Torque wrench

1528 Views 28 Replies 14 Participants Last post by plainmech, Jun 10, 2009

hoopdc

Discussion Starter · Jun 9, 2009

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A general question. As an overall rule, does one REALLY need to torque things to specs or is it OK in the real world to just snug it up nicely ??

What say you ?

Dennis

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plainmech

· #2 · Jun 9, 2009

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depends what your torquing, your experience, materials ie aluminum i almost always torque too easy to pull threads so i've heard. i've been a mechanic most my life and still use a torque wrench, easy insurance and i hate to wonder:waving::action:

Kefltrvlr2

· #3 · Jun 9, 2009

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I'm an industrial mechanic and work on internal and external components in plastic extrusion. Most external parts I armstrong but critical internal parts (such as internal engine) I definately torque to spec. Any type of sealing surface torquing is just added insurance to help you sleep at night knowing it won't leak.

GSMacLean

· #4 · Jun 9, 2009

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I use a torque wrench on things that I know matter - i.e. bearing retainers, axle nuts, axle retainer nuts, spark plugs, bolts that are threaded into expensive pieces of aluminum that I don't really want to strip out (i.e. bolts threaded into forks or engine block), that sort of thing.

For other things, I'll just tighten it to what "feels" about right. That said, I've been working on cars and bikes for close to 25 years, so I've had a lot of practice determining what "feels" right and what doesn't.

plainmech

· #5 · Jun 9, 2009

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well said:waving:

Xtracho

· #6 · Jun 9, 2009

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Picked up a click type torque wrench at my local tool clearance store for under 20 bucks. Seems like cheap, sleep better at nite, insurance to me.

highcountry

· #7 · Jun 9, 2009

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Hope that you pay attention to inch pounds verses foot pounds.

Wingnumberone

· #8 · Jun 9, 2009

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highcountry wrote:

Hope that you pay attention to inch pounds verses foot pounds.

highcountry

· #9 · Jun 10, 2009

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I thought it was funny

Longboater

· #10 · Jun 10, 2009

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For the low cost of a Clicker torgue wrench and a good shop manual you will not only have peace of mind but so will your bike. Torque all moving parts to spec.

Longboater,

SETHAN12

· #11 · Jun 10, 2009

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I use a torque wrench also.

SpiderBob

· #12 · Jun 10, 2009

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A torque wrench is a good thing to have in your tool collection, so if you have it use it. But be pratical, I don't use a torque wrench to tighten the seat up.

SETHAN12

· #13 · Jun 10, 2009

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Could not have said it better SpiderBob

exavid

· #14 · Jun 10, 2009

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A torque wrench is better than snugging the bolt till it goes soft and backing off one flat. As already mentioned there are important things that need to be torqued and others that need to be torqued if you have a habit of stripping or breaking fasteners. Torque wrenches used to be quite expensive but Harbor Freight sells reasonably decent ones quite inexpensively. I've got two of theirs 1/4" & 1/2" drive and tested them with a spring scale. Both of them were plenty accurate and repeatable for normal use. Might be marginal for aircraft engines or a NASA spacewalk but more than good enough for car and bike work. While I enjoy good tools I do like getting a torque wrench for $20 instead of $200. The cheapos don't have the super smooth feel and nice finish but they will do the job.

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treker8098

· #15 · Jun 10, 2009

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Everyone here is probably a decent mechanic, but keep in mind that one of a torque wrench's purposes is to keep from stipping bolts and studs, but it is also to make sure that a fastener or stud is properly stretched to keep a fastener from coming loose or to maintain a seal. Most good mechanics will work with a torque wrench and develop a feel for various torque values. Some wrench sales people will have mechanics tighten a nut with a standard wrench on a display then check it with a torqure wrench. Some mechanics have been surprised. As GSMaclean mentioned, mechanics will have a general idea of how tight to torque fasteners and will use a calibrated wench on critical fasteners. There are tables that contain reccomended torque values for various fastener sizes available on the net. I would recommend anyone who works on vehicles to practice with torque wrench while referencing a table of recommended values to develope a feel. Then use the calibrated wrench on critical fasteners.

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plainmech

· #16 · Jun 10, 2009

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exavid wrote:

A torque wrench is better than snugging the bolt till it goes soft and backing off one flat. As already mentioned there are important things that need to be torqued and others that need to be torqued if you have a habit of stripping or breaking fasteners. Torque wrenches used to be quite expensive but Harbor Freight sells reasonably decent ones quite inexpensively. I've got two of theirs 1/4" & 1/2" drive and tested them with a spring scale. Both of them were plenty accurate and repeatable for normal use. Might be marginal for aircraft engines or a NASA spacewalk but more than good enough for car and bike work. While I enjoy good tools I do like getting a torque wrench for $20 instead of $200. The cheapos don't have the super smooth feel and nice finish but they will do the job.

:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1: wish i could buy mine at hf but since it's aircraft and have to be calibrated every year and held to a certain tolerance, not an option, don't even tell the wife what most my tools cost, on the real expensive ones i just tell her you don't want to know:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1: nuff said.:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1: anyway experience will tell when and when not to torque.:waving:

Xtracho

· #17 · Jun 10, 2009

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highcountry wrote:

Hope that you pay attention to inch pounds verses foot pounds.

That was supposed to be a joke? I'll have the wife wake me up one nite to laugh about it.

plainmech

· #18 · Jun 10, 2009

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i got it but not that funny if you made that mistake:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1: don't ask me how i know

GSMacLean

· #19 · Jun 10, 2009

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plainmech wrote:

i got it but not that funny if you made that mistake:cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1::cheeky1: don't ask me how i know

When I was a kid, I used to go to the local gas station (this is in Canada) to fill my bike tires. One day, they got a new air pump, and it had different numbers on it. I think it was calibrated in BAR rather than PSI. I looked at it, knowing my bike needed 60 psi or whatever, but the numbers didn't go to 60...so I wound it up to "6.0" figuring that would be about right (which in PSI is around 90!) and proceeded to fill my tire.

I think I got the hearing back in my left ear in a day or so after the tube exploded right next to my head!

Hobie1

· #20 · Jun 10, 2009

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No matter what brand of "clicker" torque wrench you buy, make sure that you do a couple of things with it. First, set it to the torque setting you're going to need and use it to torque a bench mounted nut and bolt to exercise the wrench a couple of times. Then set it to the torque value you need and proceed to use it. Then, when you're done, make sure that you set the torque to the lowest setting. I've been advised that a torque wrench can become less accurate if you leave it set at a higher value. I don't know from personal experience but what the heck it only takes a couple of minutes.

Regards,

Hobie

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