The trouble with amateurs

[rogerch]

Like it says, The trouble with amateurs, us lot that don't do it that often.

 

We all think we need to hold the Titanic up. I checked the torque settings for the clutch pressure plate today, 17-19 lbf, or 23-26 Nm, stuck the square drive of a torque wrench in the vice set at 20 lbf, and pulled, 'Click', no effort, I use more pressure than that buttering my toast.

 

So I'm going to use a Loctite thread locker, just to make me feel better. Bell housing too, 35 doesn't seem much either.

[Sparky]

Always torque the plate to spec, never used locker, never had one loosen.  They're specified like that for a reason. Don't worry, mate!

[ramjet]

That's what the manual is for. To take the guesswork away from amateurs.

[Bibs]

The trouble with amateurs is that they know better than the professionals

[red vtec]

as my signature says "Amateurs built the Ark, Professionals built the Titanic"

[rogerch]

And which one was it that sank ?

The skill isn't knowing the answer,,, it's knowing where to find it.

 

Indecently, the worst offenders for over tightening things are tyre fitters, yes the professional ones.

 

My thanks again to Mr Clark, in whom I trust, a fine English gentleman, like myself. 

[Sparky]

Not many of us left!

 

Actually, I'm part Italian, part Romany Gypsy.  But I'll go with the gentleman bit. 

[red vtec]

oh yes a tyre fitter does love to air socket a locking wheel nut on.

 

belive me there are plenty of so called "pro" mechanics that are clueless. I'd rather do it myself or have someone like Mr Clark who has a passsion for it do the job.

[Sparky]

You're very brave.

[molemot]

Once had a tyre changed in Epernay in France..back in 1980...the tyre fitter knew that the Alfa had left hand threads on that side, and tightened the nuts with a torque wrench. Must admit, I was impressed.....

[Kimbers]

 

 

Indecently, the worst offenders for over tightening things are tyre fitters, yes the professional ones

 

 

Autocorrect?

[dodge1979]

Whamming something up as tight as you can isnt better than a nicely 'nipped up' bolt...the force you put in to tightening the bolt/nut isnt what holds it..the friction on the surfaces that connect hold it..the differences being an over tightened thread that will have weakened the surface grip and a correctly torqued thread that hold it in an equilibrium are the difference in a true amateur and pro..or some such stuff.... In basic terms...probably not described well :-/

[Sparky]

Darren, I love it when you talk dirty.

[Bibs]

Is all this talk of screwing in nuts tight getting you hot under the collet?

[Sparky]

It's given me the urge to grease a bunch of nipples this weekend.

 

Talking of which, should I be packing the English Harbour? 

[rogerch]

Well wouldn't yer know it. The above torque wrench belonged to a mechanic friend, I have never admired his workshop or his "tool care", and I really didn't like the feel of that tore wrench, and it turns out I was right !

 

I decided to be patient and wait until the new one I ordered arrived, which it did today.

Set it to 20 just like the other one, this time it took measurably more effort to "Click" best guess there is about an 15-20% discrepancy between the 2, I'm going with the new one. A sixth sense was telling me something about the borrowed one I glad I listened.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Roger the Dodger

[Sparky]

Fair comment.  A fickle tool, the torque wrench, one that does not like abuse.  They're a bit like camera lenses - you can buy one with a huge range, but the upper/lower bounds are never that good.  I have 2 (light/heavy) for that reason.

 

That said, I've worked in several commercial workshops who adhere to only 1 torque setting:  FT.  And it rarely causes them trouble.  Worries me though.

[lrg_machine]

Torque wrenches should be fairly easy to check though shouldn't they?

 

Stick it in a vice and hang a 20lb weight one foot from the fulcrum .... 20lbf

 

Won't that work?