How many times can the hitch head bolts be torqued?

[JCWDCW]

Originally Posted by MelGoddard

AN IMPACT GUN?????
YIKES, ARE YOU NUTS???
An impact gun has the accuracy of a pile driver powered by a C-4 charge!
Let us know when you're going down the 401, so that I can be far behind you.
"I'd rather be an interested spectator, than an active participant"!

Oh come on! It was a reputable RV dealership.
Garages use impact guns to tighten wheel nuts all the time. They can be set for a reasonably close torque. And as noted Grade 8 bolts can take a lot more than 250 ft lbs torque. And apparently the setting was good because that set up is still on the road 12 years later.
JCW

[J. Morgan]

A 3/4" coarse thread grade 8 bolt is rated to 376 foot pounds, a fine thread to 420 foot pounds. I doubt a 1/2" impact gun that is used with any care at all is going to be an issue.

Besides, the owner has 12 years of empirical evidence that says it was cool.


Talis gentium ceciderunt.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by RFP

In the process of setting up our Reese SC hitch, I have made several adjustments (and readjustments!) to get it 'dialed in' correctly... many of you are already so familiar with this exercise.

In the process, I have twice fully torqued the two main hitch-head-to-shank bolts to the full torque spec (250 ft. lbs.), and dang, that's tight.

Knowing next to nothing about the 'mechanical engineering' aspects of all this, I'm wondering if repeated (twice) torquing to this spec has compromised the bolts' integrity in any way.

Should I replace the bolts with new, or should I just use the ones I have and go and worry about something else?

Thanks,

Rob

Hi, how long is a piece of string?????? You can torque bolts as many times as it takes before one breaks. I changed all of my hitch bolts to grade eight.