"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
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Hmmm ... perhaps a low profile thrust ball bearing under the
knob might help.
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Somewhere I read that a stack of greased alternating steel and brass washers
makes a decent DIY thrust bearing. I tried it when I rebuilt my sawmill's
blade tensioner to include the hydraulic force gauge.

The wrench handle effort for 1000 lbs is fairly low though too variable to
use a torque wrench. The previous tensioner was the shaft and knob from a
disk brake pad pusher and was difficult to tighten to 500 lbs.