Lug nut size

[Mainiac]

What size are the lug nuts. Have a breaker bar, a torque wrench, and 8" extension, just need to add the right socket. (Hope I don't need a 10' 'extension pipe')...

[Maverick]

What size are the lug nuts. Have a breaker bar, a torque wrench, and 8″ extension, just need to add the right socket. (Hope I don’t need a 10′ ‘extension pipe’)…

The lug nuts on our trailer requires a 3/4" deep well socket; I suggest using a six point socket and  I use a 25" breaker bar.  The 8" extension will work with no problems, since I use a 6" extension.

 

 

[Mainiac]

Thank you. I can switch it to a 6", and we just happen to have a 'spare' 6pt. 3/4". Now to switch to a full size spare. The owners manual, in a couple of places, warn about different size tires...

[ScubaRx]

In addition to the one for the lugs on the Oliver I also carry a socket of the correct size for the lugs on the truck. I also have one specifically for the nut that attaches the hitch ball to the stinger and one that fits the sacrificial anode in the water heater.   You would also find it handy to have a wrench large enough to hold the flats on the bottom of the hitch ball if you ever have to tighten the nut while on the road. Without said wrench it will be almost impossible to hold the ball in place while tightening the nut.

[Raspy]

Thank you. I can switch it to a 6″, and we just happen to have a ‘spare’ 6pt. 3/4″. Now to switch to a full size spare. The owners manual, in a couple of places, warn about different size tires…

 

Will your new Oliver have the larger spare tire cover?

 

One thing you might consider, if they haven't built it yet, is moving the license plate and light to the main body instead of leaving it on the tire cover. The light sticks out farther than anything else and is vulnerable.  Plus, you have to manage the wire when fiddling with the cover.  I know the license covers the tire mounting bolt, but there might be a better way to do that.

 

Someone else mentioned this and had Oliver move their plate at no charge during construction.

 

One annoying thing is having the tire cover sticking out beyond the bumper.  When I back into the garage the tail light is the first to bump and if I happen to bump a pole or a wall, the tire cover will get damaged before the bumper even touches.  I am putting on some rubber bumper extensions that will fix that by reaching out 4 inches.

[Raspy]

In addition to the one for the lugs on the Oliver I also carry a socket of the correct size for the lugs on the truck. I also have one specifically for the nut that attaches the hitch ball to the stinger and one that fits the sacrificial anode in the water heater. You would also find it handy to have a wrench large enough to hold the flats on the bottom of the hitch ball if you ever have to tighten the nut while on the road. Without said wrench it will be almost impossible to hold the ball in place while tightening the nut.

 

Some of the new stingers have a recess that holds the ball.    The corresponding ball has a hex bottom.   My solution, for the regular style is to simply use a slip joint pliers on the ball.  I always have one of those with me anyway.  BTW, you can buy a box end wrench for the ball nut at Walmart for about $9.

[John E Davies]

Every vehicle I own has one of these in the trunk or where-ever. It is extremely stout at full length, but telescopes to a compact length for storage. I strongly recommend this, just be careful tightening so you don't over do it. A torqye wrench is advised for that. One of the four sockets included will fit your Oillie, I think.

 

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-1721-Telescoping-Wrench/dp/B000CMJ2KU

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Mainiac]

I have a 1 1/8" socket for the water heater anode, (and a spare anode with teflon tape). A wrench (Harbor Freight) that fits the ball (which could double as an extension for the breaker bar), just need a socket for the truck. Also have a AAA card.

Just found out about the larger spare cover. That is what I will call about come Monday. Also reading the owners manuals today (courtesy of Buzzy) it states in there in mulitiple places that it is unsafe to operate the trailer with different size tires. Hence I want a full size spare. I think I like the idea of moving the plate to

the left. Don't like the idea of messing with wires on the side of the road at night. Especially if you can't put the cover back on if you have a full size tire. I can put/make a plug, decal or something over that ugly hole.

The rubber like on a loading dock might work, except maybe heavy?

Thank you for the ideas. Should keep me mostly out of trouble for a couple of days...

