Torque Wrench Calibration

I was getting ready to install a replacement manifold on the old Mercury
and it occurred to me I ought to be pretty sure my torque wrench didn't
strip the aluminum threads. The Snap On dial wrench hasn't been
recalibrated for 30 years and the Craftsman torsion bar wrench is too
clumsy to get to some of the bolts. I was kicking it around and I came
up with using the torsion bar wrench on a bicycle axle nut and then
putting the dial wrench on it to see if the reading matched. It did.
Then, I went ahead and checked the Craftsman clicker wrench of the same
vintage and recalibrating, and it came up with a match also. Then I did
the torquing with the dial wrench and cross checked it with the torsion
bar wrench, with all good readings. So, I'm just going to call them
calibrated.
Andy
Phoenix

wrote:
I was getting ready to install a replacement manifold on the old Mercury
and it occurred to me I ought to be pretty sure my torque wrench didn't
strip the aluminum threads. The Snap On dial wrench hasn't been
recalibrated for 30 years and the Craftsman torsion bar wrench is too
clumsy to get to some of the bolts. I was kicking it around and I came
up with using the torsion bar wrench on a bicycle axle nut and then
putting the dial wrench on it to see if the reading matched. It did.
Then, I went ahead and checked the Craftsman clicker wrench of the same
vintage and recalibrating, and it came up with a match also. Then I did
the torquing with the dial wrench and cross checked it with the torsion
bar wrench, with all good readings. So, I'm just going to call them
calibrated.
Andy
Phoenix

Dats de way I does it---but as a cross check--& I only have one 3/4"
torque wrench--I welded an old 3/4 socket about eye high to the side of
my gantry truck engine hoist. plug the wrench in horizontal, attach a
5 gallon bucket to the mid point of the handle, & throw in known
weights till the wrench clicks, or dial reads correctly.--don't forget
weight of bucket G Jerry

Make it so that you can pull the torsion bar wrench with the snap on--
against each other. They should read the same.

How could the torsion wrench be off if it zeros properly and nothing
in the ponter binds?

Bill Hale Loveland CO


On Jun 25, 12:39*pm, wrote:
I was getting ready to install a replacement manifold on the old Mercury
and it occurred to me I ought to be pretty sure my torque wrench didn't
strip the aluminum threads. *The Snap On dial wrench hasn't been
recalibrated for 30 years and the Craftsman torsion bar wrench is too
clumsy to get to some of the bolts. *I was kicking it around and I came
up with using the torsion bar wrench on a bicycle axle nut and then
putting the dial wrench on it to see if the reading matched. *It did.
Then, I went ahead and checked the Craftsman clicker wrench of the same
vintage and recalibrating, and it came up with a match also. *Then I did
the torquing with the dial wrench and cross checked it with the torsion
bar wrench, with all good readings. *So, I'm just going to call them
calibrated.
Andy
Phoenix

Bill wrote:
Make it so that you can pull the torsion bar wrench with the snap on--
against each other. They should read the same.

How could the torsion wrench be off if it zeros properly and nothing
in the ponter binds?

Bill Hale Loveland CO

You are correct for a bending rod type wrench--but some torque wrenches
have a spring loaded(adjustable)hollow handle that allows a piece to pop
out of a Vee notch making an audible click that is also felt in the
handle--(very handy for torquing where you can't see the dial or
pointer. Jerry


On Jun 25, 12:39 pm, wrote:
I was getting ready to install a replacement manifold on the old Mercury
and it occurred to me I ought to be pretty sure my torque wrench didn't
strip the aluminum threads. The Snap On dial wrench hasn't been
recalibrated for 30 years and the Craftsman torsion bar wrench is too
clumsy to get to some of the bolts. I was kicking it around and I came
up with using the torsion bar wrench on a bicycle axle nut and then
putting the dial wrench on it to see if the reading matched. It did.
Then, I went ahead and checked the Craftsman clicker wrench of the same
vintage and recalibrating, and it came up with a match also. Then I did
the torquing with the dial wrench and cross checked it with the torsion
bar wrench, with all good readings. So, I'm just going to call them
calibrated.
Andy
Phoenix

Jerry Wass wrote:
Bill wrote:
Make it so that you can pull the torsion bar wrench with the snap on--
against each other. They should read the same.

How could the torsion wrench be off if it zeros properly and nothing
in the ponter binds?

Bill Hale Loveland CO

You are correct for a bending rod type wrench--but some torque wrenches
have a spring loaded(adjustable)hollow handle that allows a piece to pop
out of a Vee notch making an audible click that is also felt in the
handle--(very handy for torquing where you can't see the dial or
pointer. Jerry


In the Air Farce we were supposed to click the break type torque
wrench three times at the lowest setting before using it. This was
supposed to spread the lubrication inside.

I like the idea of taking the wrench to a shop to check calibration.
Having said that, in my first shop in the USAF we calibrated torque
wrenches so I may be a tad biased. The machine we used was huge and
probably weighed close to a ton. Torque wrenches in the USAF are
periodically calibrated, I forget the cycle, and taken in for
calibration if dropped or abused.

