How much torque on wheels?
07-11-2002, 07:13 AM
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As an **** type person, I have yet to find a torque wrench with +/- 1 ft-lb. accuracy.
For doing 89 instead of 90, I would want a wrench with an accuracy of about 1/10 ft-lb. :-)
The calibration on my Griot Garage wrench is a couple of ft-lbs. if I remember correctly. Of course, with a good calibration curve done by a testing house for your wrench, you can correct for the inaccuracy somewhat. At least until you set it down hard, or use it to loosen the bolts and assuming the temperature is close to what the wrench was calibrated at. Then there is the precision as opposed to accuracy.
Us **** types have problems with all this stuff. I recommend using 90 ft-lbs. and don't worry about it.
- Tom
The calibration on my Griot Garage wrench is a couple of ft-lbs. if I remember correctly. Of course, with a good calibration curve done by a testing house for your wrench, you can correct for the inaccuracy somewhat. At least until you set it down hard, or use it to loosen the bolts and assuming the temperature is close to what the wrench was calibrated at. Then there is the precision as opposed to accuracy.
Us **** types have problems with all this stuff. I recommend using 90 ft-lbs. and don't worry about it.
- Tom
07-11-2002, 08:10 AM
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As a fellow **** type I must point out that you forgot about technique differences :-)
It's also recommended to retorque the bolts after about 100 miles. I'm conflicted here. To properly retorque you would need to loosen the bolt then retorque it. My military training on torque wrench use states you need a least 90 deg of travel (1/4 turn) with the torque wrench handle to ensure the proper torque is applied. My bolts never loosen that much and I usually get just about 10 deg of travel.
I tried an experiment where I loosen then retorque each bolt one at a time in the proper tightening pattern after the 100 miles. I then rechecked the bolts after another 100 miles to see if they could be tightened further at the 90 lb/ft torque and they were all still tight. This leads me to think (anally) that this would keep the torque on each bolt closer to the 90 lb/ft requirement than the former method.
In practice I think that either method would ensure that the wheels don't fly off, so in the end I'm standing there wondering why I allow myself go through these mental exercises required by my anally retentive mind...
I tried an experiment where I loosen then retorque each bolt one at a time in the proper tightening pattern after the 100 miles. I then rechecked the bolts after another 100 miles to see if they could be tightened further at the 90 lb/ft torque and they were all still tight. This leads me to think (anally) that this would keep the torque on each bolt closer to the 90 lb/ft requirement than the former method.
In practice I think that either method would ensure that the wheels don't fly off, so in the end I'm standing there wondering why I allow myself go through these mental exercises required by my anally retentive mind...
