Trailer wheel lug nut checks

[cobalter]

I was reading through my Heritage trailer (dual axle for a 210) info after we picked up our boat earlier this month and it made a big point of checking lug nuts after first 50 miles or so and again later. I remembered this at about 200 miles and sure enough I tightened most all the nuts with a spanner wrench to my estimated tightness. A 100 miles later I put a torque wrench on them to the specified 80-90 lbs and got plenty of take up again. Just my 2 cents on checking these periodically.

[jhnmdahl]

Good idea. The lug wrench in our tow vehicle does not fit our trailer (3/4" or 19mm), so I'm looking at buying one of these and sticking it in the boat so it's always there, in case of a flat or if a nut needs tightening while out and about. We did get a spare with the trailer, but it'll be less useful with no lug wrench...

http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-711-900-Au ... B004SEXO3E

John

[cobalter]

That looks like a very useful wrench. For years I've carried a bottle jack, a spanner wrench (4 nut sizes) and several short 2x4s for spacers. More than once they have come in handy for a trailer or some other repair need. Car jacks seldom work in those cases. I like the wrench idea as it has 4 sizes and one can add any half inch socket size, and it is a little more compact than the spanner wrench which never seems to quite fit anywhere for storage. Thanks for that link.

http://www.amazon.com/Torin-T90603-Ton- ... ottle+jack

[jhnmdahl]

My Cobalt trailer is an EZ Loader Custom rather than a Heritage and is new this year, but when I checked the lug nuts they were all loose. A little disconcerting, almost, but all's good again now. Thanks again for the reminder,

John