[Raspy]

Every vehicle I own has one of these in the trunk or where-ever. It is extremely stout at full length, but telescopes to a compact length for storage. I strongly recommend this, just be careful tightening so you don’t over do it. A torqye wrench is advised for that. One of the four sockets included will fit your Oillie, I think. https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-1721-Telescoping-Wrench/dp/B000CMJ2KU John Davies Spokane WA

 

 

 

John,  I have a couple of those Gorilla wrenches too.  Nice.  But be sure to check if the socket actually fits the Ollie decorative wheels nuts.  Some cap nuts stick out enough to block that Gorilla shallow socket from engaging the hex.  If so, just get a standard deep socket and drive it with the Gorilla wrench.

[KarenLukens]

I carry a 24" Crescent wrench for the ball and whatever else and it sure comes in handy. It will turn a frozen crank sometimes in a pinch also, then I always carry a 24" adjustable torque wrench for all the tires or whatever.  Not counting channel locks, socket sets and normal tools. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C5ZL1NS?ref=emc_b_5_t

[Monlezun]

Hello to all!

 

Reading this thread and getting ready to take delivery in April, I was glad to hear of OTT converting to a full size spare. OTT has not informed me of this change as of this writing, but don't expect to be either. Not necessary at this stage.

 

This leads me to wonder 2 things and was hoping someone could answer both. 1.) Will the new spare tire be Nitrogen filled as is the ones on the ground? 2.) What is the recommended foot pounds for torque for the lug nuts?

 

Wish to buy a click torque wrench but see there are different models and pricing according to how torque pound limits you need.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Malcolm M.

[Mainiac]

Early yet...best to call...that is our plan, not sure if going to be a running change or an option? Either way, we do NOT want a mismatched wheel and tire. Not sure about filling a tire with anything but air. Sure it is not a gimmick?

[Monlezun]

Hi Canoe12,

 

I do know the tires on your Ollie will be Nitrogen filled. Both advertised as such (16″ Aluminum Rims with Nitrogen filled Michelin LTX M/S2 Tires) on the Elite II site and a conversation Jason and I had while touring the factory in December viewing the Ollie's coming down the line at the last stages. I noticed each Ollie having the green valve cap and the conversation began on the subject. A Nitrogen filled tire will or should always have a green value cap to indicate this.

 

You can find many links to the pro's and con's on the subject. Too much for this thread, but it is standard equipment on the Elite II.

 

I agree I do not want a mismatched tire and wheel. What OTT is doing with the spare as far as air versus nitrogen, I will ask Jason unless someone chimes in here with the facts.

 

Oh, still would like the know the foot pounds of torque recommended on the 2017 Elite II.

 

Again thanks,

 

Malcolm M.

[ScubaRx]

I have our tires filled with a special blend of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen with a few other mixed gases and farts and so forth.

[Mainiac]

The mental image of you loading farts into the valve stem will keep me laughing all winter. Please don't try to explain how you actually did it, and how you know the percentage.

I read the Elite II 2016 owners manual and it said be sure of proper torque on the wheels. It is listed in there NO where. It said take, or refer to a professional? I will keep looking. Looks like another question to call on...

[Raspy]

I have our tires filled with a special blend of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen with a few other mixed gases and farts and so forth.

 

I have this option too. 78% nitrogen instead of 100%.  It turns out to be arguably better than filling tires with water, oil, propane or sand.  Since Ollie will be operating at ground level, instead of 30,000 ft. elevation and at normal highway speeds, frozen moisture is probably not an issue.

 

I also want to be able to top off or adjust the pressure without looking for a tire shop or buying a nitrogen bottle and regulator to haul around with me.  I often adjust the pressure in the desert or mountain snow.  Even without those adjustments, I like to check my tires before every trip.

 

In all the tires I've owned, and that's lot, I've never seen any wheel damage or interior tire damage from moisture.

 

This is one of those gimmicks that can be endlessly debated.   But one point that seems factual is that tire shops have found a way to help people unload more of their dollars.  I wonder how Oliver got all the air out of the tires before they filled them with Nitrogen?

 

http://www.pedrosgarage.com/Site_5/Nitrogen_or_Air.html

 

 

 

 

[Monlezun]

Well, like I said, the pro's and con's of air versus Nitrogen could go on and on.

 

John, I agree that if I need air in my Ollie, I will not hesitate to pull over at the closest Discount Tire and get them topped off with air or use my portable air compressor I always carry, without a second thought about Nitrogen.

