Anonymous Poster
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- Sep 27, 2005
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All the discussion that started about a wheel breaking off has reminded me of something I don't think has been discussed on this board at least recently. That being you can't (I was taught) check the torque on a bolt. You can only check if it is "tight". The torque it takes to break a bolt loose is far more then the actual torque reading that would have been given with a torque wrench when it was torqued. You have to break the bolt loose and then in an even straight pull torque it. This may be nitpicking, as on most things the EXACT torque isn't as critical as it being tight. "Tight" means different things for different grade/size bolts as shown in the standard "torque tables". Those critical areas, cylinder heads, brake rotors, aluminum wheels etc seem to vary more by vehicle manufacturer then by the size of the bolt. Usually the damage occurs when it is more then half a turn loose. I find them now and then and I'm pretty careful to spend some time knocking the dust off all my sockets and wrenches looking for loose stuff.
If you catch them early and just get them back down it sure can save $$$. Replacing lock washers every time the bolt is loosened is a requirement. Loctite is neat stuff until you have to deal with it. The recent thread on BX tailights being stripped reminded me of something, on some auto applications I've seen loctite or something used on screws which is insane as they can be so unmovable that you tear the head off the screw long before you get them off, you can't take the impact-drive screwdriver to tailights for instance.
Wheel lugs might be oK as you've got plenty of room for the breaker bar. I get nervous when some mechanics start waving the propane flame on something to break the loctite seal. I can remember having to tell a muffler shop that the factory undercoating on my car was on fire many years ago. He wasn't too concerned.
Some of these torque readings are quite exciting, I was once talking to an old timer about a 220lb requirement as I didn't have an over 150 wrench and asked him how he did it. His reply..."Torque Wrench...? You tighten that as tight as you can get it and then a half turn more!"
Maybe not "correct" but he was one of those guys that could get your tractor out of the quag, fix the broken off bolts, and get you going with only a pair of tweezers and a wood hammer! (well almost)
Feel free to disagree on my "torque" beliefs!
If you catch them early and just get them back down it sure can save $$$. Replacing lock washers every time the bolt is loosened is a requirement. Loctite is neat stuff until you have to deal with it. The recent thread on BX tailights being stripped reminded me of something, on some auto applications I've seen loctite or something used on screws which is insane as they can be so unmovable that you tear the head off the screw long before you get them off, you can't take the impact-drive screwdriver to tailights for instance.
Wheel lugs might be oK as you've got plenty of room for the breaker bar. I get nervous when some mechanics start waving the propane flame on something to break the loctite seal. I can remember having to tell a muffler shop that the factory undercoating on my car was on fire many years ago. He wasn't too concerned.
Some of these torque readings are quite exciting, I was once talking to an old timer about a 220lb requirement as I didn't have an over 150 wrench and asked him how he did it. His reply..."Torque Wrench...? You tighten that as tight as you can get it and then a half turn more!"
Maybe not "correct" but he was one of those guys that could get your tractor out of the quag, fix the broken off bolts, and get you going with only a pair of tweezers and a wood hammer! (well almost)
Feel free to disagree on my "torque" beliefs!