Your Torque Wrench?
Based on many posts here, it seems that many of you travel with a torque wrench. I have never owned or even used one, and I have turned many a nut or bolt with torque specifications just by guessing....
Forum Discussion
It is also vital to know how to properly use and care for a torque wrench.
I watched a big burly guy in a freeway rest area "checking the torque" on his lug nuts a while back. He would put the socket on the nut, then yank on the wrench. If it clicked, he went to the next nut. He did that on all four wheels on the trailer, and then all four wheels on the truck, then opened the box on the side of the truck and threw (literally threw) the wrench in the box.
He might as well not bothered with the torque wrench. His "torquing" was not accurate in any way, and, after banging around in the tool box and being left set at whatever torque he had set, the wrench was probably grossly inaccurate!
He didn't strike me as the type to gracefully accept advice, so I said nothing.
Never yank on a torque wrench. Apply constant, increasing pressure until the correct torque is indicated or it clicks, depending on type.
With a beam type wrench, note that the handle will rock back and forth. Always pull with the handle centered on the pivot. NEVER allow the handle to rest against the beam while torquing a fastener, that ruins the accuracy!
ALWAYS return a micrometer adjust torque wrench to the lowest setting on the scale, then store it in a protective box made especially for torque wrenches.
It is Precision Measuring Equipment if it is taken care of. If it isn't taken care of, it is just a club!
I watched a big burly guy in a freeway rest area "checking the torque" on his lug nuts a while back. He would put the socket on the nut, then yank on the wrench. If it clicked, he went to the next nut. He did that on all four wheels on the trailer, and then all four wheels on the truck, then opened the box on the side of the truck and threw (literally threw) the wrench in the box.
He might as well not bothered with the torque wrench. His "torquing" was not accurate in any way, and, after banging around in the tool box and being left set at whatever torque he had set, the wrench was probably grossly inaccurate!
He didn't strike me as the type to gracefully accept advice, so I said nothing.
Never yank on a torque wrench. Apply constant, increasing pressure until the correct torque is indicated or it clicks, depending on type.
With a beam type wrench, note that the handle will rock back and forth. Always pull with the handle centered on the pivot. NEVER allow the handle to rest against the beam while torquing a fastener, that ruins the accuracy!
ALWAYS return a micrometer adjust torque wrench to the lowest setting on the scale, then store it in a protective box made especially for torque wrenches.
It is Precision Measuring Equipment if it is taken care of. If it isn't taken care of, it is just a club!
