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Torque wrench [Where are we headed?]

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coldplugs

coldplugs

Darth Vader
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I read yesterday about a new torque wrench that Snap-On is developing that is "IP-enabled". Essentially, this means it can connect to the Internet.

It's being developed at the behest of a "large chain" (of stores, presumably) because they were recently sued when a wheel they'd put on a car fell off. They want an automatic record of having tightened the lug nuts properly that will look good in court.

Ain't that sumthin'?

John C
 
Not surprising. Bill Gates has all his kitchen appliances networked (he probably wants the rest of us to have that too.....with MS software, of course).

In Trenton (NJ), a number of public busses recentely had wheels falling off. Wheel studs kept failing. They traced it back to one repair shop air-impact gun that was tightening the nuts to 600 ft lbs. Maybe they could have used an "IP connected" tool to prevent this.......or just some common sense.
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by aeronca65t:

In Trenton (NJ), a number of public busses recentely had wheels falling off. Wheel studs kept failing. They traced it back to one repair shop air-impact gun that was tightening the nuts to 600 ft lbs. Maybe they could have used an "IP connected" tool to prevent this.......or just some common sense.<hr></blockquote>

I frequent a tire store that has "learned" to "deal with me" when I get new tires.. They can take off the wheels, mount and balance the new tires, but only I install the wheels back on my cars.
I use the "excuse" that impact tightened lug nuts cannot be removed with a stock lug wrench.. they "buy" that.. the truth of the matter is my "newest" car is twenty-five years old.. my oldest daily driver is forty years old..plus I torque my lug nuts when I get home..
Needless to say, these lug studs have been subjected to a lot of use over the years.
I did lose a right rear wheel once.. the one time I did not install my own tires!

[ 07-18-2002: Message edited by: Charles #677556 ]</p>
 
Impact wrenches can impart an incredible amount of force. When I worked with one of the foremost fastener authorities, he would not even allow the tire shop to use an impact to REMOVE the lugnuts. He always properly lubricated the studs and then took the opportunity to teach the proper installation and torque setting of the lugnuts after he replaced them after each torque cycle. I learned more from him about fasteners in a few short years than most engineering PhDs will ever know about threaded fasteners. I raced SCCA and never had a fastener failure as long as I followed Walt's guidelines and charts, the few I experienced came from improper installation by someone who was helping.

Little known fastner fact: How many times should you reuse a properly torqued fastener? (answer later)
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coldplugs:
Actually, they make much higher value torque wrenches than 600 ft lbs. Here's a hand-held unit that can crank 1450 ft lbs!
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stutzdriver:
As for the number of times a fastener can be used? "Crush-type" and certain other deformable fasteners can only be used once.

As far as ordinary fasteners (for example, an SAE 1/4-28 nut or bolt), you should be able to use them as many times as you like, as long as you don't exceed the elastic limit (yield point). Torque wrenches really only give an indirect approximation of the true load...so it's possible to yield a fastener even if it is "torqued up" correctly (if possible, it's better to used a micrometer, measuring % of elongation....not always possible, though).
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by aeronca65t:
coldplugs:
Actually, they make much higher value torque wrenches than 600 ft lbs. Here's a hand-held unit that can crank 1450 ft lbs!
<hr></blockquote>

I'll admit that this surprises me but a quick look with Google found an impact wrench rated at 1850 ft lbs. Never really thought about it...

[ 07-18-2002: Message edited by: coldplugs ]</p>
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by aeronca65t:
They traced it back to one repair shop air-impact gun that was tightening the nuts to 600 ft lbs.<hr></blockquote>

If it was a hand-held wrench, I'd hate to be the guy that's using it. Better have both feet firmly planted....

John C
 
Not too much of a suprise about the IP enabled. Facom already has a electronic torque wrench that will keep records on itself and upload to a computer. To the net from there wouldn't be anything.

Now there will be some burnt out hippy running around with a tinfoil hat screaming that Big Brother is watching what you do with your lugnuts.
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by aeronca65t:
Yeah, with the tiny (11/16" hex) lug nuts on my Spridget, these air wrenches aren't real high on my "wish list" either (the standard 6" long lug wrench works fine!).<hr></blockquote>

I use an old "four-way" that was my Dads.. this puppy is about 18" across.. guaranteed to remove any lug nut put on my the jerk-wad at the tire store who doesn't just "tighten" the lug nuts, but "hammers" them until they actually deform the center of the rim.. I had to replace the rims on my forty year old Volvo 122S because of such an idiot..
Of course, if the four-way fails to remove the lug nuts, I have a CP 1/2" drive impact that will do the job..
And the person who posted his "PhD" in fasteners is absolutely correct, properly lube all studs/nuts to be torqued.. I use Loctite Anti-Seize on all my spark plugs AND lug nuts..
 
We are trained to use a torque wrench for everything at school! Getting caught using an impact wrench to put lug nuts back on is a big no no. Some guys still do it, and there are a LOT of repair shops out there that do. Most seem to be of the smaller owned variety. I know from other students that NTB and Firestone require use of torque wrenchs. By the time I am done, I may as well toss my ratchets because there is a torque spec and sequence for everything!
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One of my "American" cars has "floating" disk brake rotors and must be torqued to 100 ft-lbs in a specific sequence. I take it to Discount Tires and they generally do a good job. They use a hand-held torque wrench and tighten in 25 lb increments in a star pattern untill they reach 100 lbs (just going straight to 100 lbs on each lug nut can warp the brake rotors).

Basil
 
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