion, that is ludicrous! I just wanted to share this with my fellow Workhorse owners.

I guess I'll have to buy my own torque wrench, but isn't it a bit surprising that Workhorse cannot torque their own lug nuts?

Bob, Diane, the kid and the dogs
2004 National RV Dolphin 33 w/
2004 WH-22 8.1L V8
2003 Jeep Rubicon
Baltimore, MD
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MD/Phoenix.html">
<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/banner/gizmotimetemp_both/language/www/US/MD/Phoenix.gif"

Thudman · 02-19-2004, 02:09 PM

Was this an actual Workhorse facility, or an RV dealer? Thudman

DriVer · 02-19-2004, 02:24 PM

In the recent past when I've brought my motorhome to a truck tire facility for service work, the only thing that went on the motorhome was a 3/4 inch drive impact gun. They work on trucks every day of the week and I have never seen them torque wheel nuts.

Take a car for instance, when you go have tires rotated or mounted, the only thing they use is a 1/2 inch drive impact gun and that's all she wrote.

A torque wrench would be indespensible if you were going to put your tires on using hand tools and after you sequentially torqued 8 wheel nuts on one tire that practice would get to be a lot like work.

03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will "¢ 343 "¢ Never Forget"

88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38

clipperbob · 02-19-2004, 02:27 PM

It was an actual Workhorse service center.

As for impact wrenches, few if any generate 450 ft=lbs of torque. Lug nut torque is specified for a reason...its designed to be set there. You have no way of knowing that you have acheived that torque unless its properly measured.

Bob, Diane, the kid and the dogs
2004 National RV Dolphin 33 w/
2004 WH-22 8.1L V8
2003 Jeep Rubicon
Baltimore, MD
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MD/Phoenix.html">
<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/banner/gizmotimetemp_both/language/www/US/MD/Phoenix.gif"

DriVer · 02-19-2004, 02:35 PM

Allied 3/4" Air Impact Wr Short Shank (700 Ft Lbs)
Allied International 3/4" Air Impact Wr Short Shank (700 Ft Lbs). This gun delivers an average of 700 foot lbs. of torque. ...
Item Number: AZT267
Normally Sells For: $140.95

Typical low end impact gun. Most others deliver more torque up to 950 Ft/Lbs.

On the other hand you could always pay a mechanic $80.00 per hour to make sure that each lug on all 4 wheels is properly torqued. Additionally they would also have to torque the wheel studs in the rear axle.

I don't know what the book gives you to do that.

As a practical every day thing, not many services will torque lug nuts unfortunately some studs will be stretched and others might be loose.

I believe that if you really wanted to have all the wheel nuts properly torqued, you would probably have to do it yourself.

03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will "¢ 343 "¢ Never Forget"

88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38

clipperbob · 02-19-2004, 02:39 PM

To clarify, by few if any I meant most that you find in shops. The gun you are showing would probably overtorque lug nuts in most cases.

This is a Workhorse Owners Forum, correct? I assume we are here to help make sure Workhorse manufacturers and services their products correctly and per spec. If not, maybe I am in the wrong place.

Bob, Diane, the kid and the dogs
2004 National RV Dolphin 33 w/
2004 WH-22 8.1L V8
2003 Jeep Rubicon
Baltimore, MD
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MD/Phoenix.html">
<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/banner/gizmotimetemp_both/language/www/US/MD/Phoenix.gif"

DriVer · 02-19-2004, 02:47 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by clipperbob:
This is a Workhorse Owners Forum, correct? I assume we are here to help make sure Workhorse manufacturers and services their products correctly and per spec. If not, maybe I am in the wrong place.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Not at all. Sometimes you have to accept how people do things and unless you demand and specify that the wheel nuts be manually torqued; I'm only suggesting that that may not happen unless you stand there and watch them do it.

I worked as a heavy equipment mechanic for about 10 years so I have a working knowledge as to how these things are typically done.

