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Old 11-09-2013, 10:58 AM   #33
Irlpguy
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chilliwack
Posts: 1,520
M.O.C. #12935
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by rohrmann

Just was thinking about all the threads on this site about ubolt torque, and the discussion that indicates Dexter torques the nuts at their factory. If that is the only time the nuts are torqued prior to delivery, and Dexter does not torque the nuts in a loaded configuration, on the trailer with wheels on the ground. Dexter is torquing the nuts with the springs unloaded and curved quite a bit compared to loaded by a trailer, then when installed on the finished product, the springs have been straightened out some which could relax the load on the ubolts, maybe causing the nuts to be looser than specs. I'm not sure about this, just wondering.
rohrmann here are the contents of two emails I received back in June from a Product Engineer at Dexter, these were responses to my questions regarding the concerns in your post.

Email #1:

Ed,
At this point in time Dexter doesn't have an approved published procedure.
Because of your inquiry Engineering will write a procedure and get it
approved for distribution. Not sure of the timing for completion.

Thank You

Email #2

Ed,
Unofficially I would recommend that over slung axles be torqued loaded and
under slung axles be torqued unloaded. The reason the under slug is torqued
unloaded is that the vehicle weight is directly working on the tie plates.

I hope this answers your question
End Emails:

I have no idea whether Dexter have as promised published an approved procedure or not. What I do know is we are all dealing with over slung axles and unofficially he recommends they be torqued "loaded", meaning with the weight on the axles. That is exactly what we have when we crawl under there to check them and torque them.

If this were to be the Official Dexter procedure, then the responsibility would be upon Keystone to properly torque them when the unit is completely assembled and the axle is "loaded". Dexter simply cannot torque the U-bolts in a loaded configuration.
Remember we have yet to get an "OFFICIAL" procedure from Dexter, unless it is now in their owners manual.

I do not know personally anyone who has experienced a problem with U-bolts loosening up to the extent something failed and it certainly has not happened to me.

Give each nut a squirt of oil and torque them to 60 lbs and forget them.



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