Do you torque to specs?

[Mr.Nutcase]

Do you torque every bolt to specs?

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

YUP. My right arm elbow spec.

Seriously though... Maybe Head Bolts and that's it... Otherwise, I just tighten to feel. I have been a professional trans builder for a decade next year too. Once you get so much "behind the wheel time" they become a little superfluous.

I do use a torque wrench when setting up differential pinion pre-load though.

Adam

 

[rsanter]

internal engine bolts/fasteners, internal transmission, rearend and some suspension parts.
all other parts are tightened to 'about that'

bob

 

[35mastr]

internal engine bolts/fasteners, internal transmission, rearend and some suspension parts.
all other parts are tightened to 'about that'

bob

Just the important stuff as stated.

 

[35mastr]

YUP. My right arm elbow spec.

Once you get so much "behind the wheel time" they become a little superfluous.

Adam

The above statement says it all. When you have done it long enough your hands will know when its enough.

I also have been doing it this way for many years.

 

[GSteg]

I torque everything including the plastic engine cover.











Non-critical parts are torque by hand. Anything relating to engine/suspesion/chassis are done by a torque wrench.

 

[Jared]

yep tourque it to half a turn before it breaks. I tourque wheel nuts and engine parts other than that i never use a tourque wrench.

 

[DashEight]

I mostly work on Toyotas so using my torque wrench is not that much of a hassle for 80% of the bolts on the motor, usually they are in groups and are torqued to the same values. Now on the body parts, I can't remember the last time I used any thing other then just a socket (10mm) and ratchet.

 

[fomocoforrester]

Sometimes, I've noticed when torqing a number of similar fasteners to the same spec. that the odd one will feel softer than the rest, in other words, it requires a larger angular movement of the TW to reach the required torque.

It is not always obvious why this should be - maybe thread damage due to previous over tightening, material fault, coned or damaged washer, etc.

So what I normaly do, if it is a critical item, I just go for it, in the knowledge that if it strips it will need remedial work - helicoil, timecert or whatever.

Whereas, if it is a non-critical item, I will abandon the TW and see if I can achieve an acceptable torque by "feel" alone.

 

[Merkava_4]

Me: "I can't find the specs in the manual for the rod cap bolts; what do I torque them to?"

Mower shop: "Torque them until they're tight."

Me: "How do I know when they're tight?"

Mower shop: "When they stop turning."

 

[Nik_95Cobra]

I only torque critical parts. Love it when I tighten some nonsensical bolt by hand and some looky-loo captain know it all who's never held a wrench before and shouldn't be standing around bugging me asks me why I'm not torquing it.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I only torque critical parts. Love it when I tighten some nonsensical bolt by hand and some looky-loo captain know it all who's never held a wrench before and shouldn't be standing around bugging me asks me why I'm not torquing it.

Ditto. Torque the critical engine/drivetrain/turbine stuff, german torque most of the rest, use common sense on the delicate non-structural stuff.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

When it comes to rebuilding an engine the answer is YES!!! Everything else is not

 

[Art From De Leon]

Power train components yes, hydralic pumps and SCVs, yes, everything else, by feel.

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

Critical parts or When our Engineer tells us it has to be and if it is specified by the customer.

 

[STClurker]

all the way to "snap" and back it off a quarter turn

 

[bmxr4life87]

i torque wheels and engine/drivetrain internal components but here lately ive found it easiest to torque pans after gasket replacement such as differential cover, ****** pan, oil pan and what not so that all the fastners are within the same range of each other to help prevent gaps which create leaks ive been doing this for a while with zero leaks

 

[speed bump]

If its a critical component or I don't have a good feel for how tight it should be then yes I almost always use a torque wrench if its available.

 

[johnny1290]

Rarely, but I have 2 torque wrenches just in case :-D

 

[Merkava_4]

With gasket mating surfaces you'll want to use a torque wrench because over tight means you'll squeeze the gasket out the sides; but that's only on soft gaskets like cork and rubber. Other things like cylinder heads need a torque wrench to get the right amount of bolt stretch.

 

[tatra]

all the way to "snap" and back it off a quarter turn

hey, that's my schtick..........

 

[Need4racin]

I always torque lug nuts and spanner nuts. Prevents rotors from warping and the spanner nut keeps the rotor from flying off the spindle.

 

[volvo420coupe]

I always torque to specs, rarely do I have any proof (as in the clicking of a torque wrench)