03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will "¢ 343 "¢ Never Forget"

88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38

clipperbob · 02-19-2004, 03:23 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Sometimes you have to accept how people do things and unless you demand and specify that the wheel nuts be manually torqued; I'm only suggesting that that may not happen unless you stand there and watch them do it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

When it comes to lug nut torque, I do demand that it be done per spec. The safety of my family and I depend on this being done correctly. I am going to check w/ my next-nearest Workhorse Service facility, Keystone RV, to see if they can properly perform this work. It still amazes me that the Baltimore Workhorse facilty was unable to torque lug nuts, and Workhorse should do something about this.

Incidentally, I have been involved with automotive mechanics for many years, so I too have a working knowledge.

Bob, Diane, the kid and the dogs
2004 National RV Dolphin 33 w/
2004 WH-22 8.1L V8
2003 Jeep Rubicon
Baltimore, MD
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MD/Phoenix.html">
<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/banner/gizmotimetemp_both/language/www/US/MD/Phoenix.gif"

DriVer · 02-19-2004, 05:26 PM

I asked my son about this earlier this evening about torquing lug nuts on trucks and he said, "Yea dad, I do it all the time"

Curious I continued the conversation and I stated it must take a long time to torque down an entire truck, and he surprisingly told me "Naw, I can to a tri-axle in 20 minutes"

Even more curious I asked him well how is this possible I think it would take quite a long time to do one wheel never mind 10 and he said it's easy. "You tighten all the nuts down with an impact wrench and go over the bolts with a torque wrench."

I threw my hands up and said, "That ain't torquing anything!" Just when I thought I was going to get an intelligent answer.

There ya go!..

03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will "¢ 343 "¢ Never Forget"

88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38

clipperbob · 02-20-2004, 01:21 AM

EXACTLY!!!!

This is why I have experienced a few cars where studs had to be replaced when the lug nuts could not be removed do to overtightning.

Bob, Diane, the kid and the dogs
2004 National RV Dolphin 33 w/
2004 WH-22 8.1L V8
2003 Jeep Rubicon
Baltimore, MD
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MD/Phoenix.html">

fixed your avatar[/I]

[This message was edited by DriVer on Fri February 20 2004 at 06:28 PM.]

Dennis and The Gang · 02-23-2004, 05:56 AM

I've read this thread with some interest, having worked in a shop myself. We routinely "snugged" the lug nuts with an impact wrench, then used a torque wrench. The person using the impact must be careful not to tighten the lugs beyond the torque wrench setting. I'm with Clipperbob, the nuts should be torqued, and the repair shop needs to get on the ball and order the necessary tools.

DriVer · 02-23-2004, 07:40 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Dennis and The Gang:
I'm with Clipperbob, the nuts should be torqued, and the repair shop needs to get on the ball and order the necessary tools.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Me too!

Just have to keep an eye on those boys sometimes.

Welcome aboard Dennis. You'll find a wealth of knowledge here and I'm sure that a lot of folks will be interested in reading all about your RVing adventures. Please come back and read and post often.

03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will "¢ 343 "¢ Never Forget"

88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38


[This message was edited by DriVer on Mon February 23 2004 at 12:49 PM.]

Bill R. · 02-23-2004, 02:13 PM

The last time I bought new tires for my Chevy 2500 the folks doing the work had a pretty neat tool I have never seen before. It was a torque socket that fit an impact wrench.
It looked like a socket on an short extension. The socket fit the lug nuts and the "extension" went into the torgue wrench. It was made to slip and quit tightening when the preset torgue was reached. From what I gathered they are not cheap, and they come in a set per vehicle manufacture. The folks doing the work said they were accurate at getting the torgue set right.
I wonder if this type of tool is available at the higher torgue that the big lugs on the MH require?

We only come home from our trips to save to go again.
Bill & Joan
2003 Winnebago Adventurer 38G
1997 Ford Ranger XLT Ext Cab Toad
Our iRV2 Website

BeenThere DoneThat · 02-23-2004, 04:42 PM

Nice idea. There is a guy on ebay that sells them (up to 150 ft/lb) for about $15 each. I think I will get one for my van and one for my TT.
You might try emailing him to see if he can get or can point you to higher "torque sticks".
ebay auction
I also found this site: www.torquestick.com which also has 3x multiplier for $264 and torque sticks for $18.95.

Tony
(fka TonyT)
29' Four Winds 29QB/Pac-n-Play, '01 GMC Savana 3500 Extended Hi-Top Conversion, 8.1L