400 ft-lbs torque wrench and how to?? Real time (2 Viewers)

[IdahoDoug]

I just got a vehicle that has a surprising number of fasteners needing high torque. This is a bit of real time help as the first one is the wheel hub I need to take off this weekend to repair the parking brakes. Anyhow, this nut is 369lbs and I'm wondering how you guys do it with hand tools. The torque wrench I'm buying is a beam style as the other types are north of $250. However, the handle has that wobbling plastic end so you have to honestly swing it without distorting the torque value (other types are simply the steel arm - no handle). Because of that, there's no way to put a cheater bar on it to easily get to these high values. So, who the heck is strong enough to use an 18" handle and generate 369lbs?? If I put my whole weight on it I wouldn't get there and of course then I can't see the little scale.

I'm sure I'm not the first with this quandry, so anyone figure out a strategy for this? With the expensive click style you can simply jump on it until it clicks, AND you can use a cheater bar but I'm trying to avoid blowing my budget.

Any thoughts? Thanks!!

DougM

 

[Joe_E]

pfft, 400 lbs. is childs play.
We got an excavator that needs 3600 ft. lbs. to bolt down the counterweight.
Needless to say we keep using a one inch gun to snug them up because they keep backing out.
Company's too cheap to give us a torque multiplier wrench.

 

[nat]

inch pounds or foot pounds?

I have a hard time believeing a wheel hub could be 400 foot pounds.

 

[Tools R Us]

inch pounds or foot pounds?

I have a hard time believeing a wheel hub could be 400 foot pounds.

Pretty common. If they aren't tight will have stub/axle, bearing, hub/drum, etc, issues.

I always banged them on with a known good 1/2 impact, never had any issues. A simple way is using weight, say you weigh 200lb, use a 2' breaker bar, put all of your weight on it, done.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Yeah, it's 369 foot lbs. Kevin - good idea using simple geometry. I was kind of surprised to find this considering the highest torque (besides the lug nuts) bolts I've ever found on the Cruiser are the 89 ft lb brake caliper bolts. VW must have spec'd some pretty high quality fasteners on this thing....

DougM

 

[hankinid]

....I'm sure I'm not the first with this quandry, so anyone figure out a strategy for this? With the expensive click style you can simply jump on it until it clicks, AND you can use a cheater bar but I'm trying to avoid blowing my budget.

Any thoughts? Thanks!!

DougM

You need an adapter that will extend the fulcrum length...I'm not good at explaining things, much better with a drawing...If you can't figure out what I'm writing, pm me your phone number and I can call you after 2pm tomorrow...but since it's real time...

Measure the distance between the center of the handle pivot and the center of the square drive on the torque wrench...if you double the length with the adapter, torque will be 2x actual as read on the scale, add an adapter half as long, you'll get 1.5x scale reading, etc.

I no longer have a welder, but I've made a few adapters in the past...try 1/2 x 2 inch wide steel stock. Drill one end to accept an impact socket that will fit the wrench square drive. Drill a 2nd hole to fit your square drive that will fit your hub socket...I'm thinking at least 3/4 if not 1 inch drive. Put a good bevel on both sides of each hole & remove the plating from your impact socket and square drive adapter. Weld the hell out of everything.

PM me your phone number if anything doesn't make sense, I'll do my best to call ya' and explain. I'm about 7 miles W of Kuna.

eta...this should save you some time...good luck Torque Wrench Extension

hth

Steve

 

[Pin_Head]

]A simple way is using weight, say you weigh 200lb, use a 2' breaker bar, put all of your weight on it, done.

That is the way we torqued the flywheel nut on air cooled VW engines back when I worked in a VW shop. They had a torque wrench that would work in that range, but they didn't bother getting it out.

 

[RavenTai]

Torque like that usually takes a 4 to 6 foot 3/4" drive torque wrench, Proto seams to be the major maker of them in this size, everybody I have worked for has had them. though its easier to buy something like that for several hundred to several thousand mechanics than as an individual,

What kind of vehicle is this? are there enough high torque fasteners to warrant getting a proper torque wrench?

 

[wxm]

What kind of vehicle is this?

a VW that Doug was crazy enough to drive 5000 miles for...

 

[alia176]

Too bad the torque multipliers are so spendy.....

 

[climber8483]

Did you ever get it torqued?