Non engine related bolt torque
Discussion
Do you all torque brake components/suspension bolts/wheel lug nuts to the reccomended torque settings?
Ive asked a few people who just do it so its tight and dont bother with this, how essential is it?
Also what are the essential tools i should buy for bolt removal. A ratchet spanner, drop end spanner, allen keys, anything else ideal?
Ive asked a few people who just do it so its tight and dont bother with this, how essential is it?
Also what are the essential tools i should buy for bolt removal. A ratchet spanner, drop end spanner, allen keys, anything else ideal?
I think most experienced mechanics gain a "feel" for how tight a bolt of a given size need to be. Also spanners are generally made to a length that generates a reasonable torque with a given amount of pull for a certain bolt size. The problem occurs when using a socket set with a single bar of a certain length with both small and large sockets. It's much easier to overtighten a small bolt like this. The other week I was up at the farm watching the farmer's son changing parts on a plough. He had a 19mm spanner that was nearly 18" long which is crazy, normally a 19mm would be about 10" long. He was whaling on bolts with this huge spanner to the point I could see them stretching and then he just snapped one and had to change it. I told him the spanner was too long but he said bolts need to be done up tight. Not much point trying to teach him further.
Depends on the bolt but if anything I'd use a torque wrench to avoid over- rather than under-tightening. Particularly steel into aluminium where it's very easy to strip threads 
In terms of tools for bolt removal, in approximate order:
In terms of tools for bolt removal, in approximate order:
- ratchet spanner/socket driver
- combination spanner
- breaker bar
- really long breaker bar
- dremel/angle grinder
- blow torch
- oxyacetylene torch
- friendly professional mechanic on speed dial
dieseluser07 said:
PositronicRay said:
Would that be your tight or my tight?
I do torque them up, where possible.
I imagine as long as your not a weakling it should be tight enough?I do torque them up, where possible.
ETA
This sounds a bit corporate and poncey but applies here and to many things 'you can't manage what you can't measure'
Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 27th March 21:23
Outside of really vital things like head bolts, wheel nuts and the like measuring things is useful for transferring one to another (make this 50mm will you?) or for non professionals.
There was some guy on here asking how hot the oil in his pan had to be for cooking a few weeks ago. You ever seen Gordon Ramsey with a thermometer in his pan? Nor me either, you just know from experience and using your senses when to bung the food in, but when you're starting out you need to measure things. I know if a recipe book says put the chicken in for 20 mins in my oven and to my taste it's 30 mins.
You need to know when it's important to get the torque wrench out, i've got a heavy hand sometimes so if i'm putting some of the tiny bolts in which hold chain and gear covers on the fronts of engines I've never done before on then I get the torque wrench out, it's surprising how little torque they take, you almost expect them to come loose or the cover to leak!
If you work on engines enough you'll look at a nut or bolt and pick up the correct spanner first time.
I did the brakes on the OHs car a month or so ago, a few weeks later she calls me out in sub zero temps late one night to sort a flat tyre out for her by the roadside, that was one night I was glad I'd used the torque wrench last time i'd worked on it as all the wheel bolts came off nice and easy.
Eyeballing something up as a measurement is something i've never been bad at, my forefinger is actually set out in 25mm sections! I was once welding up some old car and working with a guy who was a bit of a smart arse, "what spacings shall we drill to plug weld this on?" he asks.
"Every 50mm" says I as I put the strip of metal on the pillar drill and started drilling.
"That's not 50mm" he says
"It is"
"No it's not"
I reached over, got the tape measure out and laid along the steel, every one was at 50mm
He left soon after that.
To sum up: If you're unsure or don't know what your doing admit it and get the torque wrench out. A pro knows when to take a risk.
'Mans gotta know his limitations' so someone famously once said.
There was some guy on here asking how hot the oil in his pan had to be for cooking a few weeks ago. You ever seen Gordon Ramsey with a thermometer in his pan? Nor me either, you just know from experience and using your senses when to bung the food in, but when you're starting out you need to measure things. I know if a recipe book says put the chicken in for 20 mins in my oven and to my taste it's 30 mins.
You need to know when it's important to get the torque wrench out, i've got a heavy hand sometimes so if i'm putting some of the tiny bolts in which hold chain and gear covers on the fronts of engines I've never done before on then I get the torque wrench out, it's surprising how little torque they take, you almost expect them to come loose or the cover to leak!
If you work on engines enough you'll look at a nut or bolt and pick up the correct spanner first time.
I did the brakes on the OHs car a month or so ago, a few weeks later she calls me out in sub zero temps late one night to sort a flat tyre out for her by the roadside, that was one night I was glad I'd used the torque wrench last time i'd worked on it as all the wheel bolts came off nice and easy.
Eyeballing something up as a measurement is something i've never been bad at, my forefinger is actually set out in 25mm sections! I was once welding up some old car and working with a guy who was a bit of a smart arse, "what spacings shall we drill to plug weld this on?" he asks.
