225-250 ft/lbs of Torque

[JeepFlyer]

Any ideas on where to find a torque wrench that will measure 250 ft/lbs. And when I say "find" I mean to rent/borrow. I'm not interested in finding out how much something like that would cost. Yes I need to torque the hub nuts, and my torque wrench only goes to 150. Would Autozone be a possibility? Thanks

[bill3422]

If you still have it, check the manual that may have come with your wrench. Some will tell you how long of a cheater bar to gain the proper torque with a given bar.

[JeepFlyer]

Wouldn't that require some sort of extension between the head and the bolt? Using a cheater bar on the handle would just make it easier to pull, but it would still click when the bolt was at 150 ft/lbs. ...right? It's only been 11 years since I did physics/math like this :confused: but I've kileld a few brain cells since.

[jlfernan]

Autozone and Advance Auot Parts have tool lending programs. You essentially "buy" the tool, use it, return it. They have you buy it in the beginning on the off chance you decide to keep it. I did it a couple of times, first was I don't have a 35mm socket to tighten my upper ball joints. HTH.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/2561/jorgec.jpg (http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=111)

[Mike N]

Here's a free and pretty accurate way of getting your torque. How much do you weigh? Divide 250 (ftlbs) by your weight and that is the length of breaker bar that you need to stand on to achieve that torque. So assuming that you weigh 200lbs, 250/200 = 1.25 (1.25 x 12"=16 inches) so put a piece of tape 16 inches from your socket and stand on the breaker bar with your foot on the tape. The breaker bar should be horizontal and don't bounce on the bar. If you want the satisfaction of hearing a click from a torque wrench that's fine but simple physics says that this is just as accurate if executed correctly.

[AJ Roadster NJ]

Never put a pipe or an extension on a torque wrench, only on a non-ratcheting breaker bar. Grab the pipe at about 2.5 to 3 feet from the bolt, give it everything you've got. That's "about" 250 ft/lbs in my extremely accurate scientific calculation. :cool:

AJ

[Jeff Kleiner]

My Autozone has a high range torque wrench in their loaner program. Check with one near you.

Jeff

[Arrowhead]

Don"t forget to put some ballast on the back of the frame otherwise you'll lift the back end right off the jack stands (if you have a completely bare frame sitting there).

[acth4347]

X3 on the Autozone loaner program. I am using my old spindle nuts as tight as I can get them until I am done adjusting things on the front end. Then I will put on the new nuts and "rent" the Autozone one to properly torque them. I did find Harbor Freight sells a 3/4" drive torque wrench for about $80 if you want to have one around.
Bill

[Jacob McCrea]

I hesitate to add comments which aren't responsive to the original question but I wanted to throw this out there, for what it's worth. My understanding is that these nuts (the axle nuts on the IRS hubs, if I'm reading bewteen the lines correctly) are prone to loosening over time, especially on track cars. I have been thinking about incorporating a "fold over" safety washer behind the nut, just like all of my YZ250 and YZ450 motocross bikes have had behind the front sprocket nut. You would have to grind a notch into the axle to locate the washer on the axle, but that shouldn't be that hard. You'd also need enough space to get a punch in there and fold the washer over the tightened nut. I haven't looked at it closely enough to determine if this is feasible, but I will when I get to that point.

[QSL]

I bought a very nice wrench that goes to that at lowes for $80 it ended up replacing my old one its so nice.

[Avalanche325]

My Advance did not have one. The Oreilly did.

Torqued my hubs last Sunday.

[JeepFlyer]

My Autozone has a high range torque wrench in their loaner program. Check with one near you.

Jeff

Winner winner chicken dinner (technically jlfernan got it first... but your quote was shorter)

Sorry I didn't have time to update this. Autozone had one. Put a deposit down with the credit card and they refund it when you bring it back. 25-250 ft/lbs settings. Worked well and got the satisfaction of the click, without all the math and physics calculations. Unfortunately, it allowed me to move on to the brakes (which I finished this morning before work), which was why I had no time to post an update. Blog entry coming soon... and PICTURES!!!

[Someday I Suppose]

Home Depot sells a Husky 1/2 inch torque wrench that goes to 250ft lbs for $79, they may also be rentable through Home Depots tool rental program.

The other option is to just pull until you fart. Or so I have been told.

[efnfast]

WTF @ using a loaner torque wrench - it's a calibrated instrument that needs to be handled with care - you think joe blow who borrows it will give 2 damns if he drops it on its head? You think auto-zone spends $60 every few years to have it properly re-calibrated?

Home depot sells them, or you could buy one online. The home depot torque wrenches are surprisingly good - after 4yrs of use i had my 1/2'' and 3/8'' drive ones re-calibrated and there were still within 3% accuracy. My fricken expensive Jet 1/4'' torque wrench needed way more calibration than they did.

[RGHarvey]

Another option. A friendly mechanic at my local Ford dealership stopped by on his way home with his own wrench (trusted his calibration/ wrench more than a rental unit). Cost less than a rental, and (as a novice builder) I had confidence that he would do it right.