I was changing the differential fluid in my 2022 4Runner and it got me thinking about wet vs dry torque. The torque spec for the drain bolt is 36 ft-lb and I imagine they install the drain bolt on a new axle assembly dry. When service by the differential, the fluid coats the threads as it drains so I’m actually using a wet torque application when I go to torque the drain bolt down using the same 36 ft-lb spec. Is there a way to convert dry torque to wet torque?
The reason I’m asking is that when I went to remove the drain bolt I accidentally tightened rather than cracking it loose (was using a breaker bar for leverage) and I was concerned that I may have deformed the threads. The drain bolt tightened by maybe 1/16th of a turn, no more than an 1/8th. I felt pretty stupid for doing that on my brand new vehicle so I was trying to rationalize it in my mind when I realized the factory installment of that drain bolt is probably using a dry torque application and when you torque it down after servicing the differential fluid by following Toyotas procedure, you’re using a wet torque application. I was hoping I could rationalize it in my mind as no harm done by concluding that the extra 1/16th to an 1/8th of a turn I accidentally tightened the drain bolt would have applied a less than or equivalent clamping force compared to the clamping force applied when using the same factory torque spec but with a wet torque application.
I know this is silly but these are the things I enjoy thinking about when I’m bored.
The reason I’m asking is that when I went to remove the drain bolt I accidentally tightened rather than cracking it loose (was using a breaker bar for leverage) and I was concerned that I may have deformed the threads. The drain bolt tightened by maybe 1/16th of a turn, no more than an 1/8th. I felt pretty stupid for doing that on my brand new vehicle so I was trying to rationalize it in my mind when I realized the factory installment of that drain bolt is probably using a dry torque application and when you torque it down after servicing the differential fluid by following Toyotas procedure, you’re using a wet torque application. I was hoping I could rationalize it in my mind as no harm done by concluding that the extra 1/16th to an 1/8th of a turn I accidentally tightened the drain bolt would have applied a less than or equivalent clamping force compared to the clamping force applied when using the same factory torque spec but with a wet torque application.
I know this is silly but these are the things I enjoy thinking about when I’m bored.