I wonder if the electronic torque wrenches are worth the money. Has
anyone in RAH tried them?

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

"Dan" wrote in message
...
Jerry Wass wrote:
Bill wrote:
Make it so that you can pull the torsion bar wrench with the snap on--
against each other. They should read the same.

How could the torsion wrench be off if it zeros properly and nothing
in the ponter binds?

Bill Hale Loveland CO

You are correct for a bending rod type wrench--but some torque wrenches
have a spring loaded(adjustable)hollow handle that allows a piece to pop
out of a Vee notch making an audible click that is also felt in the
handle--(very handy for torquing where you can't see the dial or pointer.
Jerry


In the Air Farce we were supposed to click the break type torque wrench
three times at the lowest setting before using it. This was supposed to
spread the lubrication inside.

I like the idea of taking the wrench to a shop to check calibration.
Having said that, in my first shop in the USAF we calibrated torque
wrenches so I may be a tad biased. The machine we used was huge and
probably weighed close to a ton. Torque wrenches in the USAF are
periodically calibrated, I forget the cycle, and taken in for calibration
if dropped or abused.

I wonder if the electronic torque wrenches are worth the money. Has
anyone in RAH tried them?

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

I have not tried the electronic variety; but my recollection is that the
click type torque wrenches were supposed to be calibrated annualy--so long
as no incident occured, such as dropping or other abuse.

Peter

snip
In the Air Farce we were supposed to click the break type torque wrench
three times at the lowest setting before using it. This was supposed to
spread the lubrication inside.

I like the idea of taking the wrench to a shop to check calibration.
Having said that, in my first shop in the USAF we calibrated torque
wrenches so I may be a tad biased. The machine we used was huge and
probably weighed close to a ton. Torque wrenches in the USAF are
periodically calibrated, I forget the cycle, and taken in for calibration
if dropped or abused.
snip
Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Heck, Dan, in the Air Force there was an alternate torque measuring
system that didn't even require a torque wrench. (PMEL calibrated, of
course)
Simply "strip" it and back off one half turn. Farm boys from Georgia taught
me that.

Old Chief Lynn

coffelt2 wrote:
snip
In the Air Farce we were supposed to click the break type torque
wrench three times at the lowest setting before using it. This was
supposed to spread the lubrication inside.

I like the idea of taking the wrench to a shop to check calibration.
Having said that, in my first shop in the USAF we calibrated torque
wrenches so I may be a tad biased. The machine we used was huge and
probably weighed close to a ton. Torque wrenches in the USAF are
periodically calibrated, I forget the cycle, and taken in for
calibration if dropped or abused.
snip
Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Heck, Dan, in the Air Force there was an alternate torque measuring
system that didn't even require a torque wrench. (PMEL calibrated, of
course)
Simply "strip" it and back off one half turn. Farm boys from Georgia taught
me that.

Old Chief Lynn

We used the "tighten it until it breaks, then back off a half turn"
and the "finger tight, plus a quarter turn" methods. QC wasn't fond of
the response "two clicks of the left elbow" when we were asked what the
proper torque was. Wasn't the -2 T.O. series issued to sit on or to
protect ones knees on a B-4 stand? Not that I ever did that, you
understand, but there was talk.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

"coffelt2" wrote in message
...
snip
In the Air Farce we were supposed to click the break type torque wrench
three times at the lowest setting before using it. This was supposed to
spread the lubrication inside.

I like the idea of taking the wrench to a shop to check calibration.
Having said that, in my first shop in the USAF we calibrated torque
wrenches so I may be a tad biased. The machine we used was huge and
probably weighed close to a ton. Torque wrenches in the USAF are
periodically calibrated, I forget the cycle, and taken in for calibration
if dropped or abused.
snip
Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Heck, Dan, in the Air Force there was an alternate torque measuring
system that didn't even require a torque wrench. (PMEL calibrated, of
course)
Simply "strip" it and back off one half turn. Farm boys from Georgia
taught
me that.

Old Chief Lynn

Hey don't forget the proper torque on the propellor retaining nut on the
4360 was "All you can with both hands on the Cheater Bar, then a 1/4 turn
more". Note proper Cheater Bar was 6' long.

Stu Fields B-36 engine change crew.

On Jun 29, 9:53*pm, "coffelt2" wrote:
snip

* In the Air Farce we were supposed to click the break type torque wrench
three times at the lowest setting before using it. This was supposed to
spread the lubrication inside.

* I like the idea of taking the wrench to a shop to check calibration..
Having said that, in my first shop in the USAF we calibrated torque
wrenches so I may be a tad biased. The machine we used was huge and
probably weighed close to a ton. Torque wrenches in the USAF are
periodically calibrated, I forget the cycle, and taken in for calibration
if dropped or abused.
snip
Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

* * *Heck, Dan, in the Air Force there was an alternate torque measuring
system that didn't even require a torque wrench. (PMEL calibrated, of
course)
Simply "strip" it and back off one half turn. Farm boys from Georgia taught
me that.

Old Chief Lynn

Yeah, but ya gotta know the difference between metric and SAE torque.

SAE = 1 3/4 grunts
Metric = Gutentieght