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Torque wrenches

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Cycling Equipment
Published
6 April 2004
Last activity
18 April 2004
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Paul Davis
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  1. (This is a general reply to the topic as it began.)

    Quoted message said:


    There are different reasons for using a torque wrench. It
    must be kept in mind, however, a torque wrench is only a
    tool, and will not replace thinking. What a threaded
    fastener (nut & bolt) needs is an adequate amount of
    tension, which is simply not-too-little and not-too-much.
    This can be achieved by a truing the thread either by hand
    or by a torque wrench. A torque wrench is then a measuring
    tool, much like a spoke tensiometer, a tape measure, a
    caliper, or even a tablespoon or measuring cup for a cook.
    You can make a great cake by grabbing hands full of flour
    and pouring out the salt, but most people would not want
    to purchase such a cake at their local grocery store. A
    torque wrench, used correctly, makes a good mechanic
    better. However, if basic knowledge is lacking, a torque
    wrench will not act as "magic wand" making every component
    safe and secure.

    There is also a difference between working on your own
    bike, and working professionally on other peoples
    bikes. Correct use of a torque wrench is one more way a
    shop can stand fully behind its work. A quick look at
    various bicycle forums will show that the creaking
    bicycle is often an issue, making lack of torque
    knowledge wide spread.

    The fact that torque wrenches have not had general use in
    the "industry" mean that we are simply behind, which should
    not be a surprise. Torque wrench use is not rocket science.
    There are now higher torque values commonly used. While my
    macho friends may think they are applying a recommend 600
    in-lb torque to a bb with a 6 inch wrench, it is not likely.
    One thing a torque wrench gives the user is simply more
    leverage when it counts. It is true of course this extra
    leverage is double edged, and can be a detriment in the
    wrong hands or with light torques.

    Quoted message said:

    See also for threading and torque issues:
    parktool.comthread.shtml

    parktool.comtorque.shtml

  2. Calvin Jones said:

    The fact that torque wrenches have not had general use in
    the "industry" mean that we are simply behind, which
    should not be a surprise. Torque wrench use is not rocket
    science. There are now higher torque values commonly used.
    While my macho friends may think they are applying a
    recommend 600 in-lb torque to a bb with a 6 inch wrench,
    it is not likely.

    That's an example of the "straw man" type of argument.

    Here's what I use on bottom brackets:

    For those that use an 8 mm Allen head, I have a standard "L"
    shaped Wrench stuck into the end of an old MTB handlebar 19
    1/2" long.

    For those that use a 14 or 15 mm cap screw, I use a
    Craftsman 1/2" drive rodent-feces handle 14 1/2" long.

    For splined BB retaining rings, I use a Craftsman 1/2" drive
    flex ratshit handle.

    All of these tools allow me to apply the torque close to the
    plane of the fastener's head, so there's reduced risk of
    rocking the wrench out/off the fastener's head.

    I can't imagine using a beam type torque wrench on a left
    crank, 'cause I don't see how I could get it tight enough
    while being in a position to read the scale.

    My usual procedure is to orient the bicycle so the front end
    is facing straight up, with wrench and opposite crank
    hanging down from the bottom bracket. I face the bottom of
    the BB, pull on the wrench with my right hand, push on the
    right crank with my left hand. Sometimes I'll wrap the
    fingers of my left hand around the right chainstay for a bit
    of extra support.

    For tightening the right crank, I hold the rear wheel
    instead of the crank, since the drive train gives me more
    leverage. (Both cranks done this way with fixed gears.)

    I don't have a lot of upper body strength, and have delicate
    hands so I tend to pay more attention to the ergonomics of
    wrenching than a stronger mechanic might.

    Sheldon "No Macho Posturing" Brown +---------------------------------------------------------
    ---------+
    | Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in
    | every | decision that he makes and we should just
    | support that. | -- Britney Spears, September 4, 2003 |
    +-----------------------------------------------------------
    -------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
    617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.com Hard-to-
    find parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.com
    sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.com

  3. On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 14:08:35 -0400, Sheldon Brown

    may have said:

    Someone who turns into a piece of furniture when the moon

    is full said:

    Judgement comes with experience. What is to provide
    judgement for the inexperienced?


    That's a very old conundrum...there's no substitute for
    experience.

    No, really, there isn't, but I would rather have the
    inexperienced turned into the knowledgeable in fewer
    breakage steps. IMO, it is hardly reasonable to recommend
    that an amateur trust his own judgement in tightening things
    *that matter* when the use of a torque wrench would increase
    the chances of the result being close to right. In my own
    case, long ago, after several dozen VW engine overhauls, I
    knew by feel when the torque wrench was going to click on
    the head studs and such, but I didn't start out
    knowing...and I'd have been [censored] as hell if I'd had to
    do every job over several times, buying some new bits on
    each iteration, just to find out what the right feel was.
    When I took up cycling, I had years of mechanic experience
    on other equipment...but I still had to find the places
    where things were critical on bikes, and it turned out that
    one of them really did need a torque wrench before I was
    going to get the feel. Tightening the bolts (or nuts, on
    cheap BBs) on the cranks didn't have the nice, familiar
    plateau whwere it became obvious that the fastener was as
    snug as it needed to be; the taper meant that the effort
    just had a moderately linear increase, with nothing to
    clearly point up the "it's done, Jim" spot. I'll give you
    the contention that the left cranks can often stand a bit
    more than the right, though for the life of me I can't
    really understand why this is the case. Still, in that *one*
    instance, had I gone at it with a wink and a guess, I'd
    likely have driven the damn things all the way up the taper
    until the bolt bottomed. (Yes, at times, I *am* Captain
    Overtorque[1].)

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    It is my practice to tighten the left side harder than
    the right side. Here's why:

    When cranks come loose, it is very predominantly the left
    side that comes loose. Making the left side bolt extra
    tight precludes this.

    So, what you're really saying is that the spec for the
    left is wrong;

    Not necessarily, I'm saying that a one-size-fits-all spec
    is not as reliable as the judgement of a good mechanic.

    And therein lies the rub. Many of the people who come here,
    and to your site, for advice and assistance are decidedly
    *not* experienced. Those whose time in service pulling on
    wrenches has gifted them with the feel for when it's "tight
    enough" serve the amateur poorly by not advocating the use
    of the tools that will give that amateur the best chance of
    getting a good result. What you and I can safely do is not
    necessarily good practice for them.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    the wrench does not know what you're using it on, why
    blame the tool?


    Who's blaming the tool? Might as well blame spell checkers
    for some of the amusing malapropisms that come out of
    various word processors.

    sheldonbrown.comhumor.html

    In some cases, the spell-checker may make things amusingly
    worse...but such is the nature of this language.

    BTW; here's a brainstorm for your humor entries. Reversible
    tubeless tires; run them slick side out on the street,
    invert them to put the knobs to the trail when going off-
    road. The only problem I see is that somebody might actually
    think it wasn't a fake product.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Issues of possible overtightening are of more concern on
    the right side, because this can cause chainline
    problems, or, in extreme cases, chainring clearance
    problems.

    So, do you advocate using a torque wrench there, then?


    I don't advocate using a torque wrench on bicycles. It's
    primarily an automotive tool.

    It's a tool, period. It has many appropriate venues, from
    aviation and instrumentation to sewing machines and more.
    Using it is one way of learning what "tight enough" feels
    like *when the parts and fasteners are in good condition and
    properly prepped*...and if that requirement is skipped, the
    user has got some additional education to acquire anyway.

    Quoted message said:

    My point is that torque wrenches are _not_ and _essential_
    tool for bicycle work, and anybody who claims they are is
    blowing smoke.

    They may be of some use as "training wheels" for beginner
    mechanics, though I suspect that, as with training wheels
    for bikes, they delay mastery.

    There's no substitute for breaking/stripping a few bits of
    hardware to educate you hands and brain about how a
    properly tightened fastener feels.

    If you feel that you are incapable of judging tightness
    without the aid of a torque wrench, go ahead and use one,
    but don't assert that everybody needs to do so.

    I would say that it's safer, and more considerate, to
    recommend the use of a torque wrench for critical tasks when
    the experience that would make it irrelevant is not
    demonstrably present. The idea is to give the questioner the
    information that will lead them to the best result they are
    likely to achieve. Not everyone wants, needs, or can even
    acquire the feel for "tight enough" in the limited number of
    times that they will perform a given task...and it's rude,
    to my way of thinking, to think that they'll be better off
    breaking something in the long run. The idea is to help, not
    to set them up for a fall. You provide people with good,
    sound, practical advice so consistently and so often that
    you're really the last person I thought I'd see taking the
    position that has been advanced; I started to wonder who had
    abducted the Umber Wizard at first. I now appears that what
    you're saying is they *you* don't feel the need to use a
    torque wrench. Well, for a lot of tasks, when it's *me*
    doing them, I agree; I don't need one either. That doesn't
    mean that I would recommend that someone else, whose
    abilities are unknown to me, should think that they can do
    likewise. It's not, in many cases, a good bet.

    --
    My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
    Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
    Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

  4. On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 22:51:37 GMT, Werehatrack

    may have said:

    (Yes, at times, I *am* Captain Overtorque[1].)

    and then I left out the footnote....

    [1] Able to strip large threads with a single turn! Breaks
    grade 5 fasteners with his bare hands and one wrench!
    Who, knowing that the only certain way to prevent the
    dreaded Loose Fastener is to make sure it can *never*
    come off, cross threads nuts and runs them down till
    they strip in place! Disguised as the mild-mannered ex-parts-
    manager turned screen printer, he fights a never-ending
    battle to ensure that nothing can be taken apart *at
    all* once *he* puts it together!

    "Look! Under that van!"

    "Is it a dead deer?"

    "Is it an alligator?"

    "Is it Uncle Ralph?"

    No, it's Captain Overtorque!

    --
    My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
    Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
    Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

  5. Werehatrack said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Judgement comes with experience. What is to provide
    judgement for the inexperienced?



    I replied, in part:

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    That's a very old conundrum...there's no substitute for
    experience.

    No, really, there isn't, but I would rather have the
    inexperienced turned into the knowledgeable in fewer
    breakage steps. IMO, it is hardly reasonable to
    recommend that an amateur trust his own judgement in
    tightening things *that matter* when the use of a torque
    wrench would increase the chances of the result being
    close to right.

    I believe bicyles should be user serviceable, and I don't
    believe in discouraging people from fixing their bikes just
    because they don't own some exotic specialized tool, when
    that tool is not needed.

    Similarly, you'll never see me promoting the "necessity" of
    wearing special clothing for cycling. I believe cycling
    should be a democratic activity, and that nobody should be
    reluctant to ride a bike just because they don't have some
    specialize clothing.

    I was going to leave this repetitious thread alone, except
    when it got into saying that mechanics like myself who don't
    find a torque wrench necessary are either hacks or
    egomaniacs.

    I've taught a great many people bicycle repair, hardly ever
    had any problem with overtightened bottom brackets.

    The usual error is to undertighten, and if you do that you
    discover it because the crank loosens up, so you tighten it.
    That's how I learned (not by breaking bolts...only once
    recall breaking a crank mounting bolt, and I believe that
    was a defective one.)

    Quoted message said:

    In my own case, long ago, after several dozen VW engine
    overhauls, I knew by feel when the torque wrench was
    going to click on the head studs and such, but I didn't
    start out knowing...and I'd have been [censored] as hell
    if I'd had to do every job over several times, buying
    some new bits on each iteration, just to find out what
    the right feel was.

    I never denied that a torque wrench is nearly essential for
    doing a good job of installing an automobile engine's
    cylinder head, and for other applications involving multiple
    bolts with crushable gaskets, but this application does not
    arise in the bicycle world.

    Torque wrenches are, indeed, important _automotive_ tools.

    If you can afford one and choose to go to the trouble of
    using one for bicycle work, that's fine with me too, but
    don't tell me that _I_ (or anybody else) _need_ a torque
    wrench to do a proper job on a bicycle.

    Quoted message said:

    When I took up cycling, I had years of mechanic
    experience on other equipment...but I still had to find
    the places where things were critical on bikes,

    The only such parts on a bicycle that I consider truly
    critical are the brake cable anchor bolts (and I've never
    known anybody to use a torque wrench on those) and the wheel
    attachment hardware.

    Sheldon "I've Broken/Stripped A Few Anchor Bolts In My Time"
    Brown +----------------------------------------+
    | When I am grown to man's estate | I shall be very proud
    | and great, | And tell the other girls and boys | Not to
    | meddle with my toys. | -R. L. Stevenson |
    +----------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery,
    West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-
    1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped
    Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.com sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.com

  6. "Calvin Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    (This is a general reply to the topic as it began.)

    Quoted message said:


    There are different reasons for using a torque wrench.
    It must be kept in mind, however, a torque wrench is
    only a tool, and will not replace thinking. What a
    threaded fastener (nut & bolt) needs is an adequate
    amount of tension, which is simply not-too-little and
    not-too-much. This can be achieved by a truing the
    thread either by hand or by a torque wrench. A torque
    wrench is then a measuring tool, much like a spoke
    tensiometer, a tape measure, a caliper, or even a
    tablespoon or measuring cup for a cook. You can make a
    great cake by grabbing hands full of flour and pouring
    out the salt, but most people would not want to purchase
    such a cake at their local grocery store. A torque
    wrench, used correctly, makes a good mechanic better.
    However, if basic knowledge is lacking, a torque wrench
    will not act as "magic wand" making every component safe
    and secure.

    There is also a difference between working on your own
    bike, and working professionally on other peoples bikes.
    Correct use of a torque wrench is one more way a shop
    can stand fully behind its work. A quick look at various
    bicycle forums will show that the creaking bicycle is
    often an issue, making lack of torque knowledge wide
    spread.

    The fact that torque wrenches have not had general use in
    the "industry" mean that we are simply behind, which
    should not be a surprise. Torque wrench use is not rocket
    science. There are now higher torque values commonly used.

    The place that I really find a torque wrench helps me is
    where I was overtightening in the past. Particularly on
    things like brake pad fasteners. No, I never broke one so I
    didn't realize I was overtightening, but many times the
    spacers were warped in a not so noticeable way.

    Greg

  7. And I use my torque wrench on the stem bolt & wedge bolt. I
    had a wedge bolt stripped on my TTT stem on my new bike by a
    mechanic at my favorite shop. Took me a while to figure out
    why I couldn't get my stem out. Let me tell you what a PITA
    it was getting that out.

    Of course, I also use it on the BB & crank bolts too!

    MOO, Matt

    G.T. said:

    "Calvin Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    (This is a general reply to the topic as it began.)

    Quoted message said:

    There are different reasons for using a torque wrench. It
    must be kept in mind, however, a torque wrench is only a
    tool, and will not replace thinking. What a threaded
    fastener (nut & bolt) needs is an adequate amount of
    tension, which is simply not-too-little and not-too-much.
    This can be achieved by a truing the thread either by
    hand or by a torque wrench. A torque wrench is then a
    measuring tool, much like a spoke tensiometer, a tape
    measure, a caliper, or even a tablespoon or measuring cup
    for a cook. You can make a great cake by grabbing hands
    full of flour and pouring out the salt, but most people
    would not want to purchase such a cake at their local
    grocery store. A torque wrench, used correctly, makes a
    good mechanic better. However, if basic knowledge is
    lacking, a torque wrench will not act as "magic wand"
    making every component safe and secure.

    There is also a difference between working on your own
    bike, and working professionally on other peoples bikes.
    Correct use of a torque wrench is one more way a shop can
    stand fully behind its work. A quick look at various
    bicycle forums will show that the creaking bicycle is
    often an issue, making lack of torque knowledge wide
    spread.

    The fact that torque wrenches have not had general use in
    the "industry" mean that we are simply behind, which
    should not be a surprise. Torque wrench use is not rocket
    science. There are now higher torque values commonly used.

    The place that I really find a torque wrench helps me is
    where I was overtightening in the past. Particularly on
    things like brake pad fasteners. No, I never broke one so
    I didn't realize I was overtightening, but many times the
    spacers were warped in a not so noticeable way.

    Greg

  8. Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    <snip>

    Quoted message said:

    I never denied that a torque wrench is nearly essential
    for doing a good job of installing an automobile engine's
    cylinder head, and for other applications involving
    multiple bolts with crushable gaskets, but this
    application does not arise in the bicycle world.


    <snip>

    It seems to me that I started hearing about torque
    wrenches being de rigeur about the time carbon fiber
    became so popular. Given what I hear about how damage to
    carbon fiber parts is not always evident and how failure
    can be catastrophic, I'd probably get a torque wrench if I
    used carbon fiber components. I prefer just to avoid
    carbon fiber.

  9. On Fri, 09 Apr 2004 00:35:09 -0400, Sheldon Brown

    may have said:

    The only such parts on a bicycle that I consider truly
    critical are the brake cable anchor bolts (and I've never
    known anybody to use a torque wrench on those)

    Me neither, and I can't say that it would be an appropriate
    place to even try.

    Quoted message said:

    and the wheel attachment hardware.

    Which, with skewers, is a non-issue in any event. And with a
    solid axle (which, frankly, I personally prefer) it's still
    questionable whether a torque wrench is useful for that task
    because of the irregularity of the mounting surface.

    It's interesting to note, if you haven't run into it, that
    in many places on automotive engines now, the final
    tightening regime for critical fasteners isn't based on
    turning torque, but on a sequence of steps which ends with
    rotating the bolts from a "just snug" intermediate condition
    through a specific angle to their final position.

    BTW, when it comes to overtorquing something, I'll relate
    that I came across a used bike at a garage sale recently
    which exemplified the inappropriate application of the
    Armstrong Approach to Torque[1]. It was a cheap mtb with a
    threadless stem, and the steerer was *very* stiff. Looking
    closely, I could see that the head of the remaining
    original stem pinch bolt was wallowed, the replacement for
    the other was of the wrong type and had been overtightened
    to the point where the threads were pulled out, and the
    bolt in the top cap had been run down until the cap was
    badly distorted. The seller said the bike was "messed up",
    and wanted $10 for it. All things considered, for a Walgoose-
    level unit with as many things futzed as that one had
    visible, I decided that I'd pass.

    --
    My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
    Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
    Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

  10. Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    [snip racy discussions of wrenching positions]

    Quoted message said:

    I was taught at an early age to pull on wrenches, not push
    on them . . .

    Sheldon "Ummmmmffff!" Brown

    Dear Sheldon,

    Why?

    Carl Fogel

  11. Hi, the Park torque wrenches are beam type. I've had mixed
    messages about beam type torque wrenches, been warned off by
    some and recommended them by others. The other type (that
    gives/clicks when the set torque is reached) seem to be
    refered to as clickers.

    The confusion over what is/isn't good was one of the reasons
    for posting originally.

  12. The routine use of torque wrenches ignores the fact that not
    all thread pairs of a given size will respond the same to a
    fixed torque value.

    Industrially, torque specs are typically given for clean dry
    threads, even if the threads in question are supposed to be
    lubricated. Why? Because clean dry threads offer the best
    hope of getting anything like a consistent fastener tension
    for a given torque. You are supposed to make all necessary
    measurements to obtain a similar fastener tension with
    whatever grease you happen to be using-- not that anybody
    actually does that, of course.

    Lubricant on threads can reduce the necessary torque to
    reach a given fastener tension by more than half. The
    specific amount varies widely according to lubrication type
    and amount, tension range, thread pitch angle, component
    surface finish, and other factors.

    Likewise, the maximum tension a given thread pair can
    withstand without damage is dependent on the specific
    materials, tolerances, and thread depth of each part as well
    as their relationship to each other. Tiny variations in fit
    clearance and pitch length can make a dramatic difference in
    failure torque.

    Using a torque wrench and a reference table without regard
    to issues that affect the specific part in question is no
    better than an experienced mechanic honking on it until it
    "feels tight enough". For someone without mechanical
    experience, a torque wrench and reference table can get an
    assembly in the ballpark of tolerable conditions, and in the
    workplace it can provide serious ability to CYA. But let's
    be frank about what it offers-- a close-order-of-magnitude
    level of precision, functionally the same as a trained
    technician's judgment call.

    Chalo Colina

  13. a bottom line hear is the intro to nuts and bolts approach
    via the torque wrench essentially thinking or educational
    approach skirting trilal and error when bolting the
    abarth's head down. yeahyeahyeah and yawl did this and once
    screwed it up good. so. ahem. if one who wonders about this
    stuff takes a handful of various sizes and a board bolts
    the nuts up with
    a. grease
    a1. never anti seize
    b. no grease
    c. try rust
    d.blue oem loctite
    e. red loctites

    at relevant torque levels then yagotta idea.

    but don't thro the wrench away someday yawl have three
    beers and...

  14. Carl Fogel said:

    Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:<[email hidden]>...

    [snip racy discussions of wrenching positions]

    Quoted message said:

    I was taught at an early age to pull on wrenches, not push
    on them . . .

    Sheldon "Ummmmmffff!" Brown

    Dear Sheldon,

    Why?

    Dear Carl,

    In my experience, it is best to apply force to a tool in
    such a manner that if the tool slips on the fastener one's
    hand does not crash into hard and/or sharp objects.

    --
    Tom Sherman - Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

  15. g.daniels said:

    a bottom line hear is the intro to nuts and bolts approach
    via the torque wrench essentially thinking or educational
    approach skirting trilal and error when bolting the
    abarth's head down....

    Fiat or Simca?

    --
    Tom Sherman - Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

  16. Sheldon Brown said:

    I don't advocate using a torque wrench on bicycles. It's
    primarily an automotive tool.

    I'm sure you could have a lively debate on this point with
    an A&P (FAA licensed Airframe and Powerplant mechanic).
    Torque wrenches are appropriate tools for properly
    tightening any threaded fastener, from the head bolts on
    Briggs & Stratton lawnmower engines to bypass valves on
    commercial jets.

    If the well trained human body could successfully reproduce
    a mechanical function 100% of the time, professional bowlers
    would bowl nothing but 300 games and NBA players would never
    miss a free throw. We are variable creatures. Torque
    wrenches are not.

    jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net
    home.earthlink.net~jeverett3

  17. Quoted message said:
    g.daniels said:

    a bottom line hear is the intro to nuts and bolts
    approach via the torque wrench essentially thinking or
    educational approach skirting trilal and error when
    bolting the abarth's head down....

    Tom Sherman said:

    Fiat or Simca?

    Abarth was Colin Chapman's (Lotus) middle name.

    (Simca gets my vote for worst car of all time - but I
    haven't actually worked on a Trabant outdoors in a
    Wisconsin winter)
    --
    Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
    April, 1971

  18. A Muzi said:
    Quoted message said:
    g.daniels said:

    a bottom line hear is the intro to nuts and bolts
    approach via the torque wrench essentially thinking or
    educational approach skirting trilal and error when
    bolting the abarth's head down....

    Tom Sherman said:

    Fiat or Simca?

    Abarth was Colin Chapman's (Lotus) middle name.

    (Simca gets my vote for worst car of all time - but I
    haven't actually worked on a Trabant outdoors in a
    Wisconsin winter)

    I was thinking of Carlo Abarth. I would be willing to put up
    with a Simca Abarth if someone donated one to me. <w-w-
    ww.michaelp.org/photos/cars/winehist2000/simca_abarth.jpg>

    --
    Tom Sherman - Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

  19. In article <[email hidden]>,

    John Everett said:

    We are variable creatures. Torque wrenches are not.

    Any tool is as good as the human using it. To be of any use,
    a torque wrench must be properly calibrated, adjusted and
    interpreted. There's plenty of variability in this process.

    The A&P comparison is interesting but not terribly relevant.
    The need for precision is somewhat different when vast sums
    of money and lives are directly at stake. Bike fasteners are
    different animals, and on the most critical of them--the
    quick release--a torque wrench is no help at all. You either
    know how it's supposed to feel or you don't.

    That said, a torque wrench won't hurt things any on most
    bike fasteners, but it will greatly slow jobs such as
    anchoring a brake cable. The only interface in which one
    could make a genuine case for a torque wrench is the crank
    bolts. So far, I've settled for tightening the [censored] out of
    'em. We'll see if that works.

    If it doesn't, the failure isn't particularly catastrophic.
    The cranks rattle a little, then rattle a lot. If I were to
    keep riding the bike at that point, there might be problems,
    but I don't expect it'll get that far gone.
    --
    ---
    "I never had to pretend I felt the lyrics. I could always
    relate to the words."
    -- Teddy Pendergrass

  20. eric h wrote: The only

    Quoted message said:

    interface in which one could make a genuine case for a
    torque wrench is the crank bolts. So far, I've settled for
    tightening the [censored] out of 'em.

    A woman who worked for me twisted the heads off crank bolts.
    More than once.

    "tightening the [censored] out of them" is a pretty wide range.
    --
    Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
    April, 1971

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