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Old 04-09-2013, 09:00 PM   #1
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2010 25' FB Flying Cloud
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"Balls"

I just assembled a new 1000# Eaz Lift and loosely installed a 2 5/16" ball with 1 1/4" shank requiring 450 ft lbs of torque. How does one torque that ball down?

the clearance around the nut and the ball platform is not very much so many heavy duty sockets are too large I think. I guess I'll take to a commercial tire shop.

Lou
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Old 04-09-2013, 09:02 PM   #2
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A big long honkin cheater bar. Works every time.
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Old 04-09-2013, 09:08 PM   #3
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Equalizer sells a thin wall socket but is very pricey. The simplest is to go to a Camping World or such that sells hitches to get them to tighten it down for you.
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Old 04-14-2013, 03:53 PM   #4
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If you go to a "real" tool store, they will have a thin wall socket that will likely work for you. In my city, we have a Clark Tool store, that is well stocked, and they had the socket I needed. Plan on it being expensive though, if I remember it was about $40.
You could do a pretty good approximation of the 450 lb-ft of torque by applying your 225 pounds of body weight onto a 2 foot breaker bar. As Michael sez.... a big honkin' cheater bar.
In my case, I cheated a different way, I went to see my son's best bud who is a mechanic on big trucks, so he has a really big torque wrench !
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Old 04-14-2013, 05:31 PM   #5
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Reese heads do not allow socket, pur. stainless ball has two flats instead of round at base used old fashioned knuckle skinner w/pipe on nut then open end wrench w/long pipe on flats friend that helped me very strong also had open end wrench no out of pocket exp. Make sure nut is tight will work loose. I am to frugal to by exp. sockets for 1 use I also have tourqe multiplier
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Old 05-23-2013, 10:08 PM   #6
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Mount it to your TV, drive to a big equipment shop, ask for help.. hand them a $20... or just go buy a long handle box end wrench at a Harbor Freight...then get a piece of pipe about 3 feet or longer to fit over the wrench ....
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Old 05-24-2013, 01:17 AM   #7
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Oriley's Auto parts has a loaner tool program, if there is one near you.

I have used an 18" pipe wrench, with a 3' length of pipe slid over the handle for additional leverage. Though, this method will mark the nut where the jaws grip.
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Old 05-24-2013, 04:56 AM   #8
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Yup, I couldn't get any sort of socket on mine, so bought a LARGE box end wrench that fit and got a piece of pipe ... the wrench now lives in the Airstream so it's always wherever the hitch is, just in case 450 lb/ft wasn't enough. But after several tens of thousands of miles, all is well! I think you also probably could find a crow-foot 3/4" drive wrench that would to it (I thought about just making one) and attach it to your 3/4" drive ratchet wrench or breaker bar ... and pipe for extra torque.
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Old 05-24-2013, 05:43 AM   #9
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Similar problem on my previous Equalizer hitch. Purchased a used torque wrench off e-bay that's capable of 800+ ft-lbs of torque for $100.00. Also useful for the other nuts on the hitch head which required 300 ft-lbs of torque. Most common torque wrenches top out around 200 to 250ft-lbs.

The thin walled socket was almost as expensive - believe it came in around $60.00.

I wanted to have the tools capable of doing the job myself in case there was an issue while travelling - but 99% of the time, this is cheaper to pay somebody else to do the work.
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Old 05-24-2013, 07:08 AM   #10
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I searched in tool stores in Houston for a thin walled socket. No one had a socket that would do the trick for the 1200# Equalizer. I had to buy one directly from Equalizer. The head for the smaller Equalizers has more space and a socket from someone like Northern Tool does fit. I did buy one from them and ended up giving it to a friend who has an 800# Equalizer. Here is a post on the 1200# Equalizer just in case it might help. I put it up originally because I couldn't find any info when I needed it.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...tch-94976.html
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