Torque wrench question

[TJM2]

I am doing all the fluid changes that I can on my vehicle (2002 4Runner) to save $$$, and, well, as an excuse to buy tools

I was watching a YouTube vid on changing the rear differential fluid and the guy said I need a torque wrench that measures in newton meters. When I looked into these it seemed that type of torque wrench is largely used for bicycles.

Should I look for one that measures newton meters or does it even matter?

 

[CJM8515]

To what torque the drain or fill plug? No, just tighten it by hand. Dont no overboard and torque it.

You can convert newton meters to foot pounds using google btw.

 

[TJM2]

Thats kinda what I thought - he is saying the specs state 35 to 38 newton meters to replace the drain plugs.

 

[CJM8515]

Yea thats imho a bit overboard like I said before. Id just do it nice ant tight by hand. They are fairly large bolts.

Trust me when i say this: as a tech (and fellow techs will agree) torque wrench doesnt get used for stuff like this.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I suppose there could be torque ratings on the bolts that hold the cover on, but the plug is a new one for me.

 

[franzdom]

You can't close it without torquing it, torquing and measuring torque aren't mutually inclusive.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Using the handy dandy Norbar online torque converter calculator yields 25.81467522 to 28.02736167 lb/ft or 309.7761027 to 336.32834007 lb/in .............. take your pic, almost any torque wrench will do if you convert the numbers and the tool has the range on it to handle it.

Charles

 

[AndrewV]

Im a tech to.
Shoot that guy.
It's like putting torque on a drain plug, you can strip the threads on aluminum pans at 10lbs.
It's not a lugnut, or headbolt.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Many years ago, I worked as an aircraft mechanic in the corporate flight department of a Fortune 500 corporation (now defunct). One of our pilots, who flew out of our White Plains, NY hangar, was down for the day, in our facility in Georgia. He had recently bought a brand new Chevy S-10 and had ordered and received the genuine Factory service manual for the truck. Now this guy was rather ****, to say the least, and he spent most of the day on the phone with GM trying to find out the torque of the oil pan drain plug. Seems it was not included in the torque specs table for that engine. It took more than one GM engineer to finally come up with a torque spec (they either got it from another manual, or pulled the number out of thin air), but he was finally satisfied.

Charles

 

[Hiball]

Off topic Alert...

Don't neglect the radiator on that 4runner, 1st thing I did when I bought my 02 was put a new koyo unit on, and while I was in there changed the water pump, timing belt, thermostat, new idlers etc.. It was cheap insurance versus the Pink milkshake of death, of course if your on a budget you can just bypass the radiator and add a aux cooler, but you loose the ability to warm up your fluild/get it moving during colder weather.

 

[kball]

Off topic Alert...

Don't neglect the radiator on that 4runner, 1st thing I did when I bought my 02 was put a new koyo unit on, and while I was in there changed the water pump, timing belt, thermostat, new idlers etc.. It was cheap insurance versus the Pink milkshake of death, of course if your on a budget you can just bypass the radiator and add a aux cooler, but you loose the ability to warm up your fluild/get it moving during colder weather.

Don't forget Hiball to tell him to go over to T4R.org to learn all about his runner!

Ok, back on topic....

 

[Hiball]

Don't forget Hiball to tell him to go over to T4R.org to learn all about his runner!

Ok, back on topic....

Good idea.. Lots of good info over there, IRC that is where I got the links to oem parts on the cheap.

 

[TJM2]

T4R.org? Never heard of it! Oh wait...

In fact I think I've read some of your posts there, under the 3rd gen section.

Nice to see a familiar face. Er, screenname.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

It was cheap insurance versus the Pink milkshake of death, of course if your on a budget you can just bypass the radiator and add a aux cooler

Are the transmission coolers a known issue on these?

Charles

 

[kball]

Are the transmission coolers a known issue on these?

Charles

They can be for a lot of unfortunate individuals...

So can the lower ball joints....

Both cheap and fairly easy to replace and you're good to go for another 150,000.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I am doing all the fluid changes that I can on my vehicle (2002 4Runner) to save $$$, and, well, as an excuse to buy tools

I was watching a YouTube vid on changing the rear differential fluid and the guy said I need a torque wrench that measures in newton meters. When I looked into these it seemed that type of torque wrench is largely used for bicycles.

Should I look for one that measures newton meters or does it even matter?

You can get one in inch pounds (low torque value I would use inch pounds) and convert the nms to inch pounds. Inch pound measurements are typically for lower torque bolts. Nm is a european standard (cough metric). To answer your question: as long as the conversion is accurate and your torque wrench is accurate it doesn't matter what the format the original measurement was in.

 

[BTY Automotive]

Ehh, IMO you don't need a torque wrench for the diff cover or plug, just don't overtighten

 

[skruft]

I have never known anyone to actually use a torque wrench on any kind of ordinary drain plug on a standard car or truck.

For many years, manuals have had torque specs for practically every fastener. My cars probably do, but I have worked on my own cars and trucks for 50 years and have never had a problem with guessing on drain plugs.

Sometimes I do apply anti-seize compound.

I would be careful if it were not all made of heavy, thick metal.

If you wish to torque it, you can convert easily enough to Nm from the English system.