Quote:
But then again, how do you know what you are REALLY torquing it to? When was the last time your torque wrench was calibrated? Is it a dry value or lightly oiled? Are you SURE you are pulling the torque wrench exactly perpendicular to the fastener? Are both parts of the fastener the same temperature? Did you bring it up to torque in three steps, or all at once? Was it a nice smooth motion or did you just yank on it? How clean where the threads when you put it together?
Bob, the more you reveal that you know how to do the job correctly, the worse your first recommendations appear. Your justification for winging it is that if not correctly used, torque wrenches may apply a different value than desired. Here is a simple answer: Use them correctly. Clean dry threads are the general rule, but it never hurts to check and see what's required, now does it? Pro's do it every day, seemingly without all of the excuses you have to offer.
I'm not buying for a moment that hand tightening an alternator pulley is more precise, closer to what the manufacturer wants it tightened to, or the preferred recommended practice over using a torque wrench.
At the very least, using a calibrated wrench gives you some idea of the force applied by the wrench, even worst case, versus not having a clue on how much engine force was applied on startup. I also don't buy the logic that because your wrench might be out of calibration, it's ok to wing it. After all, the threads might not be clean and dry, or the wrench is sitting at 93 degrees instead of 90 and that's not close enough for government work. What? Like George McFly, you just couldn't take that kind of rejection so you'd better not even try? Throwing several well known mistakes of torquing procedure in after the fact doesn't justify winging it with hand tightening. I think you know that.
As to whether the torque is applied in stages, at the right angle so as not to distort the force applied, on clean dry threads, yes, that will change the torque applied. Taking a new part out of a warm stockroom and torquing it on a cold alternator shaft will change the torque applied. It says so in many rebuild manuals in several places. So, do it the right way. If tightening is required in stages, do it, if not, don't. That was hard, wasn't it? Even if every one of those procedures had been done incorrectly, it would be more accurate than what you recommended, which was engine torquing. Letting the engine do your torquing just isn't the best practice.
It really doesn't matter how much you know, how much you're entrusted with or what you think you can skate by with, if what you actually do is throw it on and walk away. When you you do this professionally, that's what really separates the pro's from the hacks.
But, I don't think you're a hack, regardless of what you posted and I'll tell you why. When the correct method was posted, a joke was added about lugnuts being hand tightened. I think that embarrassed you, based on your responses. That tells me you do care about the quality of the work you do and you have experience. If you didn't give a hoot, you wouldn't have bothered to respond. That to me is a good thing. But since we're not convincing each other of the virtues of torquing versus hand tightening, I'll end with that thought.
Good luck
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
)
