Do you always, usually, or rarely torque bolts to spec?

It depends on the subject. I’m certainly not ever going to use a torque wrench on a speaker grille cover but I’ll always use one on, for example, a cylinder head. I’m a professional bicycle mechanic and I use torque wrenches and keys many times each day. And again, some items will always get the wrench and others won’t. I have a few opinions on this subject. With many fasteners there’s no better torque wrench than well calibrated nerve endings. You can learn to feel when a fastener has gone home. I encourage people to use the same wrench on the same component and develop that feel. I realize that the trend is to teach in a way that can be quantified and doesn’t require feel or mentality discernment. I get it. I just disagree with it.
Next, how accurate is your wrench? When was the last time it was tested and calibrated? My wrenches go in each year. It’s $45 per wrench to test, and much more to calibrate if needed. It’s something to think about, because I promise you they go out sometime.
 
For me, it 99% depends on whether said fasteners are a set of fasteners that must be torqued evenly. Head bolts and disc brake wheel studs come to mind. Usually, the only other things I torque are fasteners going into plastic parts like GM intake manifolds and some sterndrive and outboard motor plastic water pump housings, and single nuts or bolts that have a very high torque, like 280 ft lb axle nuts. Those are hard for me to know they are good without torquing.
 
fact: hand tool usage is to be avoided at all costs by professionals. if it can be reached with an impact or electric ratchet, that’s what’s getting used to take it out and put it back on.

double tap with the ugga dugga is the new torque by feel lol
 
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I would always with any kind of TTY bolt that requires a certain amount of pretension. Lugs are another and spark plugs just because. Most things hand tight is good enough.
 
I am not sure everything even has a spec.
Depends on the manufacturer, I'd guess. I posted details earlier from my Nissan FSM. They give torque values for a fastener that holds the air box to a bracket. They give (2) different torque values for (3) brackets that hold the brake hose at the knuckle. Other examples....

Nut that holds wiper arm on spline - 17 ft/lbs
Fastener that holds the coolant overflow tank to frame - 37 in/lbs

"If a torque spec is available, I follow it" 😂😂😂
 
If you have those GM side terminal batteries, you may find this useful. It may save you some minor-to-serious headaches. I've stripped both bolts and batteries in the past. The battery is most vulnerable.

Pages from 1986 Assembly Manual - Battery Cables_LB9.jpg


10-14 N-m = 88.5-123.9 in-lb I don't typically put a torque wrench on them but now I have an idea of how tight they should be.
 
Even at a dealership, technicians do sloppy work. Forgetting to put all the bolts back. Forgetting to tighten them. Stripping them. Breaking some small plastic part and leaving it broken. Leaving tools for me to find later.

I’ve seen it all.
And this is one example why:

1F5B0D5F-3565-43C4-B5B2-2709D6F7A2FA.jpg
 
Rarely use a torque wrench. Some things get anti-seeze, or thread sealant w/ptfe, or red locktite, or blue locktite. I just depends.
 
Having worked in shops most of my life you would starve if you torqued every nut and bolt. Lug nuts and head bolts yes . The rest no

After seeing this post, I read no further.

Any flat rate tech worth his/her/their salt knows this. If they claim to properly torque every single fastener to spec, they're either lying or bankrupt.
 
After seeing this post, I read no further.

Any flat rate tech worth his/her/their salt knows this. If they claim to properly torque every single fastener to spec, they're either lying or bankrupt.
don’t leave the hourly new guys out we need to make an inclusive circle for everyone 😂🤣
 
don’t leave the hourly new guys out we need to make an inclusive circle for everyone 😂🤣

Ha! New or not, if you're in the auto repair industry getting paid hourly you're getting screwed. Outside of a quick lube, there's no place for hourly pay in this industry. It's nothing more than a way for the higher ups to continue to line their pockets based on the labor of others.
 
Never. I inherited a Craftsman Beam type Torque wrench from my Dad but I have not used it all.
 
Ha! New or not, if you're in the auto repair industry getting paid hourly you're getting screwed. Outside of a quick lube, there's no place for hourly pay in this industry. It's nothing more than a way for the higher ups to continue to line their pockets based on the labor of others.
when i started in trucks i was hourly for a couple years, 15 to 20 to 25. if you didn’t stand up to the big boss and tell you know what you’re worth, you’re never gonna get upgraded to FR
 
True story....guy I know and his wife both have a couple world famous mopars....win at Chrysler nats every time they show, been on the cover of Mopar monthly many times etc. His is a 70ish TA340-6. Numbers matches, el minto...he rebuilt the motor and didnt re-cal his torque wrench and as a result went a little light on the rod cap bolts. Driving to a show it tossed one and destroyed the block.

How many tens of thousands of value did he lose?

In a critical area do it right. and never use a torque wrench to LOOSEN bolts or go past the 'click'
 
Just remember not to misread the torque spec. Inch pounds or foot pounds. Many have seen (in lbs) and then used (ft lbs), that ruins your day fast.
 
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