How do you torque?

[Nealcrenshaw]

Just wondering how my fellow members torque?Do you torque all the way to spec or do you step it up,as in torqueing a 75ft/lb bolt in 3 equal 25 ft/lb
rounds.For instance When torqueing Head Cylinder or a ball joints,How do you Torque?

[billymade]

I was just watching a video about how to "torque" they said to tighten with correct bolt sequence and start at 80% of torque value and then do sequence at 100% of torque value.... I had never heard this before but makes sense...

[Stanger]

I just take the first round by feel, not tightening too much. Then I go around at least twice more with the exact, 100% torque.

[Frank Elson]

Originally Posted by Stanger

I just take the first round by feel, not tightening too much. Then I go around at least twice more with the exact, 100% torque.

me too.
Of course going round in order if there are more than one bolt.

[Merkava_4]

If your final torque is 75ft.lbs., you'll make 3 passes - 25, 50, and then 75.

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by Nealcrenshaw

Just wondering how my fellow members torque?Do you torque all the way to spec or do you step it up,as in torqueing a 75ft/lb bolt in 3 equal 25 ft/lb
rounds.For instance When torqueing Head Cylinder or a ball joints,How do you Torque?

Originally Posted by billymade

I was just watching a video about how to "torque" they said to tighten with correct bolt sequence and start at 80% of torque value and then do sequence at 100% of torque value.... I had never heard this before but makes sense...

I am sure billymade is likely right. I never read or saw anything but pop taught me to make several passes through the tightening sequence and sneak up on the final torque value. I have followed those directions for over 30 years and I have never had a problem.

[Elroy]

Don't torque me off buddy

Ok lets look at this

Lets say you have an assembly with a single fastener. What good is it to sneak up on it. Slam the full torque to it in one hit !

Now a multiple fastener assembly, like a cylinder head or any other "gasketed" joint needs to be pulled up even to prevent the gasket from being extruded or causing the covering component from getting cocked.

does that make sense?

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by Elroy

Don't torque me off buddy

Ok lets look at this

Lets say you have an assembly with a single fastener. What good is it to sneak up on it. Slam the full torque to it in one hit !

Now a multiple fastener assembly, like a cylinder head or any other "gasketed" joint needs to be pulled up even to prevent the gasket from being extruded or causing the covering component from getting cocked.

does that make sense?

Yea, that was what I meant, I just did not clarify the issue as well as you did Elroy.

[Elroy]

Originally Posted by Elroy

Now a multiple fastener assembly, like a cylinder head or any other "gasketed" joint needs to be pulled up even to prevent the gasket from being extruded or causing the covering component from getting cocked

Also note that good technique would also call for this procedure to be utilized on dis-assembly as well.

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by Elroy

Also note that good technique would also call for this procedure to be utilized on dis-assembly as well.

I am sure you will make me pay for this, but I fail to see how this would really matter on the dis-assembly side. Go easy Elroy, I am not an engineer, just a decent backyard wrench.

[Stanger]

When loosening manifolds and such I usually just barely break each of the bolts loose, leaving some compression on the manifold. I then come back and remove them all. It should probably be done in more steps, but I haven't had any problems. If I did I would analyze the situation closer and create a more precise de-torquing sequence.

[Elroy]

Elroy is easy as they come. Ya ready?

The phone rings at the Holmberg residence.

Hello.......

Hay Buck, This is your good buddy Elroy. I need you to come over here and help me change out the thermostat on my neglected Toyota with the aluminum manifold.

Sure Elroy I'll drop everything I'm doing and be right over.

So first off Elroy and Buck drink like 57 beers. Tell a bunch of lies and THEN we open the hood.

And Buck says: Why Hell Elroy this job is going to be a piece of cake. The bolts are right there. Hand me that big 1/2" breaker bar.

See I told ya this was going to be easy. Look Elroy the first bolt came right out. Now let me get this second bolt.........oh shit Elroy. I snapped it right off.

Well you dumb ass you should have listened to Elroy and left the beers at home. Give me that damn wrench.

