Torque Nazis

[EricTheCarGuy]

As you might imagine, I get quite a few comments on my videos. Some comments are recurring. Many of those recurring comments are about me not torquing fasteners. I thought I’d make this video in response to that very thing.

Topic

[James O’Hara]

Um, the axle nut/bolt torque makes a huge difference over time. Now on a car you won’t see it for years anyway unless its someone that drives all day long and even then it will probably be a couple months minimum. Big Rigs it will be back in 2-4 weeks approx 10,000-40,000miles and you will be replacing it for free. Having seen it is the only reason I know.

For big rigs:
If you do not spin the hub on a big rig it will not seat right and wheel seal will leak or bearings will be too loose and damage will occur. If you do not preload new bearings up to max torque then back back off before setting the wheel bearing free play it will leak or once again be too loose and damage again. If you over tighten it you will crush the race and or cause too much load and burn up the bearings. If you do not replace the spacing cone between the bearings in a Con-met Preset and anyone before you or you decides to use an impact there is a chance it will fail later on.

[Scott Osborne]

MDK22- Aint that the truth about the UVC harnesses. I see a good number of DT444E’s with crushed gaskets from people running the cover bolts down as hard as they can.

Also I don’t know how a person can correctly set wheel bearing preload of 8-12 inch lbs without a torqameter or small beam wrench. I don’t think any amount of experience will allow you to get that in spec everytime without a indicator wrench of some type. Maybe that’s going away since everything seems to be going to unit bearings. I can’t imagine using an impact on a spindle bearing system. You would apply so much preload the wheel wouldn’t be able to turn. And you would be fixing it on your dime in a few days when the bearing torched itself. Also I second the comment about needing to spin the wheel in the opposite direction as you apply torque to the axle nut. Its not just big rigs…Medium and Light duties require this too. If you don’t their is a good chance the bearing and race wont seat evenly.

Also, I torque pan bolts on everything. Many trucks and heavy equipment have pans (Trans, main, final drive) that are hard to get to. No one wants to go back for a leak. Having to re seat a oil pan gasket on a Cat D3 would mean I have to spend another 4 hours splitting the sub chassis from the undercarriage to access the pan….All on my time…..And we might even have to eat the trucking to get it back to the shop. The other option would be to do the whole job in the mud…No thanks! Also when you get into fasteners above 2″ you better pay attention to those torques, what you think is tight enough might not be even half way there. Many bolts on big stuff requires not only a 6′ 3/4 drive torque wrench, but also a torque multiplier. I understand that regular automotive techs wont see stuff like this on a daily basis, but it ties into the torque discussion.

[Fernando cunha]

People like to judge and criticize is what make us human .
At the end of the day if it works and you do 1k cars or more in year.
Only 1 car comes back cause fan belt did’nt get tight enough I think your
Doing great.
I agree with Eric but only because his a very experience mechanic.
If your doing a engine and your learning them please torque things down
Also have workshop Manuel or someone that has the experience with you.

[Author]

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