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Can anyone tell me if you have to use a torque wrench when chainging the wheels?

i use a torque wrench but fit these and a regular check to see if they have moved,if not i replace the wheel trim.

http://businesslinesltd.com/index1.htm

I use one regularly. Don't use the Torque wrench to "change a wheel" just to  check that the nuts are properly set once finger tight as indicated above. It is part of the Approved Workshop scheme that the engineer checks the Torque in front of the customer so that the customer knows that the wheels are correctly set before they drive off. It is good practice to check the wheels using the torque wrench before every journey. In the nature of the structure of the van/wheels they behave differently to the nuts on your cars wheel and are more likely to come loose. That is not to say that they will come loose, just "more likely", hence the practice of checking the nuts before a journey. Takes a few seconds

I would add that I have never seen anyone doing it on a camp site before they set off. Never seen anyone check the noseweight either and very few have been spotted checking their lights!!!!

You may have read the advice to Unicorn owners to check their wheel nuts as some wheels have worked loose and come off. It does happen

Phil

If they use an air gun, they should set its torque to a low setting then do final tighten with a torque wrench-saw them do that on my car when I had a puncture fixed.

If you have to change a wheel if you use the wrench supplied with the car (not with an extension bar) it should tighten the wheels sufficiently and not over torque.

Our Bailey came with a wheel spanner as well as the steady winder. The steady handle is not for the wheel bolts!

When I remove the Al-ko wheel lock I quickly check the bolts with the brace (you need it to get the lock off!). If any bolts are loose it will show. I use the torque wrench at home for periodic checks.Never found any loose yet.

Did have a wobbly wheel on my Land Rover once, I stopped and found 2 nuts gone 3 loose!  I obviously did not torque the bolts that time!   Lesson learned!

See this video scroll down to the bottom of the page

Phil

Quote: Originally posted by jeff juke on 08/6/2011

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A torque wrench is a handy piece of kit to have evan if it is from aldis.For a start you can do your caravan wheels with it and second,try taking off wheel nuts or evan the bolts on the tow ball if they have been torqued on,you can use it as a extension bar,evan on the car wheels.

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Jeff my OH is going to use a comressed air gun (when we get one) to undo nuts. Nearly crippled him last time trying to get them off (& he's not exactly puny) so this'll save his back without bu**ering his torque wrench.  

 another thing that will ruin the accuracy of a torque wrench if its the click type is to leave it under tension and not reset it to zero after use. i have found that halfords professional range are very accurate and offer good value for money