So here is what happens. The total clamping in the joint is developed by both bolts. By removing the first one totally you transfer all the clamping force generated by the gasket into the single remaining fastener. This extra load causes the friction to go up and snaps the bolt when yo try to remove it. Now if you follow the Elroy method of beer drinking. You only partially loosen the first bolt THEN loosen the second bolt. That way everything come out in one piece.

Try the Elroy method next time and see if it doesn't make the beers a little more enjoyable.

[jay50]

Originally Posted by Elroy

Elroy is easy as they come. Ya ready?

The phone rings at the Holmberg residence.

Hello.......

Hay Buck, This is your good buddy Elroy. I need you to come over here and help me change out the thermostat on my neglected Toyota with the aluminum manifold.

Sure Elroy I'll drop everything I'm doing and be right over.

So first off Elroy and Buck drink like 57 beers. Tell a bunch of lies and THEN we open the hood.

And Buck says: Why Hell Elroy this job is going to be a piece of cake. The bolts are right there. Hand me that big 1/2" breaker bar.

See I told ya this was going to be easy. Look Elroy the first bolt came right out. Now let me get this second bolt.........oh shit Elroy. I snapped it right off.

Well you dumb ass you should have listened to Elroy and left the beers at home. Give me that damn wrench.

So here is what happens. The total clamping in the joint is developed by both bolts. By removing the first one totally you transfer all the clamping force generated by the gasket into the single remaining fastener. This extra load causes the friction to go up and snaps the bolt when yo try to remove it. Now if you follow the Elroy method of beer drinking. You only partially loosen the first bolt THEN loosen the second bolt. That way everything come out in one piece.

Try the Elroy method next time and see if it doesn't make the beers a little more enjoyable.

But if we use your method, we would all miss out on the experience of using those ez-outs just sitting in the tool box, begging to be used, along with the drilling, and broken bits...on yeah, and the cussing that goes along with this exercise.....

[KenS]

Originally Posted by Elroy

Don't torque me off buddy

Wow, mark this down boys: Elroy spoke in the first person!

[Moose-LandTran]

Originally Posted by KenS

Wow, mark this down boys: Elroy spoke in the first person!

He must be having an in-to-body experience.

[Treeman]

Originally Posted by Elroy

Don't torque me off buddy

Ok lets look at this

Lets say you have an assembly with a single fastener. What good is it to sneak up on it. Slam the full torque to it in one hit !

I can think of at least one reason to sneak up on it.....I witnessed a damaged wood chipper bolt spec'ed at 300 ft. lbs..

The manufacturers of micrometer click wrenches recommend "exercising" them after long storage periods to spread the internal lubrication.

I never trust a stored clicker right out of the cabinet. Clickers have been known to mal-function, ie not click. By sneaking up on a fastener, you can "exercise" it and verify that it is indeed clicking before you go up to full torque. No, I am not paranoid!

Another tidbit of info to add to this thread. A net search will reveal that torque values with a wrench can vary up to +/- 30% (the common consensus). Supposedly, design engineers account for this. The argument of the accuracy of one wrench over another by 1% is moot.

[Diesel-Mech]

I go by the manufactures recommendation when applicable and available, If I don't have any information other then the torque spec then I do it in equal steps, if it is multiple fasteners and I do not know the torque sequence then working from the center to the outside in a clockwise pattern is a pretty safe bet.

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by Diesel-Mech

I go by the manufactures recommendation when applicable and available, If I don't have any information other then the torque spec then I do it in equal steps, if it is multiple fasteners and I do not know the torque sequence then working from the center to the outside in a clockwise pattern is a pretty safe bet.

Nuther very good point there about what to do in the absence of knowing the sequence, been there a time ot two myself. Well said.

[krusty the clown]

most aluminum engine parts sould be detourqued in order so the parts do not warp on dissasembly.

the proper way to touque an engine component is to follow the shop manual procedure. it will give you the order and the tourque value for each step.

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by krusty the clown

most aluminum engine parts sould be detourqued in order so the parts do not warp on dissasembly.

the proper way to touque an engine component is to follow the shop manual procedure. it will give you the order and the tourque value for each step.

Perhaps that was what Elroy was making reference to.