I recently purchased a B2630 with turf tires and a 60" MMM. I am getting to be more and more of the mind that that setup really isn't the best for what I want to use the tractor for. In my defence, in my area, southern Ontario, tractors are snapped up often within hours of being listed so, in hindsight I may have leapt a little faster than I should have. Leaning towards selling off the mower and turfs and replacing tires and rims with ags and wheel spacers. I'd be doing the swap myself and curious as to how necessary a torque wrench is. I'm not a teenager and have changed tons of tires over the years with one. I know they're reasonable cheap but none the less, don't really want another tool if I don't need it. Any insights greatly appreciated. Cheers, Erik
Torque Wrench Necessary?
- Thread starter Erik Graham
- Start date
A torque wrench is a valuable tool, keep an eye on the Canadian tire sales and you can pick one up cheap enough. Under torque and stuff can come loose, over torque and bolts break. There are items on your machine that need to have the torque checked at regular intervals.
Me: 49 year old shade tree hack, accountant in real life that thinks he's an offroading farmer/mechanic/handyman.
So IMHO: Steel rims on a tractor, hell no, not required.
I use a torque wrench when putting on head gaskets or torquing other gaskets when the instructions tell me to, that's about it.
So IMHO: Steel rims on a tractor, hell no, not required.
I use a torque wrench when putting on head gaskets or torquing other gaskets when the instructions tell me to, that's about it.
The way I heard it explained, tractors vibrate more than most vehicles. That means the tires have to be checked fairly often. A torque wrench is a good way to make sure your nuts are tight, but not too tight.
Also, in my area, you can borrow a torque wrench from auto parts places. Maybe yours loan them out as well.
Also, in my area, you can borrow a torque wrench from auto parts places. Maybe yours loan them out as well.
When used properly you know exactly how tight a given nut or bolt is. And they all have a specific number.
If you can't measure the torque, you simply don't know.
That said. The manual references checking torque on several components as part of maintenance.
Either you want to know or you don't.
If you can't measure the torque, you simply don't know.
That said. The manual references checking torque on several components as part of maintenance.
Either you want to know or you don't.
crappy tire and lower priced torque wrenches don’t often go above 150ft/lbs (1/2” drive). Likely fine for your B. Larger machines need more. Those torque wrenches are expensive. Make friends with a big rig truck mechanic close to you, or, do some math with a strong arm, pipe, and you hanging/standing on the end. (It worked for an airplane prop nut!)
1/2” drive Canadian tire one goes to 250ft lbs.
3/8” drive goes to 250in lbs
I bought a Husky brand at Home Depot for around $80 that goes from 50-250 ft lbs. It’s got a collar to depress to rotate to desired value. Release and it locks. It’s got to be the easiest most fool proof torque wrench I’ve ever used. I didn’t realize it had that, but it was high rated.
Thanks for the correction! You are correct, I have no idea why I had that number stuck in my head!
pokey1416
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L4060HSTC, BH92 Backhoe, HLA Snow Pusher, Dirt Dog Tiller, EA DiscHarrow
Torque wrench is a Torque wrench. A needle style are old school tool. Buy a clicker style good for years.
Some old dogs can't learn new tricks.
Do you own a tire pressure gauge and use it? If you do then you are pre-qualified to own a torque wrench.
If not, don't worry about it, you know better than anyone else anyways.
Do you own a tire pressure gauge and use it? If you do then you are pre-qualified to own a torque wrench.
If not, don't worry about it, you know better than anyone else anyways.
Back inthe day when I was a lot stronger, grunt and a half and I was good to go,,, today not so. It may seem like a PIA to torque your wheel nuts,, and it is untill you egg out a wheel one time. Then it becomes not so much a PIA just MHO
I have found an inexpensive torque wrench to be very repeatable, even if not perfectly accurate.
Getting older, I have also found that grunts per unit force are variable. Difficult these days to equate younger grunts to older grunts...hence, my increasing reliance on the torque wrench...