Stripped TRE

YJJPWrangler

YJJPWrangler

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Location
Charlotte
Went to torque my TRE's down and install the cotter pins today. Online said to torque the TRE nut to 50-75lbs. I stripped the damn nut/bolt and my torque wrench never clicked. Bad TRE or what? The TRE's are 1 ton GM stock stuff. If 50-75lbs isn't correct, what is? Get it tight enough and then cotter pin it?
 
A quick googley said 40-60 torque over to fit the cotter pin. When I did the wonton TRE on my XJ I think it was like 50 plus a bit of a turn to get the pin in.
 
If it's all new tapers and hardware the lower end of the spectrum is plenty tight. The taper does the work. The castle nut and cotter pin is just insurance.
In my lift kit days at a aftermarket shop a long box end with a stiff pull was plenty good. Impact off but never on. If they spun in the tapper downward force was all that was needed....if they still spun I took that as time for closer inspection of said parts and moved from that point.
And never grease the mating surfaces.
 
If the nut stripped it wouldn't be the first one I've seen do that. I had one pull the threads out of the nut on a TJ awhile back. If the threads on the TRE look good then just replace the nut and rock out.
 
Nut definitely stripped. I need to pull the the TRE out of the tie rod to check the bolt itself. I would think my torque wrench is fine? It's worked great for years and I've never had a problem with it. Always leave it stored, unloaded.

I'll probably end up replacing this one but I have another 2 I need to tighten down and don't want to strip those either...
 
I’d check torque wrench in addition to the TRE and nut. Could be shallow threads due to a manufacturing defect in stock material.

Torque wrenches do get out of calibration. At work we require calibration paperwork within the last 12 months when tightening bolts on pipe flanges. I’m amazed at how easily the wrenches get out of calibration.
 
I've had several tre nuts strip over the years but never seen the threads on the joint itself fail. I keep a few old tre nuts off various cars in my toolbox for this exact reason.

I rarely torque them down either. Usually get them good and tight with my long handled 1/2" ratchet. Line up the cotter pin and send it.

I'll 2nd having the tq wrench checked out. If you see a tool truck out and about flag them down or call the driver to find out where he'll be. Most especially snapon have a tq checker on the truck.
 
You can also get it calibrated at a number of places locally (I can give you a list of places I use in the Charlotte area), but you'll spend $35-50 per wrench, which is likely not worth it for a wrench that you haven't had calibrated ever, unless it's a decent quality wrench instead of some Craftsman pile. Also, if it's out of calibration, you'll still spend the calibration cost but will now need to have it repaired (or just buy another one, if it's something like Craftsman). I've had to replace one for work and one for home this year, and I get my work stuff calibrated every year and my home stuff every other year.

If you're shopping for a new one, I'll give some recommendations for good value. Don't buy anything off a tool truck, they're too expensive.
 
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Sounds like my torque wrench is bad then. I've had it for years and I've always stored it unloaded. Didn't realize they had to get calibrated. Any recommendations on one that won't break the bank? For the remaining ones, I'll get them good and tight and send it @Tim C
 
Fabrik8 said:
If you're shopping for a new one, I'll give some recommendations for good value. Don't buy anything off a tool truck, they're too expensive.
Click to expand...

I need to replace my 1/2" because the SOB grew legs.
Ill take your tool nerd recs
 
1 bump of the impact i believe is the proper spec.
 
Ron said:
I need to replace my 1/2" because the SOB grew legs.
Ill take your tool nerd recs
Click to expand...

Because you asked, if you're looking for a standard clicker-type unit:

CDI Torque is one of my recs; they're owned by the Snap-On family of brands and they manufacture the Snap-On branded clicker-type wrenches, and I think some of the split beam stuff too.. It's a lot cheaper to buy the CDI Torque branded units though (maybe $170 for a 1/2 drive 30-150ft lbs). USA manufactured. I like the comfort handle ones, because I'm just not a fan of the knurled cylinder grips.

One of the other recs is Norbar, who is one of the biggest manufacturers in Europe. The NorTorque models and Professional Adjustable Industrial (mushroom head) models are both really good for the money and fairly similar to the CDI in price, with the NorTorque being a little less expensive than the Professional Industrial.. Norbar is currently my favorite. UK manufactured. Norbar is one of the biggest suppliers of torque calibration equipment to calibration companies.

NorTorque
Professional Adjustable 'Mushroom' Head 'Industrial' Ratchet

Mountz Torque makes really good stuff too, but I tend to only use them for specialty stuff as I lean toward CDI and Norbar for normal stuff. Mountz is one of the other big suppliers of torque calibration equipment.


Check out Flexible Assembly and Pro Torque Tools for good prices. It's pretty awesome how cheap you can get a high quality torque wrench online.
 
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