Torque Wrench Necessary?

Erik Graham

Member

Equipment
B2630, LA 403, RCK60-30B, L2550 GST
Nov 30, 2009
38
7
8
Toronto, Ontario
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
 

Crash277

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Jan 17, 2021
846
622
93
Canada
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.
 

PaulR

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 23S -- 100 hours seat time so far
Aug 3, 2020
580
456
63
Hadley, MA
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.
 
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jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,154
1,557
113
Western MT
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.
 

swpflipper

Active member

Equipment
MX5400 HST, LA1065 FEL, HR2572 box blade - S30 flip Screen
Nov 3, 2020
100
53
28
Arizona
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.
 
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Thunder chicken

Active member

Equipment
M7060
Dec 29, 2019
294
117
43
Northern ontario
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!)
 

Crash277

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Jan 17, 2021
846
622
93
Canada
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
 
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jimh406

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,154
1,557
113
Western MT
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.
 
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Crash277

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Jan 17, 2021
846
622
93
Canada
Make sure you alway slack your torque wrench off to relieve the pressure, they will hold their accuracy longer.
 

pokey1416

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
Grand L4060HSTC, BH92 Backhoe, HLA Snow Pusher, Dirt Dog Tiller, EA DiscHarrow
Jun 24, 2020
532
738
93
SW Michigan
I bought this one and it is very impressive for the price.

D8C42F5F-540A-4F6F-AA23-7A812DAD5BA5.jpeg
 

Tractor Doctor

New member

Equipment
Agriculture equipment
Apr 4, 2021
14
1
3
Maine
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 is a Torque wrench. A needle style are old school tool. Buy a clicker style good for years.
 

Matt Ellerbee

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
MX6000
Jun 27, 2019
1,654
1,859
113
Canton, Georgia
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.
Same one I have at work. Not used much, but is nice to have.
 

sn0wman72

New member
Nov 16, 2019
25
12
3
Plain, WA
A torque wrench is a pretty small expense when compared to the cost of a tractor. Harbor Freight has a a good 1/2 drive one for a bit more than $20....
 

mikester

Well-known member

Equipment
M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,121
1,606
113
Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
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.
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
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
 
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Henro

Well-known member

Equipment
B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
5,116
2,341
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
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...