Do You Use a Torque Wrench

[GTsedan]

How accurate are those torque bars tho?

I once tested that out one day at work (when I was still in the trade). They're pretty accurate, possibly on the lower side of the rated torque though.

[BZG Wagon]

make sure it covers the range you need. eg Teng 3/8th drive torque wrenches come in several flavours including 5-25Nm & 20-100Nm.. the first one will only really be useful for the small stuff, the second one covers most of the bolts you are likely to encounter, but you might need something bigger for crank pulleys, or something smaller for the really small stuff (10mm head or smaller) which are usually not so critical.

I'm most likely going to use it for:
* Wheel Nuts
* Sump plugs / Gearbox Drains & Fillers
* Rocker cover (and various other bolts around the engine bay)
* Brake Calipers
...and if I ever get enough courage - suspension bolts (to replace shocks).

Based on this 20-100Nm should be sufficient?

The next question - once I get one - will be how to figure out how the torque settings for each bolt (and whether things like grease / lubricants change requirements).

[Mr Ree]

Lubricants definitely change torque settings.

ARP have alot of data in regards to what oils change what values.

[wordnz]

I've only ever used a torque wrench once on suspension, to check I was in the right ballpark, then did the rest by hand.

Otherwise I just do everything by hand, Once you do it for a while you get a good feel for it. Only time I would ever use one is on head bolts or engine internals.

My Dad took the same approach and has never had any trouble in over 40 years of motoring. He laughed at me when I suggested using a torque wrench on wheel nuts.

[UZZ30]

Only for the important bolts that need the right setting.

[Bling]

I'm most likely going to use it for:
* Wheel Nuts
* Sump plugs / Gearbox Drains & Fillers
* Rocker cover (and various other bolts around the engine bay)
* Brake Calipers
...and if I ever get enough courage - suspension bolts (to replace shocks).

Out of that list i've only ever used it on the wheel nuts, the rest I just do up "pretty tight" I only actually got my torque wrench as I was installed a flywheel / clutch combo and didn't want it coming off.

[RunningRich]

A lot of poo-pooing torquing wheel nuts but it is well documented that poorly torqued wheel nuts can cause wheel shimmy with some wheels.

Also remember not to do the first nut up tight and then the rest. Progressively tighten to let the wheel settle on the spigot and work across the wheel, not around the wheel circumferentially.

Having had a monkey do up flywheel bolts with a rattlegun (clutch change 2000km later when one sheared off!) they must be torqued too. Especially early 3S-GTE which have a sharp radius in the shoulder causing a perfect stress concentration for torsional failure.

I've seen top-end torque wrenches overtorquing by 40% three months after calibration. Don't assume yours is correct!!

[BZG Wagon]

^^ Yeah my Dad taught me to do up opposite nuts in a sequence; first just over finger tight, and get progressively tighter. He also taught me to grease everything ('you'll thank yourself when it comes time to take it off') but I don't think it's much of a common practice these days, although if I can be bothered I'll squirt a tiny bit on there.

Actually talking with the GF's grandad some more today; he reckoned standard sump plugs, drains, fillers, etc. are designed not to stripped threaded by a standard length ratchet. It's only when people insist on using bars to extend the lenght or breaker bars it becomes a problem.

[Bling]

Did your dad teach you how to calculate how much extra torque is being applied to greased bolts over non-greased ones?

[BZG Wagon]

LOL - no he didn't use a torque wrench (that I remember).

But he did lecture me on the importance of not over tightening things (seems somewhat ambigious now).

[Dell'Orto]

He also taught me to grease everything ('you'll thank yourself when it comes time to take it off') but I don't think it's much of a common practice these days, although if I can be bothered I'll squirt a tiny bit on there.

I coppercoat pretty much every bolt I do up on the underside of a car, purely for that reason.

[Grrrrrrr!]

+1.

have two pots of coppercoat, and have been known to borrow the nickel-based antiseize from work too.

With a few exceptions it either gets dosed with some form of anti-seize, or a threadlocking compound put on it.