"Every 50mm" says I as I put the strip of metal on the pillar drill and started drilling.
"That's not 50mm" he says
"It is"
"No it's not"
I reached over, got the tape measure out and laid along the steel, every one was at 50mm
He left soon after that.
To sum up: If you're unsure or don't know what your doing admit it and get the torque wrench out. A pro knows when to take a risk.
'Mans gotta know his limitations' so someone famously once said.
Edited by 227bhp on Wednesday 28th March 09:29
something i see on forums , mr high and mighty will be torquing his washer bottle nuts being all clever but reusing the rusty nut and bolt , its only accurate with "as new" clean stuff
as someone else said its about picking up the right tool for the job
1/4 drive for headlights and interior trim etc- all the lightweight stuff
3/8 drive for say inlet manifold /rocker cover ect ..meduim stuff
1/2 drive for suspension
1/2 + breaker bar for subframes and engine mount
the length of the handles makes it about right with some experience
as someone else said its about picking up the right tool for the job
1/4 drive for headlights and interior trim etc- all the lightweight stuff
3/8 drive for say inlet manifold /rocker cover ect ..meduim stuff
1/2 drive for suspension
1/2 + breaker bar for subframes and engine mount
the length of the handles makes it about right with some experience
HAH! "Professionals"?
I couldn't get off the security lock nuts on my modern's alloy wheels. Some of the little castleations (?) that engage with the security socket were damaged, probably by a previous 'professional, so I took it to the dealer, and asked them to get them off, and fit new ones.
When the car returned, I set out to put copperease grease on the faces where the nuts meet the alloy and where the back of the wheel meets the hub, to inhibit electrolytic corrision. I found ALL the wheel nuts were tightened to much more than the correct torque, some to twice and one THREE TIMES AS MUCH!
Obviously, some 'professional' grease monkey had turned up the whizzy gun to eleven and nailed the wheels in place.
The dealer apologised, and gave me a refund for my workshop time.
John
I couldn't get off the security lock nuts on my modern's alloy wheels. Some of the little castleations (?) that engage with the security socket were damaged, probably by a previous 'professional, so I took it to the dealer, and asked them to get them off, and fit new ones.
When the car returned, I set out to put copperease grease on the faces where the nuts meet the alloy and where the back of the wheel meets the hub, to inhibit electrolytic corrision. I found ALL the wheel nuts were tightened to much more than the correct torque, some to twice and one THREE TIMES AS MUCH!
Obviously, some 'professional' grease monkey had turned up the whizzy gun to eleven and nailed the wheels in place.
The dealer apologised, and gave me a refund for my workshop time.
John
tapkaJohnD said:
HAH! "Professionals"?
I couldn't get off the security lock nuts on my modern's alloy wheels. Some of the little castleations (?) that engage with the security socket were damaged, probably by a previous 'professional, so I took it to the dealer, and asked them to get them off, and fit new ones.
When the car returned, I set out to put copperease grease on the faces where the nuts meet the alloy and where the back of the wheel meets the hub, to inhibit electrolytic corrision. I found ALL the wheel nuts were tightened to much more than the correct torque, some to twice and one THREE TIMES AS MUCH!
Obviously, some 'professional' grease monkey had turned up the whizzy gun to eleven and nailed the wheels in place.
The dealer apologised, and gave me a refund for my workshop time.
John
Do really think it's that black and white? You've obviously never run a business. The dealer acted accordingly, saw the mistake and reimbursed. Correct procedure.I couldn't get off the security lock nuts on my modern's alloy wheels. Some of the little castleations (?) that engage with the security socket were damaged, probably by a previous 'professional, so I took it to the dealer, and asked them to get them off, and fit new ones.
When the car returned, I set out to put copperease grease on the faces where the nuts meet the alloy and where the back of the wheel meets the hub, to inhibit electrolytic corrision. I found ALL the wheel nuts were tightened to much more than the correct torque, some to twice and one THREE TIMES AS MUCH!
Obviously, some 'professional' grease monkey had turned up the whizzy gun to eleven and nailed the wheels in place.
The dealer apologised, and gave me a refund for my workshop time.
John
The dealer is a professional outfit, it's managed hopefully by a pro. Can they account for every individual they employ? Do they stand over them and check their work? Of course not. You'll always get employees who perform shoddy work.
There is a tyre fitters near where I work, every vehicle that comes in has the nuts/bolts torqued up properly, every one.
Quickfit is probably cheaper.....
So im wanting to change springs and brakes on my car and looking for a set that will have pretty much everything i need.
I have no tools atm, would any of the following sets from halfords provide everything i will need for the work?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
I will apparently need a dropneck spanner for the top bolt on the top of the strut so thats one thing they seem to be missing.
I have no tools atm, would any of the following sets from halfords provide everything i will need for the work?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
I will apparently need a dropneck spanner for the top bolt on the top of the strut so thats one thing they seem to be missing.
Gassing Station | Home Mechanics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff