How important are torque specs?
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 12,986
Likes: 715
From: NE Philly
http://www.brownlinemetalworks.com/
Use the coupon code HD It is $99 and free shipping and it supports one of our sponsors. I have it and it works great. ft/lbs, in/lbs, and n/m
Use the coupon code HD It is $99 and free shipping and it supports one of our sponsors. I have it and it works great. ft/lbs, in/lbs, and n/m
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
^^maybe not but I enjoy challenging things, a.k.a things i dont know how to do...and called my father in law he has a torque wrench for ft/lbs and in/lbs. Ty guys ill post pics next week..
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 67
From: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Sick indeed. Most of torque wrenches are way off, I do not think anything under $500 will give better accuracy than an experienced wrist.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 11
From: Colonial Beach, Virginia
I've seen the results of tests done in Hot Rod, Motor Trend and other mags and 20% to 50% off is the average accuracy of the wrist. Being dead on accurate is not nearly as important as uniformity. I watched a genius in rural W.Va. replace a head gasket on an Olds F-85 with the 215 cubic inch Turbo V8. I offered to bring him a torque wrench the next but he said he knew what tight was. The next day he went down the road and less than 5 minutes he was back with water vapor, water and combustion gasses blowing out around the left front wheel. I never forgot that.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 7
From: Chicago Area
Again to answer OPs question there is a reason critical parts have torque spex. However, most torque wrenches you have access to will NOT do the job correctly.
Even brand new, out of the box, they need to calibrated before you use them. Then on a regular basis or after a drop, they need to be re-calibrated. Most folks do not know that, thus they think they are torquing to spec, but in reality are doing nothing but twisting a wrench.
Even brand new, out of the box, they need to calibrated before you use them. Then on a regular basis or after a drop, they need to be re-calibrated. Most folks do not know that, thus they think they are torquing to spec, but in reality are doing nothing but twisting a wrench.
Last edited by madchemist24; Oct 2, 2012 at 07:58 AM. Reason: Trains and cell phones do not mix when typing paragraphs
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 11
From: Colonial Beach, Virginia
I have 6 torque wrenches and have never torn anything up using them but I have busted a few things not using them. If they were as inaccurate as you claim then everybody would posting about something they broke using them. So far no one has.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 7
From: Chicago Area
Say what you want, I used to calibrate them. I have first hand how off the are. After calibration, the start loosing their edge with each use; hence the need to continually recalibrate.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 7
From: Chicago Area
You are most likey torquing everything uniformly but to a higher or lower spec.
Oh, and I have read threads on here where folks were stripping threads while going to the designated torque spec.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 7
From: Chicago Area
Found on an industry website:
Following torque specs and procedures doesnt insure the right preload when your torque wrench is off. Even brand new out-of-the-box torque wrenches have been tested at 10-20% off. The solution is to have it calibrated. Causal wrenchers should have this done annually and even more frequently if they are using the tool on a daily basis or assembling engine compo- nents. There are some gadgets available online that claim to convert a standard ratchet into a torque wrench by digitally displaying the amount of torque being applied. As long as that unit is as consistent as advertised, it could be used at home as a checker. ARP techs offer torque wrench calibration at every race they attend. If thats not in your schedule, they recommend contacting the wrenchs manufacture for service. There are also companies like Team Torque (TeamTorque.com) that change $30 to test and calibrate just about any torque wrench.
Following torque specs and procedures doesnt insure the right preload when your torque wrench is off. Even brand new out-of-the-box torque wrenches have been tested at 10-20% off. The solution is to have it calibrated. Causal wrenchers should have this done annually and even more frequently if they are using the tool on a daily basis or assembling engine compo- nents. There are some gadgets available online that claim to convert a standard ratchet into a torque wrench by digitally displaying the amount of torque being applied. As long as that unit is as consistent as advertised, it could be used at home as a checker. ARP techs offer torque wrench calibration at every race they attend. If thats not in your schedule, they recommend contacting the wrenchs manufacture for service. There are also companies like Team Torque (TeamTorque.com) that change $30 to test and calibrate just about any torque wrench.