 

My dad was in the trucking (20 plus rigs) business for 40 years and I grew up in the 50's and 60's changing tires and flats on 18 wheelers daily being the cheapest labor, along with my 5 brothers. Some moisture or signs of rust on a tire rim with 1 million miles on it, who cared. "Fix the flat son and get this rig back on the road." Can still hear him now! Besides, Nitrogen was not invented yet. :)  Side note: Nitrogen gas constitutes 78% of the earth's air. This is a fact!

 

OTT is putting Nitrogen in the tires, but that will be your choice after you roll out of their.

 

As I originally stated, I merely was wondering if the new spare will have it too.

 

More to my question was what is the foot pounds of torque recommended in order to purchase a click torque wrench.

 

Looks like, as John stated, will require a phone call or add to the list of questions when I take possession in April and document in my Ollie bible to keep in tow.

 

Good night to all,

 

Malcolm M.

[KarenLukens]

We always carry a bottle of liquid nitrogen with us for cooking but now we can get it right out of the spare tire in case we have an emergency and need to make ice cream in the middle of Death Valley! Oh joy :)

 

Molecular Gastronomy made easier by Oliver :)

 

Check this out - 

 

_________ - 

[topgun2]

Malcolm,

 

Type "wheel torque" in the search box and you will get a nice chart from John and several other direct answers to your torque question.  However, to save you some time - it seems that the answer is 90 to 95 foot pounds.

 

Bill

[Mainiac]

Thank you. That's what I was thinking it was. I had found it someplace, but wasn't sure where, and Buzzy told me that to. But I didn't want to quote a pressure, until we were sure, and could quote a source. So, 90 to 95 ft. Lbs. it is...

[John E Davies]

Thank you. That’s what I was thinking it was. I had found it someplace, but wasn’t sure where, and Buzzy told me that to. But I didn’t want to quote a pressure, until we were sure, and could quote a source. So, 90 to 95 ft. Lbs. it is…

 

Get a 1/2 inch drive, 150 ft lb torque wrench. You will encounter wheels with higher torque values. A torque wrench is most accurate in the middle of its range, so you don't want to use a 100 ft lb wrench on a 95 ft lb nut. Plus the bigger wrenches offer more leverage. You can pick up a smaller 3/8 inch and 1/4 inch one as needed later for small stuff; and maybe a 10 to 50 inch pound torque screwdriver for little screws, especially if you work on firearms or fishing reels or similar delicate things..

 

NEVER use a torque wrench to remove stuff - you can over-stress it and cause damage. Don't use it to run down the fastener, only to tighten to the final value. Don't ever  tighten beyond its maximum limit, and never put a cheater bar on one. You have to hold it in the middle of the grip area for it to work accurately. It is a precision instrument that needs to be used with care.

 

A click type is by far the easiest to use.

 

If you drop it, it may go out of calibration. Store it in a drawer or in the case it comes in.

 

Some shops like aircraft repair stations have requirements that their torque wrenches are recalibrated routinely and often. For a car or trailer, close with an out of calibration wrench is good enough.

 

Any POS Harbor Freight wrench will be way more accurate than your bare hands. People who say that they can correctly tighten a bolt without using a torque wrench are mistaken. When I went through A & P school we had a display of lots of different sized fasteners threaded into a steel plate. We were all told to torque them by hand to "tight". Then we did it again with different torque wrenches. Except for one or two lucky guys, everybody who did not use a wrench either over-tightened or under-tightened all the fasteners. By a lot....

 

I cringe when I watch a You Tube video of a mechanic working on suspension, drivetrain or engine parts without any sign of a torque wrench, especially when I see him banging the bolts tight with a big impact gun. It is stupid, wrong, unsafe and potentially dangerous to mis-torque critical fasteners. The exception is tire shops that install lug nuts with an impact gun, as long as they use a torque stick (limiter extension) set at a lower torque, then follow up with by hand with a torque wrench to the final value.

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a6613/torque-wrench-101-how-to-get-the-right-amount-of-force/

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Monlezun]

Bill and John, thank you for answering my question.

 

I will seek a 1/2 inch drive and a 150 lb click wrench. Store it out of harms way as is recommended by John.

 

Merci Beaucoup,

 

Malcolm M.

[bugeyedriver]

[steve,] The mental image of you loading farts into the valve stem will keep me laughing all winter. Please don’t try to explain how you actually did it…

 

Well, if anybody could pull this off, it's Steve.  And no, Steve, we don't need to see the video.